Help with HEADLICE

[*Red*Queen*]

I have 2 daughters, aged 4 and 2, my 4 year old has had headlice now for about 6 months, (from school) now my 2 year old has them bad too, i've tried EVERYTHING that the chemist can sell, I comb their hair twice a day, ive even tried tea tree oil with no success, they have loads of eggs in their hair and its breaking my heart that i cant get rid of them. I've even cut their hair shoulder length and tie it up constantly, PLEASE HELP!!!

[kate1976]

Vinegar, vinegar and more vinegar!! That was the only thing that got rid of the critters when my son had them, your kids may smell deliciously like chips but it does work! Keep up the combing too!

Good Luck!

[janetsflower]

I have heard that if you shampoo the hair with tea tree shampoo its supposed to deter them from coming in the first place. Don't have any magic remedies for getting rid of them tho, sorry, but when you free again try the tea tree

[Mikeyd2]

Agree about the Vinegar. We tried everything with our Daughters' and that definately worked the best. We also made up a spray mix of water and vinegar to spray when combing (and combing and combing and co.......).

We also tried and found successful rinsing with pure lemon juice (watch their eyes!) over the bath and the beggars fell out easily. Get a large bottle from the 99p , pound shop etc. They seem to lose their grip with this unlike any other treatment.
Good luck . Oh and did I metion combing!!!!! Arrrgghhhh!!!

[cliffsweb]

conditioner is reccomended, the more the better get it slimy and slippy comb it slowly and close to the scalp, if its really bad you may need to do this every night untill they've all gone.

[harriman]

I use 'Nice N Clear' and the wet combing method. It contains Neem oil which is a natural repellent.
I use it every 4 days and keep longer hair plaited.
My 4 did keep getting re-infected whilst at school but I got them clear during the Easter holidays.
With any luck you should get them clear during the summer hols

[lynlockwood]

we use the cheapest conditioner with tea tree oil extract lathered on dry hair in the bath and then combed through with nit comb as often as possible. tell the school and keep an eye out for the itchy kids that are reinfecting your eldest- there must be some mothers that aren't as vigilant as you and are causing her to be reinfected- it's infuriating. good luck.

[Aliceband]

Yes, use lots of conditoner and comb through with the nit comb. Glides the B*ggers out..... Good luck

[*Red*Queen*]

Thanks for all your help, i'll try the lemon and vinegar, and i'll look out for the 'Nice & Clear'

Thanks so much again for your help!! :)

[Lulabubble_x]

Hi Red Queen

I can sympathize, my mum looks after my daughter whilst I work and also short term fosters children often from very dissadvataged backgrounds.

I was horrified when my 1.5 yr old caught 'nits'.

I tried every single thing in the book until I tried vineger. It doesnt harm the scalp so leave it on for as long as you can bear the smell. You can get Happy Shopper brand for about 14p. On the flipside I got a nit combe from the chemist - it was mega expensive but seriously it was amazing - the teeth are so fine nothing escapes it. As I say very expensive but worth every single penny.

I feel your pain...

Good Luck

[kezza1973]

Hi, I have had the same problem, combing, and buying everything for months, please let us know if what you works. Best of luck, keep doing it!

[lorraine29]

I never found any way to get rid of them except for the usual comb, comb, comb but my doctor advised me that once we had got rid to use hairspray, as nits usually go for clean hair it gives the illusion of the hair being dirty, I've tried it, as my daughter was being reinfected on a near weekly basis I have to say since using the hairspray she has had no bother for about 6 months

Lorraine x

[danapie]

ohhhhhh fun fun. the best most effective and only sure fire way is to do all that shampoo stuff, but then you also must pick out the eggs and smush them, like on a piece of paper. I know this is gross, but its the only way!! the treatments usually dont kill the eggs, just the live bug. this will work if you spend the time to do it. have fun nitt (egg)picking.

[Lonnie]

lorraine29 has the answer, my daughter goes to a day centre, and often used to come home with them, over the years, we've found that if you comb them out, make sure that your daughters hair is damp, and then, once clear, start using a Coconut spray, then the adults can't get a grip, and fall off.

[danapie]

yes, getting rid of the adults is helpful to stop reproducing, but you need to get rid of the eggs!!! otherwise the eggs just hatch and reproduce and you have adults all over again.