Arrrgh Nits!

cakeforbrains

Gaaaaah!

My boys had nits a couple of weeks ago. We did the overnight treatment, washed all the bedclothes etc. and then combed through with conditioner and a very fine nit comb in the morning. I couldn't see anything left in there.

I know you're supposed to do a second application a week later but they were due to be with their nan (ex husband's mother) so I called her and she agreed to do a treatment. That was last week.

Today, I check their heads and they are crawling with them. Nanny, I'm told, didn't use a nit comb, she just used the nit shampoo. I'm furious.

So my plan now is to treat them tomorrow, comb through with conditioner, and then comb through every day for the next week. Is this worth it? Is there anything else I can do?

shortdog

Combing is the only thing that's ever had any effect on mine. You need to comb every 3 days (if I remember right) for a fortnight to make sure you've got them all. Don't worry about bedclothes, teddies, etc, as they can't live on them, they have to be on a human head to survive.
You can get a kit from the chemist shop, called Bug Blaster, costs about £8, and comes with full (and very good) instructions, a selection of different sized combs (for removing everything from adults to eggs) and some stickers to remind you when to do it again.
Nit shampoo never worked for us, they laughed at it and carried on as normal! Buy really cheap conditioner, as you'll need loads - Asda value stuff at 27p/bottle is brilliant for nit combing.

pigpen

vosene 3 in 1 shampoo with tea tree.. and a nitty gritty comb DAILY for at least a month... which is the life cycle of a bug.

We've had none at all for the last 3 years.. and tonight my 16 y/o is crawling!! She was at my ex-dil's about 3 weeks ago and she and her 4 y/o are always crawling.. I should have realised..

If it is really bad we found Hedrin to be the best at the moment for getting rid.. along with the nitty gritty comb! This is the only one which removes the eggs not just the bugs.

balletshoes

oh dear OP - been there. Daily combing with a nit comb and conditioner was the routine in my home, on and off, for about 4 years .

Another vote for Hedrin when you first see the little blighters too, then the comb and conditioner routine for, as has been said, at least a month.

olgadapolga

The only thing that worked for me was smothering the children's hair with thick conditioner, combing the lice out and then rinsing their hair afterwards. I used to take great pleasure in squashing the bugs. This process was repeated every other day until I was certain that there were no more lice.

I then used to do the conditioner-comb routine once a week to check as the school my DD went to had many parents who just didn't bother dealing with headlice and re-occurrence was sadly a foregone conclusion.

cakeforbrains

Thanks everyone. It was Hedrin that I used. They already use the Vosene stuff too. I think I'm just going to have to go with the daily combing for a while, but I'm out of control when they go to stay with their Dad the week after next.

pigpen

no you aren't.. hedrin them the night before they go.. the bugs have to then hatch and reach maturity in order to breed.. this takes a week.. do them again the day they get back.. and continue the daily combing.

You can tell him what you are doing to get rid and tell him if he wants to get them too then he should ignore your hard work and run the risk of becoming infested himself.

If the hedrin isn't working.. try neem oil..they hate the stuff.

cakeforbrains

Neem oil? I've not heard of that.

I have got a tiny drop of Derbac at home and seem to remember that being strong the last time we used it??

peachyprice

Definitely get yourself a Nitty Gritty comb, they're not cheap but it will be the best money you ever spend.

tyllwyd

I agree with Nitty Gritty comb and keeping at it. After the first few days, once every three days should catch them before they have time to mature. I've tried Hedrin but I wasn't wildly impressed - the one time I used Lyclear it stopped them quicker, but usually ordinary conditioner and the comb was OK.

Also - it does depend where they are coming from. One time I struggled with my DD for about 4 months, and I was nearly going mad because I couldn't seem to get rid of them completely. But then after the Christmas holiday she was moved to a new table at school and problem solved!

delain

I've found olive oil to be very effective... you can see the bugs sliding off their head!

also get a spray bottle like hairdressers have (99p shop or superdrug) and fill it with water and a few drops of tea tree oil and spray on every morning, plus damp hair is much easier to do in a French plait (tighter the better) that'll also help prevent re infestation.

and as others have said nite comb with conditioner every day between treatment and every week whilst nits are about to check she's free.

edit: just realised you have boys! silly me