Headlice (merged)

frizz_head

Chances are, if the story were true, the hairdresser would have refused to cut the hair, let alone blow dry it.

I agree with all the other posters, avoid the treatments, they simply are not effective in completely getting rid, as they don't kill the eggs (nits). The best thing we have used is the Nitty Gritty comb, which has gradiented teeth which remove the lice as well as the nits.

nickj_2

in this day and age is it not asking too much for schools and pre-schools to have a policy of dealing with h/l , i can only remember 1 case in all my years at school , now it seems to be a continuous battle , if you can get it try the metal comb , it's teeth are v fine , much better than the plastic ones

full-time-mum

What an awful thing to happen. Why oh why is everyone so hung up about lice? Its just one of things that go around from time to time, just like the common cold. I've never had a problem admitting that my children have them and always make a point of letting the class teacher know and the parents of the children she has most contact with.

I agree that the best way to deal with the problem is to condition and comb. From personal experience,
Day 1: I wash with tea tree shampoo. Smother with tea tree conditioner and comb systematically with a nit comb.
Day 2: Dry comb hair with a nit comb using spray in conditioner if necessary
Day 3: Wash, condition, comb
Day 4: dry comb
etc
etc

The literature that I read said that you need to wash and comb every 2 or 3 days to break the cycle.
First time we had them, it took me three weeks to get rid of them (mainly due to being on a camping holiday)
Second time, we got rid of them in a week although I continued for a fortnight just to be on the safe side.

I don't know how old your niece is but the hairdresser was irresponsible for not desretely letting her or her parents know. The work experience girl should be hauled over the coals for gossip.

I know get a perverse satisfaction from squishing the BGs and killing them on a piece of kitchen roll!

docij

That's a terrible experience for your niece. When my kids were young they had nits a few times and it was so difficult for them not to feel embarrassed.

It's dreadful that the other student mentioned it. Let's hope the hairdresser has made a complaint to her teacher so that she can be told that her behaviour was not acceptable.

Just for advice for the future, if you mix a few drops of tea tree oil in with the conditioner, it apparently gives extra protection from future infestations. It certainly helped my youngest. You need to make sure the child isn't allergic to TTO first though.

Mandles

nickj wrote: »

in this day and age is it not asking too much for schools and pre-schools to have a policy of dealing with h/l , i can only remember 1 case in all my years at school , now it seems to be a continuous battle , if you can get it try the metal comb , it's teeth are v five , much better than the plastic ones

I agree but remember the world has gone stupid and they can't do this anymore as it is touching childrens heads! The worlds gone crazy.

boobless

thank you all so much for your replys.

my niece is 14 and i quite agree she should have been told by the hairdresser or at least my daughter who is 18 and was with her, the hairdresser said she didnt see any eggs only one louse? crawling about, and picked off and bleached everywhere. its not that she may have them that bothered me, its that i was not told, therefore couldnt inform school etc of problem and may have caused others distress

i will follow all your tips to the letter but now why am i sitting here scratching :rotfl: :rotfl:

Mandles

probably fell off of the hairdressers head when she was bending over her head! lol

boobless

i did say was she sure her equipment was clean and clear before she started and i will admit i felt awful saying it, i could have ripped my tongue out but i was so cross. :rolleyes:

crossleydd42

Do remember that headlice are only attracted to clean scalps, so in an inverted way, it's a privilege to have them settle on you!

Mandles

boobless wrote: »

i did say was she sure her equipment was clean and clear before she started and i will admit i felt awful saying it, i could have ripped my tongue out but i was so cross. :rolleyes:

Good for you. Im glad you said that as i often notice that they share stuff and it always freaks me out, especially clips and stuff.
Do you know i was thinking , i have posh friends, extremely clean friends, single friends and ones with familys and all have had nits one time or another.