Lice terms, in plain English

Nit

A lice egg, glued to the hair shaft close to the scalp. Nits do not brush out like dandruff — they are cemented on, which is one way to tell the difference.

Nymph

A newly hatched louse. Smaller than an adult and harder to spot, but it feeds and grows into one within about a week.

Adult louse

A mature head louse, roughly the size of a sesame seed. It has six legs, cannot jump or fly, and needs to feed on the scalp frequently.

Pediculosis capitis

The medical name for a head lice infestation. You will see it on school letters and doctors’ notes.

“Super lice”

Not a different species — ordinary head lice that have developed resistance to the pesticides in common over-the-counter treatments. It is a large part of why pharmacy kits often fail.

No-nit policy

A school rule excluding children until every nit is gone. Most districts have moved away from it, as it keeps children out of class without meaningfully reducing spread.

Nit comb

A fine-toothed metal comb designed to pull eggs off the hair shaft. Plastic combs in pharmacy kits are generally not up to the job.

Comb-out

The systematic removal of lice and nits, section by section. This is the part that actually clears an infestation — any product is only as good as the comb-out that follows it.

Dimethicone

A silicone-based, non-pesticide treatment that works physically rather than chemically, so lice cannot develop resistance to it.

Lice facts Video tutorials