“What does lice look like on a hair strand?” asks this reader in her submission. She does not attach a picture or more context, but we will do our best to help her nonetheless.

Lice are external parasitic insects which attach themselves to people’s scalps and suck the blood from the head. When a lice infestation occurs, people will experience itchiness on the scalp, which is usually the first sign that one has lice.

When lice have infested one’s hair, the actual insects do not attach themselves to the strands of hair, as they feed on the scalp. That said, they do lay eggs in the hair, and it is the eggs that one is more likely to notice. These eggs will look like multiple white dots, resembling dandruff or lint.

Lice can reproduce at an incredible rate, which is why their infestations should be handled immediately. On top of that, they are extremely contagious. If one so much as leans their lice-infested head against another’s for a moment, that other person may easily contract that lice infestation. Or even if they simply sit too close!

Infestations can go on for years if left untreated, through ultimately the lice themselves do not cause any long-term damage. The most dangerous thing about a lice infestation is actually one’s reaction to it: the itching. If one scratches at their head too much, one can open wounds which can get infected, and then it can become a serious problem.

Now, with all of that said, if our reader has lice or is concerned that she has lice, she should not take any of the information we have listed as medical advice. As we are not medical professionals, we are not qualified or legally able to provide such advice.

If she wants to know if she has lice, she should consult her primary care doctor, as they will be able to diagnose her concern and prescribe the necessary treatment. Of course, if she is completely sure she has lice, one can get lice treatments over the counter, without consulting one’s primary care doctor. This choice is up to her discretion.

To conclude, this has been a brief overview of lice but a long-winded answer to our reader’s question. In short, lice do not show up on the hair strands, but the eggs do. We hope we cleared that up to a satisfactory degree, and we wish our reader the very best.