How to check your child's hair for head lice in 5 minutes

A calm, section-by-section routine that turns the dreaded inspection into a quick, fuss-free habit — no panic, no guesswork.

Before you reach for anything, the smartest first move is simply to look — and a proper home check takes about five minutes once you know where to point your eyes.

Before you start: set yourself up to win

Two things make or break a head check: light and patience. Lice are tiny, so you need the brightest spot in the house. Daylight by a window is ideal; otherwise a strong lamp or your phone torch held close. Sit your child in front of you, and have a fine-tooth nit comb, a few tissues, and either hair conditioner or your UV kit within reach.

What you're looking for: live lice are tan to greyish and move fast away from light. Eggs are teardrop-shaped, glued firmly to the hair shaft close to the scalp, and won't flick off like a flake of dandruff.

The 5-minute routine, step by step

Wet & smooth

Dampen the hair and work through plenty of conditioner — or apply Glo-Powder per the pack. This slows lice down and helps the comb glide.

Section it

Clip the hair into four sections. Working small patches at a time is what keeps the whole check to five minutes.

Comb from the scalp

Place the comb flat against the scalp and draw it slowly to the tips. Wipe it on a tissue after every stroke and check what's there.

Where lice actually hide

• Behind the ears — the single most common hiding place.
• The nape of the neck — along the hairline at the back.
• The crown and the part line — warm and easy to reach.
• Under the fringe and around any hairband marks.

Why UV makes it faster — and surer

Fresh eggs are almost translucent and sit right against the scalp, which is exactly why so many checks miss them. The active ingredient in the NitKit fluoresces under UV light, so eggs and lice light up against the hair instead of camouflaging into it.

The first time a parent switches the UV light on and sees the eggs glow, the penny drops — you can't treat what you can't see.

How often should you check?

A quick weekly check during the school term is plenty for most families — Sunday night is an easy anchor. Step it up to every few days if there's a case going around, or in the two weeks after a treatment. Catch lice early, while numbers are low, and clearing them is far simpler.