“I Found a Bug in My Friend’s Hair — What Is It?” Here’s What It Could Be
Finding a tiny insect crawling through someone’s hair can be an unsettling experience.Explore Entomology Kits
At first glance, it may seem impossible to tell what you’re looking at. Is it a head louse? A harmless outdoor insect? A flea? A tick? Or simply something that happened to land in the hair?
The good news is that not every bug found in hair means there is an infestation.
However, some insects—particularly head lice—can live and reproduce in human hair, so it’s worth taking a careful look before dismissing the discovery.
The key is identification.
The Most Common Possibility: Head Lice
When people discover a tiny insect in someone’s hair, head lice are often the first possibility that comes to mind.Get Hydrating Shampoos
Head lice are small, wingless insects that live on the human scalp and feed on blood. They are adapted specifically to living among human hair.
Adult head lice are generally about the size of a sesame seed, while their eggs, called nits, are much smaller and are attached firmly to individual hairs near the scalp.
Unlike many insects that simply wander through hair, lice are specifically adapted to remain there.
What Do Head Lice Look Like?
Adult head lice can be difficult to spot because they’re small and move quickly.