Headlice (merged)

shandyclover

I have 4 daughters, all with long hair. So when daughter came home from guides camp with lice was a blow. I tried all the stuff from the chemist, but they ruined daughters hair and just came back. In the end I did the cheap conditioner combing thing every other night. A friend taught me to mix cheap conditioner with a few drops of lavender and tea tree essential oil, slather it on the kiddies heads and then cover with cling film for an hour. Then comb out and rinse the hair. I used to do this while the kids were watching TV to minimise the moaning! I did this every other day for 2 weeks and it worked. Really the key is consistency. Once we were rid of them I bought some head lice repellent from Bodycare. I'm sorry I don't remember the brand name. It was basically tea tree oil and lavender again mixed with a conditioner - so once the bottle ran out I made my own. Before school, clubs, camps etc the girls get their hair spritized with it and so far we've not had lice again. I've also read if you use tea tree oil shampoo, or put a few drops in your kiddies shampoo on a regular basis it repels them.

screamer

I had nits when I was about 19 and felt filthy. I have long thick hair and back then was too skint to afford any decent stuff.

Out of desperation, I smothered my hair in cheap coconut conditioner. I combed my hair through with the conditioner still in and left it on for about 20 minutes. I did this every day for about 4 days and they all disappeared.

I went mad with the stuff, so don't skimp on it. It really was cheap and nasty stuff but it really did the trick. had never had them before and have never had them since. Good luck :-)

Silveralice

My daughters both have long hair and have had lice lots of times. I have never used chemical treatments on them, I've just combed through with lots of conditioner, as others have said, and every time I've got rid of the lice within 2 weeks. It's a lot of combing though - an hour per child per night for the first day or two if there are quite a few lice : (
I am also a vet and can add that pets are nothing to do with it. There are different species of lice which occasionally affect dogs, cats, etc, but they do not cross over from animals to people. Someone with head lice will always have got them from another person, so don't worry about the hamster!

sheilavw

When my daughters got them at primary I tried all the full marks stuff which you leave on for a short time but I couldnt get rid of them completely. I then used the smelly Suleo? stuff which you then left on all night, its really smelly stuff, then got leave in conditioner and just kept using that. Someone at the time swore by vinegar?

recovering_spendaholic

Thank you all for your suggestions. I went to the chemist today and got a Nitty Gritty comb and also some Nitty Gritty aromatherapy head lice solution, which I think is a mixture of tea tree and lavender oils. I have done DD's hair with the lotion and the nitty gritty comb tonight and it was certainly much better than the other nit combs I have been using - the prongs are so much longer so they can get to her scalp through her thick hair. Anyway got a load more nits out but only saw one live louse. Got a load of tea tree conditioner too so will use that tomorrow night and then do the Nitty Gritty lotion the next and so on for the next couple of weeks. I did my hair too just in case and DD1 (19) will do hers tomorrow. I am beginning to think she has got them from a kid she plays with - DD says that she always has them and she was there at a sleepover on Saturday night and they all slept in the same bed - I don't think I will be allowing any sleepovers for a while. Thanks again everyone - just hope that I get them all out this time!

mummyjt

I have found something that works, even for real little ones!I am a mum of 4 children all at primary school. I have battled with treating head lice for years and believe me when I say I have tried everything.Nothing works if all the other children at school havent been treated at the same time and some parents just dont address this issue. I have tried old wives tales and shop bought remedies, even got a prescription from our doctor because my youngest daughter of 2 had a really badly bitten scalp.It didnt work and the chemicals irritated her scalp more. I have spent a small fortune and got so fed up that I thought it wouldnt hurt to try one more thing that my aunt in England wrote to me about.I used this Head Lice PETS treatment plan fromheadlicedeadlice co uk the last week of class before summer vacations and all the kids were clear the rest of the holidays. I used on my daughter with sensitive scalp and it was so soothing and didnt irritate her at all. My sister is pregnant and she got nits from my kids but she used this treatment too and its safe for her.I was dreading the first weeks back at school and sure enough just 2 weeks in, there was a letter sent home to parents about an outbreak. Much to my sheer delight none of my kids got it and show no signs because of the treatment plan I got. It was only £2.99 and you can even earn points for your school and they get sent money. I am so releived this work and know that it doesn't matter if every other kid has lice , mine wont. I am telling everyone I know because I am so pleased this actually works

Punk_in_Boots

Urgh!

So, so soooo fed up with these critters atm :mad:.

Since going back to school in september I have been on a nit hunt in my daughters hair every week. The only time we have been clear is half term and the xmas holidays.

I have dropped hints to parents when picking her up up at night time, working my way around as many as possible and I even gave a pile of leaflets out. There is one parent in particular who I know through hearing them speak kniwos of the problem and replies with tripe such as ' oh well you can't do anything about it'

I resorted to having my daughters hair cut to a lovely bob from waist length because she was fed up of hours every week of sifting through it. I sill spend time now, but grated not as much because of the length change but no all children will want their hair cutting.

I have spoken to the head teacher but always get the same answer, there's nothing we can do but send a letter out and then it can only be once a term :eek:. PATHETIC. Nanny state and not wanting to be offensive comes into play again.

I have been prone to catching them from my daughter but unlike her I have really thick, coarse hair and it takes so much more time to rid them from my own hair ( If I was male or had the guts I'd shave it all off)

I have spent a hideous amount of money on products for the both of us, I have the nitty gritty comb which works ok on my daughter but my hair is too thick for it =__=

I have heard that if you are in reciept of tax credits you can get some lotions for free from the chemist, my local pharmacy doesnt have a clue and I cant faind anything online, does anyone know anything about this?

Oh and I happen to be allergic to tea tree products so that is just a no.

I really am at my wits end, I feel like inviting the girl from my daughter class for tea and ridding them for her but it's not my responsibility and i am utterly bewildered at how some parents can be so ignorant.

Sorry for the rant, I'm just fed up to the back teeth afer having her come home again today scratching away.

**curlywurly**

You can't beat Nitty Gritty. But it is expensive. However, you can get headlice treatment on prescription (although not Nitty Gritty I don't think). I know what you mean about the nit comb on thick hair - mine has never recovered from an episode last year.

You could try adding tea tree oil to the final rinse EVERY TIME your daughter washes her hair - it's supposed to repel the nasty little critters

woozywendy

Once I have used the lyclear spray away and checked all over her scalp for any lice, I leave her hair to dry and then go over it in very small sections with the hair straightners just to make sure I do not have any making a run for it. Don't really like using the straightners too much as I do not want to damage her hair.

building_with_lego

My aromatherapy book (the Fragrant Pharmacy by Valerie Ann Worwood) says that the best oils to use for children are rosemary, geranium, lavender, eucalyptus and lemon. You can mix one of each with conditioner and leave it on overnight.

I think rosemary is used in India as a final rinse as it deters little crawling beasties.