Head Lice - HELP!

[Peaceangels]

We (me and the two boys) have head lice for the 2nd time in a month :o :banghead:
I am at a loss as to what I should do to treat / prevent / help the situation - please help me!
1st time round we used the KP26 solution and I checked the boys hair daily till all eggs were gone, but DH was away on a business trip so I had to do my own hair.
Which is why I think it has returned, well my head was never really rid of all the egg's.
Both DH and my mum have checked my hair (when I've had the lice) and both say they cannot see anything :confused:
So on the advice of a friend, last night I drowned my hair in conditioner and left it on with a shower cap for two hours, combed it with the conditioner in and then after I'd rinsed it out (using the lice comb).
I did the same again this morning, but I don't know where to go from here.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated ......... the little bugger's are driving me nuts - seriously!:gloomy:

[MrsTwith3]

Hi there. The little blighters are an absolute nightmare. My DD is now 11yo and we have been treating them now since she was nearly 3yo. The dept of health recommend the use of white conditioner smothered into dry hair and left for a while then combed using a nit comb. Unfortunately the over the counter treatments dont really work anymore as the lice have become immune to them.
Sorry I cant be much help, just letting you know how we treat it here.
Keep up the conditioner and combing everyday. Hopefully they will go soon.
Its frustrating as when we finally get rid of them your child brings them home from school from kids whose parents dont bother to check or treat there kids.

Mel

[gidgeroo]

eek! that makes me want to scratch!! I remember having it as a kid and my dad bought this horrible stuff from the Council which did the trick - It was pretty much foamy pesticide and it stunk to high heaven!!:eek:

I think NADS might make a natural lice killing product and the combing is so important to get the eggs off the hair strands. Wash all clothes and bedding in hot water to kill any that have dropped off.

Good Luck with it - they love clean hair if that makes you feel better! :yes:

[Chub Chub]

I have heard that making a mixture up of water and tea tree oil (no idea of the ratio) and spraying it over the hair often will help prevent them. Not sure whether you are aware to wash all bedding in super hot water too????? Good luck......my head is itching just thinking about it you poor thing.

[Shazbutt]

My mum uses the Nads stuff and reckons its good, but i've also heard that the 'Robi Comb' does wonder too, and they can't beocme immune to it, as it just zaps them. You'd still have to comb them out though i think. I think its about $45?

[InSaneOne]

we just use normal washing up detergent with a little bit of water. put onto dry hair wait a few minutes and comb. do this once a week and make sure you wash bedding weekly and i would change pillow cases daily. wash brushes and combs daily in really hot and soapy water. if it gets really really bad then try using mousse or gel in your hair for a few weeks until they are all gone as it makes the hair realy hard to hang onto. unlike clean hair which nits just love. (so don't wash your hair)

[LA62]

I have heard that making a mixture up of water and tea tree oil (no idea of the ratio) and spraying it over the hair often will help prevent them. Not sure whether you are aware to wash all bedding in super hot water too????? Good luck......my head is itching just thinking about it you poor thing.

yes i heard that tree tree works, you can by this in shampoo and conditioner and just use it every time you wash your hair.

:fingerscrossed:

[gremily]

Head lice are slowing becoming immune to KP26 and other chemical solutions.

Vinegar is excellent at getting rid of headlice, and is good for your hair aswell. Having said that though, I can't find where I've written the 'recipe', but if you google vinegar I'm sure you'll find something.

Washing your hair daily with tea tree oil shampoo and conditioner helps to keep headlice away also.

Good luck!!! DD1 hasn't had them for a couple of yrs:fingerscrossed: but we often get a letter from school letting us know there's another outbreak, so we have to thoroughly check her hair. Her hair is long and thick, so when she does have them it's an absolute nightmare using the teeny tiny comb! Takes a couple of hours to get through it all:eek:

[CJJHRA]

we use 5 drops of tea tree oil, 5 drops of lavendar oil, and 4-5 table spoons of conditioner with 400ml water, and spray the kids hair with that every day. The oils help to repel them, and the conditioner makes the hair a little more slippery, so its harder for them to cling to

[Peaceangels]

Thank you so, so much everyone, you have given me some really great tips, there may even be light at the end of the tunnel - yippee! :hugs:

[mum2bubba]

They are buggers aren't they?
Just to make you feel better I have head lice too and have just been to the shops and bought some shampoo so hopefully it works :fingerscrossed:

I'm not sure what to suggest exept just keep doing your hair everyday until they're gone and wash all your bed linen and get rid of your brushes and combs and buy new ones. Or you could just shave your head :laughing: I'd do that, but I'm not confident enough to be different.

Best of luck!:fingerscrossed: :thumbsup:

[Tracie]

Hi Peaceangels - do you have a curling wand or a straightening iron?

Sounds kind of gross but a mess free and pretty instant way to get rid of the eggs is to get the curling wand out and essentially burn them!

This worked a treat for my little girl who has quite long hair....we did this and then followed up with a natural tea tree solution.

Could be tricky if your littlies have very short hair but might work well for you?

Also, this is a pretty good site if you are really having trouble

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/theliceprogram/index.html

Good Luck! We had lice 3 times in 3 months and it was driving me absolutely balmy so I know how you feel!

[Peaceangels]

As of today - we are officially lice free :smiliedance: :smiliedance: :smiliedance:
I am sooooooo excited, could you tell!
Thanks again everyone for your wonderful advice, you have saved my sanity.:hugs:

[gidgeroo]

:smiliedance: congratulations!!:smiliedance:

[~Emma~]

I'll second the use of that Nad's stuff... nothing else worked for me when I had the 'pleasure' of headlice a few years back.

Someone has told me that headlice dont like styling moouse. I think you would have to use it everyday though in your/your child's hair. Dont know if it works but its cheap enough to give a shot if all else fails.

[catalicious]

Sorry I haent read all the posts but I use BANLICE moose on my sons hair.

Its so easy and quick, plus it doesnt stink really bad like kp24 or whatever its called.

Just my opinion but it has worked a treat with Lochs hair, I love it and so does he because its less time he has to sit still.