NEED Your BEST Head Lice Treatment........

[MariannNOVA]

:rant::cursing::cursing::cursing:

 

I know it doesn't matter where this came from (and you can tell how exhausted I am because WHEN do I ever end a sentence in a preposition? :glare:).........................................

 

I haven't had to deal with this in probably 23 years -- and, funny, it is JUST.AS.AWFUL.AS.I.REMEMBER!

 

Last night, upon discovery - :w00t: - dd9 went to Hair Cuttery and had a 'pixie' cut - it looks adorable. DD11 had her ends trimmed (I believe that she is the person who brought the critters home -- she was at a birthday party last Friday). DS9 has an almost buzz cut, and I only saw one in his head -- I'd like him to get his head shaved, but he doesn't seem receptive to the idea -- actually, I'd like all of them to get their heads shaved, but I am meeting with R.E.S.I.S.T.A.N.C.E.:angry:

 

I digress: last night we did mayonnaise/shower caps/vinegar........I can see that I have my work cut out for me with DD11's hair - lots of hair and I spent hours last night nit-picking.............no, really!

 

I am thinking of re-treating her and the other two today with the olive oil treatment that I am reading about on-line.

 

Does anyone have any effective, favorite treatment methods they would like to share?

 

BIG QUESTION: IS THERE ANY TREATMENT THAT WOULD OBVIATE THE NEED TO NIT PICK?

 

And, yes, as you can well imagine, my washer and dryer have not stopped running since this began.

 

DH arrives home tonight from Oklahoma City - if I were him, I would just stay there.:svengo:

 

[Mommamia]

I'm just curious....did you take them to get their hair cut AFTER you found the lice...or before??

 

I've heard that Tea Tree Oil helps.

 

*My bf had this happen last year....I hope y'all are able to send the lice packing quickly. I've also heard that the herb Tansy keeps them away. Supposedly in some countries they hang a bag of it over their bed post.

Edited July 1, 2010 by mom2littleboys

[happygrrl]

We had a bug experience once, my heart goes out to you!!!

 

We used a rinse of 1 TBS. Shampoo added to a 50/50 mix of Apple cider vinegar and water. Shampoo into hair and massage around for 10 minutes, then comb hair (yes, we used the fine tooth "nit" comb as the kids sat in front of TV). You still have to comb, but the ACV worked so well that I only had to do this twice. The third try came up clean.

 

Best of luck!!!

[charmama4]

Can you go camping for a night or two? Lice can't live without a host for more than 24 hours, so while those little buggers are dying at your house, you can nit-pick somewhere else.

 

When the boys were in PS we had 4 cases of it at the school with 2of them at my house. Just reading your post made my head itch!! I feel for ya honey!!

 

After doing all and more of what you are doing I actually broke down and bought the over the counter stuff, AFTER I shaved the boys' head of course. That's what did it for the boys. Now your dd, hmmmm....my dd is a blonde and boy was it hard to find those little buggers but I plopped her down in a chair next to a window, with my glass of water (to drown them), the comb, and got to it. YOu have to be real careful about getting the eggs. The eggs don't breathe so trying to smother them with mayo or anything else won't work. Get the eggs!!!!

 

You have to be meticulous for about 2 weeks of the nit picking business to be sure you got the little devils. Hope that helps.

[BridgeTea]

We used a "Robi Comb", a battery powered comb that zaps the nits or live bugs.

I set up the magnifying lamp, tucked her head under there, and combed away anytime I saw something questionable.

 

ETA my funny lice stories to cheer you up: I got called to pick up my (then) first-grader because she had nits all through her hair. I thought they looked like Malt-o-Meal, which was the hot cereal she was eating every morning. The teacher assured me they were nits. To get back into class, she had to be examined by a health dept. nurse and bring a signed note proving she was lice-free. The nurse took one look at her head and said, "I know this sounds weird, but this doesn't look like nits to me - it looks more like Malt-o-Meal!" (It was.) We got our signed note. Story 2: I tried the mayonnaise treatment on the blondie kid before I bought the Robi Comb. I had her little head saturated with mayo, wrapped in plastic wrap, and she was just perched on a stool in the kitchen waiting for bugs to die. One of her siblings came through the room and declared, "It smells like a deli in here!" Little blondie, in her best Ron White drawl said, "They call me...Tater Salad!"

 

Good luck, OP. Lice are work!

Edited July 1, 2010 by BridgeTea

[joannqn]

:grouphug:

 

I've never had to deal with lice, but I'm sorry you are having to go through this.

[MariannNOVA]

I'm just curious....did you take them to get their hair cut AFTER you found the lice...or before??

 

I've heard that Tea Tree Oil helps.

 

We had arrived home from HC and the girls were complaining that their heads itched - I told them that of course their heads itched, they had just had hair cuts. They showered and washed their hair, and I was helping dd11 comb hers and YIKES!:w00t::banghead: - I freaked out. And, I agree TTO helps - when they were in school and there was a massive infestation, I would put TTO in my hands and rub it over their hair b4 they left in the morning -- we never got the critters.

 

We had a bug experience once, my heart goes out to you!!! Thank you - I know -- it's like the UNIVERSAL 'my heart goes out to you.'

 

We used a rinse of 1 TBS. Shampoo added to a 50/50 mix of Apple cider vinegar and water. Shampoo into hair and massage around for 10 minutes, then comb hair (yes, we used the fine tooth "nit" comb as the kids sat in front of TV). You still have to comb, but the ACV worked so well that I only had to do this twice. The third try came up clean.

 

Best of luck!!!

ACO - I've read about it - thanks for the hint.

 

Can you go camping for a night or two? Lice can't live without a host for more than 24 hours, so while those little buggers are dying at your house, you can nit-pick somewhere else.

 

When the boys were in PS we had 4 cases of it at the school with 2of them at my house. Just reading your post made my head itch!! I feel for ya honey!!

 

After doing all and more of what you are doing I actually broke down and bought the over the counter stuff, AFTER I shaved the boys' head of course. That's what did it for the boys. Now your dd, hmmmm....my dd is a blonde and boy was it hard to find those little buggers but I plopped her down in a chair next to a window, with my glass of water (to drown them), the comb, and got to it. YOu have to be real careful about getting the eggs. The eggs don't breathe so trying to smother them with mayo or anything else won't work. Get the eggs!!!!

 

You have to be meticulous for about 2 weeks of the nit picking business to be sure you got the little devils. Hope that helps.

Yes - my dd who is 29 is platinum blond - I remember sitting for 8 hours going through her head.

 

We used a "Robi Comb", a battery powered comb that zaps the nits or live bugs.

I set up the magnifying lamp, tucked her head under there, and combed away anytime I saw something questionable.

 

I am going to have to search and find one of those.

 

:grouphug:

 

I've never had to deal with lice, but I'm sorry you are having to go through this.

 

Joanne - THANK YOU! I appreciate that.:)

[gingersmom]

Olive oil does not work. I speak from experience (unfortunately!).

 

Go to drugstore and buy Cetaphil soap. Its a liquid soap.

 

You coat the hair starting with the roots and work your way out. Apply liberally. Like glob it on.

 

Then you blow dry the hair. Takes about 15-20 minutes. Hair will be dryish and sticky and gross.

 

Thats it.

 

Leave it on overnight (we did it around 4pm and then I parked child in front of tv) and wash hair normally in the morning.

 

Repeat in 1 week.

 

They tell you to do it 3 weeks in a row but we did it 2 weeks and years later are bug free.

 

It was my pediatrician who told me about this method. I also know of several camps that recommend this method. Unfortunately I learned about it after paying someone $500 to not get the lice out of my childs hair.

 

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4601930_cetaphil-work-treat-head-lice.html

[Starr]

I couldn't be more sorry Mariann but this is a pain no matter what. I spent several years in school nursing and I've combed many a head of hair. The only way to be sure you've got the little buggers is to comb them out. The nits are much easier to see under bright light or the sun. Put a sheet under you that can go directly to the wash. We used to recommend the over the counter stuff but over the years I've read about the other methods. Washing hair every day with tea tree oil shampoo will help and not hurt as well. Maybe you could just leave them covered in Mayo or olive oil for a couple of weeks. :D Braid any long hair after you comb it out and use the hair dryer. Your house will be clean, clean, clean and it's your chance to go through those stuffed animal. Good luck! I've always threatened my kids I would shave their heads. Or you could just :auto:

[MariannNOVA]

We used a "Robi Comb", a battery powered comb that zaps the nits or live bugs.

I set up the magnifying lamp, tucked her head under there, and combed away anytime I saw something questionable.

 

ETA my funny lice stories to cheer you up: I got called to pick up my (then) first-grader because she had nits all through her hair. I thought they looked like Malt-o-Meal, which was the hot cereal she was eating every morning. The teacher assured me they were nits. To get back into class, she had to be examined by a health dept. nurse and bring a signed note proving she was lice-free. The nurse took one look at her head and said, "I know this sounds weird, but this doesn't look like nits to me - it looks more like Malt-o-Meal!" (It was.) We got our signed note. Story 2: I tried the mayonnaise treatment on the blondie kid before I bought the Robi Comb. I had her little head saturated with mayo, wrapped in plastic wrap, and she was just perched on a stool in the kitchen waiting for bugs to die. One of her siblings came through the room and declared, "It smells like a deli in here!" Little blondie, in her best Ron White drawl said, "They call me...Tater Salad!"

 

Good luck, OP. Lice are work!

 

THANK YOU! MALTO-MEAL! THAT is hysterical! and Tater Salad! DS 9 told me that if I ever show the shower cap/saran wrap photos to anyone, he will hunt me down!:lol:

 

Robi-Comb is at Walgreens - I am on my way!:auto:

[MariannNOVA]

I couldn't be more sorry Mariann but this is a pain no matter what. I spent several years in school nursing and I've combed many a head of hair. The only way to be sure you've got the little buggers is to comb them out. The nits are much easier to see under bright light or the sun. Put a sheet under you that can go directly to the wash. We used to recommend the over the counter stuff but over the years I've read about the other methods. Washing hair every day with tea tree oil shampoo will help and not hurt as well. Maybe you could just leave them covered in Mayo or olive oil for a couple of weeks. :D Braid any long hair after you comb it out and use the hair dryer. Your house will be clean, clean, clean and it's your chance to go through those stuffed animal. Good luck! I've always threatened my kids I would shave their heads. Or you could just :auto:

 

Oh, thank you! YOU are clearly the voice of experience! I'll bet you saw SO much of this.

 

The TTO has been a good deterrent when we were in school - almost the entire class would get it but ot my kids. And, yes, stuffed animals are looking at us through clear plastic bags -- DS doesn't know it, but I am going to take him to his favorite barber shop and have his head buzzed big time this afternoon.

 

Now I'm off to get a Robi comb...well. three Robi Combs.:auto:

[kwickimom]

Olive oil does not work. I speak from experience (unfortunately!).

 

Go to drugstore and buy Cetaphil soap. Its a liquid soap.

 

You coat the hair starting with the roots and work your way out. Apply liberally. Like glob it on.

 

Then you blow dry the hair. Takes about 15-20 minutes. Hair will be dryish and sticky and gross.

 

Thats it.

 

Leave it on overnight (we did it around 4pm and then I parked child in front of tv) and wash hair normally in the morning.

 

Repeat in 1 week.

 

They tell you to do it 3 weeks in a row but we did it 2 weeks and years later are bug free.

 

It was my pediatrician who told me about this method. I also know of several camps that recommend this method. Unfortunately I learned about it after paying someone $500 to not get the lice out of my childs hair.

 

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4601930_cetaphil-work-treat-head-lice.html

 

 

I heard of this method (after i bought the OTC crap) The best thing you can do though is COMB COMB COMB. I combed DD's head for 10 straight days just to be sure. lice hatch every 7-10 days. If you miss even one nit, its back to the beginning.

[MariannNOVA]

Olive oil does not work. I speak from experience (unfortunately!).

 

Go to drugstore and buy Cetaphil soap. Its a liquid soap.

 

You coat the hair starting with the roots and work your way out. Apply liberally. Like glob it on.

 

Then you blow dry the hair. Takes about 15-20 minutes. Hair will be dryish and sticky and gross.

 

Thats it.

 

Leave it on overnight (we did it around 4pm and then I parked child in front of tv) and wash hair normally in the morning.

 

Repeat in 1 week.

 

They tell you to do it 3 weeks in a row but we did it 2 weeks and years later are bug free.

 

It was my pediatrician who told me about this method. I also know of several camps that recommend this method. Unfortunately I learned about it after paying someone $500 to not get the lice out of my childs hair.

 

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4601930_cetaphil-work-treat-head-lice.html

 

 

I am actually sitting here with a bottle of Cetaphil soap -- I had a bottle under the bathroom vanity and the method using it sounded so reasonable (I read about it this morning) I thought I might try it. Thanks -- and, funny you should mention a professional nit picker b/c in the middle of the night, I was seriously considering it.

[MyBlueLobsters]

Maybe they could go give your neighbors a big hug! :tongue_smilie: Sorry, couldn't help it.

 

As far as the lice...I have 3 boys with buzz cuts, never dealt with it. Good luck!

[mazakaal]

I use the Robi Comb also. I've tried all kinds of homemade treatments and the most effective thing I've found is to run the Robi Comb through their hair at least twice a day until they're lice free. Then continue checking them once a day until they've been lice free for a week. I wash their hair and use the nit comb the first day that I find the lice and try to get out as many nits as I can. I'll even sit and pick them by hand. I've found that no matter how much I use the nit comb or pick by hand, there is no way to find all the nits. Using the Robi Comb daily after that kills any baby lice as they hatch and before they have time to lay new eggs. Sorry you have to go through it. I know what a nightmare it is.

[PollyOR]

I am SO sorry. We have had several scares over the years, and it is a lot of work. If you want to see me have a melt down just tell me that your friend who was playing hide and seek in your bed covers has head lice.

 

The homeschooler in me...years ago I caught a live louse running across dd's scalp. I promptly put it in a clear sandwich bag and took it to my friend's house to show them what a live louse looks like. I looked at it through our Radio Shack hand held microscope trying to determine if it was male or female. I compared it with pictures I found online. I never found any nits in dd's hair, so I decided it had to be male. ;)

[MariannNOVA]

Maybe they could go give your neighbors a big hug! :tongue_smilie: Sorry, couldn't help it.

 

As far as the lice...I have 3 boys with buzz cuts, never dealt with it. Good luck!

 

That's pretty funny -- :lol::lol: -- actually, I was thinking that not only do they think I am a *itch on wheels, now my kids have bugs in their hair!:lol:

 

 

 

I use the Robi Comb also. I've tried all kinds of homemade treatments and the most effective thing I've found is to run the Robi Comb through their hair at least twice a day until they're lice free. Then continue checking them once a day until they've been lice free for a week. I wash their hair and use the nit comb the first day that I find the lice and try to get out as many nits as I can. I'll even sit and pick them by hand. I've found that no matter how much I use the nit comb or pick by hand, there is no way to find all the nits. Using the Robi Comb daily after that kills any baby lice as they hatch and before they have time to lay new eggs. Sorry you have to go through it. I know what a nightmare it is.

 

Thanks -- yes -- it is a nightmare -- I certainly did not exaggerate how awful it was the last time I went though this which was probably 20 years ago. We bought the Robi Comb today -- I went through everyone's hair twice, I went through by hand, and then I did the cetaphil treatment. I just got everyone into bed and we will shampoo in the morning. I have been doing laundry non-stop. I am SO tired.

I am SO sorry. We have had several scares over the years, and it is a lot of work. If you want to see me have a melt down just tell me that your friend who was playing hide and seek in your bed covers has head lice.

 

The homeschooler in me...years ago I caught a live louse running across dd's scalp. I promptly put it in a clear sandwich bag and took it to my friend's house to show them what a live louse looks like. I looked at it through our Radio Shack hand held microscope trying to determine if it was male or female. I compared it with pictures I found online. I never found any nits in dd's hair, so I decided it had to be male. ;)

 

 

You ARE funny! And, yes, now I think dh and the kids understand why I FREAK OUT when someone mentions lice.

[Starr]

I'm glad to hear you made it through the day and that the washer and dryer are operating properly! Sleep fast!

[3littlekeets]

I use the chemicals that our Dr. prescribes, and I hired a local nit picker. She is an old Amish woman and she charges $75.00 per child. It was the best $$ I ever spent!!!! She saw the kids 3x each for that money!

 

Then, we took all of our laundry and washed it in super hot water, and bleached what we could!

[PollyOR]

I use the chemicals that our Dr. prescribes, and I hired a local nit picker. She is an old Amish woman and she charges $75.00 per child. It was the best $$ I ever spent!!!! She saw the kids 3x each for that money!

 

Then, we took all of our laundry and washed it in super hot water, and bleached what we could!

 

I learn something new here every day. A nit picker. I didn't know such a thing existed. I've used the phrase numerous times without ever thinking about its origins.

[Sandy in Indy]

After dealing with this for 3 months, combing dd's waist-length hair daily...hours and hours invested...we used vaseline. Coat the hair well with Vaseline and cover with a shower cap for 8 or so hours. Towel out what you can and wash with Dawn dishwashing liquid. Leave hair a bit greasy so lice can't attach if you happen to miss something when combing. Comb thoroughly. Wash all the linens and towels in hot water. Vaccuum thoroughly and dispose of the bag (if you have one!).

 

Worked like a charm for us.

 

My head in now itching... Ugh. Hope you get rid of them quickly.

[3littlekeets]

I learn something new here every day. A nit picker. I didn't know such a thing existed. I've used the phrase numerous times without ever thinking about its origins.

 

 

Funny thing is I thought my dear friend my joking when she suggested a nit picker, at first. But, they still exist, and that is where the phrase came from :D

[MariannNOVA]

Nitpicker: I WOULD hire someone to do this in a minute! Where do you find one?

 

DD9.5 would have a future as a nitpicker -- no joke. She was helping me with the flashlight and she has precision that amazed me. This is a kid who can't find a pair of shoes that match - :glare: - but she has radar for nits like you would not believe.

 

We will wash today (have been in cetaphil since last night). I will say that the cetaphil is the most pleasant, not disgusting method I've ever used as lice treatment - (gosh, my life is pathetic - ;)) -- it smells pleasant, if it gets on something it's not a big deal, b/c it's SOAP for goodness sake, it was just so much better than mayonnaise and I cannot imagine how awful olive oil would be. And the Robi Comb is a winner too. :D In the past, I have never had lice 'spread' from one child to another - it had always been just one of the girls (the younger) and the older one has never had them. THIS has been a pain in the a** -- even more so than this typically is. THREE KIDS! I am TOO old for this!

 

Oh, and after we wash the cetaphil, ds is going for a buzz cut! I have to do whatever I can to improve the odds of us against the lice around here!:D

 

ETA: And, here it is: http://www.kidsheadlice.com/washington-dc-lice.html

Edited July 2, 2010 by MariannNOVA