How to Screen for Lice

Lice are tiny, wingless parasites that feed on blood. Adults range in color from tan to gray and have six legs while their eggs are grayish-white in color. There are three types of lice: head, body and pubic lice. Whereas head lice typically live in the hair on the neck and scalp, body lice live on the body and in fabrics and pubic lice live in the pubic, armpit and eyebrow hair. All three types are contracted through contact with infected persons as well as contact with infected items such as towels, combs, clothing and bed linens.

Things You'll Need

• Tongue depressor
• High intensity lamp
• Magnifying glass
• Mirror

Show More

Instructions

Head Lice

• 1

  Sit the person in a chair under a lamp. Start from the nape of his neck and carefully part the hair using the tongue depressor.

• 2

  Search the hair and scalp for eggs or adult lice with the magnifying glass. Part another section and use the magnifying glass to search the area thoroughly.

• 3

  Work your way up the head using this same method. Search small portions of hair until you have examined the entire head.

Body Lice

• 4

  Remove your clothing. Place the clothing under the lamp.

• 5

  Examine the clothes with the magnifying glass. Look slowly and carefully over the clothes for adult lice or eggs.

• 6

  Search the seams and folds for lice or eggs. Examine the waist and armpit areas for the presence of lice eggs.

Pubic Lice

• 7

  Remove your pants and underwear. Sit or lay under the lamp.

• 8

  Search the pubic hair for crawling adult lice and eggs with the magnifying glass. Eggs appear white and in small clumps near the roots of the pubic hair.

• 9

  Stand in the mirror or request the help of another person. Search for adult lice or eggs in your armpit hair and eyebrows.