Once you find them, though, you can get rid of them in a couple of weeks by using a special shampoo. Lice is the word for more than one louse. A head louse is a very tiny gray colored insect. Some grade-school children get it from sharing hairbrushes, combs, hats, or touching heads with a child who has head lice. This pest causes your head to itch.
Nits are quite tiny and clear-colored.
If you have a bad case of lice, you might see hundreds of nits on your hair. Leave the shampoo on your hair for five minutes, then rinse it out. A week later, shampoo again, to make sure all the nits have been killed. American Academy of Dermatology, 2000. All rights reserved.