Looks like lice nits but NOT lice nits

[cp1014]

I had lice 10-15 times as a kid. I know everything there is to know about them. I know exactly what the bugs and the nits look and feel like. Please keep this in mind before you jump to conclusions.

About seven years ago, at age 20, I noticed flecks in my hair that weren't coming out like dandruff. I tried to pull them off and they were somewhat stuck to the hair shaft like a lice nit. I had four people check my hair, including my doctor, and no bugs were found. I never experienced itching either.

Fast forward seven years, and I still notice them sometimes. No, I have not had head lice for seven years. I regularly get my hair done and my stylist would have noticed it 50 times by now. Plus, my husband would have had them for seven years too. Obviously not the case.

Here's why I'm posting: my five year old son now has the exact same thing on his hair, only the flecks are more brown in color and even more stuck to the hair shaft than mine were/are. Same as with me, he has NO bugs and NO itching. I have sat with a flashlight to his head and checked every millimeter of his head. No bugs. (He does have a history of eczema and had cradle cap until he was 9 months old, that appears to be flaring back up with a large yellow patch of dry skin on the center of his scalp.)

I have been on the brink of insanity trying to figure this out, reading every possible thing I can. I don't think it's hair casts; what I'm seeing are not tubes that encircle the hair. What I'm seeing are oval shaped and attached to one side of the hair shaft. It's also not product buildup. Neither my son nor I use any hair products.

I have never been able to find a Derm that actually cares about their patients enough to consult. I mentioned it to my Derm once and she said mine is just dandruff, but she didn't listen when I explained how they get stuck to the hair.

Someone, please tell me if you know what this could be. Don't bother telling me I'm an idiot and that it's definitely lice. I know there are a lot of dumb people out there who don't know what they're talking about. I'm not one of them.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[purple1234567]

Don't worry, no one here will tell you that you are dumb- I am not sure what they could be, but I can just imagine your concern.  Have you had your pediatrician look at them?  Maybe they have a lead on a derm. that might take a look if they get a referral?  

[aks0506]

Sounds similar to scalp psoriasis and it can be passed on genetically. Mine started with bumps on scalp then moved to scabs. The whitish silver scalp pieces can resemble lice nits or dandruff. I admit I tried to pull mine off(to see what it was) so now mine itch or hurt.may at least ask ur doctor about that possibility. Any kind of doc should be able to tell. just sounded similar but it stops itching at times and will stop for months at a time. though if i run fingers through my scalp,nitlike small white stuff is under my nails.

[cp1014]

Also I should add that his are NOT close to the scalp (like active lice nits would be) and not concentrated around his ears and back of neck, like they would be. They are anywhere from an inch to four inches down the hair shaft.