Lice vs. Dandruff
7 Key Differences Between Lice Eggs & Common Dandruff
Looking for Lice
Most people think lice are easy to spot crawling in the hair — but that’s rarely the case. Lice are small and blend in well, often matching the color of the person’s hair. On blond hair, they can look nearly transparent, while on darker hair, they tend to appear darker too.
Because lice are so good at hiding and moving quickly, it is pretty rare to see lice bugs early on in an infestation. Instead of looking for fully grown lice bugs, you should focus on finding lice eggs/“nits” in the hair. Unlike adult lice bugs, nits do not move around or hide. These eggs are glued onto the hair strand so they will not fall off. This makes finding lice eggs much easier than finding grown lice.
When in doubt, try to pull it out.
Nits stick to the side of a single hair strand using a strong natural glue. If you see something that might be a nit, try sliding it down the hair. Real nits are difficult to remove. They will not brush out, wash away, or come off with a flick. You usually need to pinch them between your fingers or use a fine lice comb to drag them down the entire length of the hair.
Dandruff behaves differently. On clean, dry hair, it moves easily with a flick, a brush, or even a small gust of air. In greasy hair, dandruff might cling a bit more but still will not attach the way a nit does. Dandruff sits loosely on top of the hair and can move between strands.
A nit is like a small leaf growing out of a stem. The hair is the stem. The nit sits flat against one side. It does not wrap around the hair.
What are DEC Plugs?
DEC Plugs are a type of dandruff that wrap around a single hair strand. Unlike typical flakes, they do not fall freely into the hair. Instead, they form a ring around the hair and can appear to stick. Some may look like they are only on the side of the strand, but if you inspect closely, part of the plug always goes completely around the hair.
While DEC Plugs may seem attached, they move smoothly up and down the strand when you slide them. This makes them easy to confuse with lice eggs, which also appear stuck in place. The key difference is movement. DEC Plugs glide along the hair. Nits do not. Nits stay firmly in place and require force to remove.
If something moves freely along the hair, it is most likely a DEC Plug and not a lice egg.
Teardrop vs Circular – Lice Eggs Are Teardrop
Nits are teardrop shaped. While they may look round when still attached to the hair, once removed and placed on a white paper towel, their teardrop shape becomes clear. In contrast, dandruff has no consistent shape. Dandruff flakes are usually jagged or uneven, and some are so small that they are difficult to identify by shape at all.
Lice Eggs Are Golden, Dandruff Is White
Nits have color, especially when viewed on a white surface. While they may look white in the hair, they are usually golden or amber with a dark brown center. As nits mature, their color deepens, ranging from light gold to dark brown. Hatched nits become translucent but still show a clear outline and tail when placed on a white paper towel. Dandruff, on the other hand, is white and shows up best against dark backgrounds. DEC Plugs may appear white or slightly yellow and are also most visible on dark surfaces.
Lice Eggs Are All the Same Size
Nits are uniform in size. Any slight differences in their dimensions are too small to notice without magnification, so to the naked eye, they all appear the same. Dandruff and DEC Plugs, however, vary noticeably. Some flakes are tiny, while others are much larger. This range in size is easy to spot and helps distinguish dandruff from lice eggs.
Lice Glue Leaves a Tail
When a louse lays an egg, it uses a strong glue to attach it to the hair strand. This glue stays with the egg when it’s removed. If you place the egg on a white paper towel, the glue often appears as a small “tail” at one end. Dandruff and DEC Plugs do not have this glue, so they do not show any tail-like structure when examined off the hair.
Lice Eggs Love Hot Spots
Nits are most often found in the “hot spots” of the scalp — the areas where lice prefer to lay their eggs. These include behind the ears and along the nape of the neck. Dandruff, by contrast, tends to build up near the crown of the head. While dandruff can appear anywhere, it is usually most concentrated where the scalp produces the most oil.