nits.

[DONNAKEBABUK]

My poor little girl (aged 10) and I have been struggling with these little blighters for 4 years now. My daughter has long thick naturally ringletted hair (thus these lousy lice love it).

2 weeks ago I spent 3 times a day, for a whole ten days coming her hair through with tea tree oil and conditioner and finally we got rid of them.

WE HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING ELSE BY THE WAY ! All the lotions and potions etc. I buy two nit combs a week when I do my supermarket shop, 3 litres of conditioner and a bottle of tea tree oil. Over the years I have spent a couple of grand on stuff.

We are now Despairing!

She went back to school at the beginning of the week after half term and I have just combed out about 15 BIG FAT LICE from her head ! I am going insane.

I have even sent her wearing a bandanna but they told her to take it off.

PLEASE ANYONE OUT THERE CAN YOU HELP US. !

[daffy654]

I had a similar problem with my eldest daughter when she was at school,the only solution I found was to cut her hair short.I hated having to do it but it was better than her constantly having nits.Sorry I can't suggest anything else.

[divegirl]

Hi, your poor daughter! As you have been taking so much care to rid her of her little friends, could it be that she is being re-infected by someone that she sits close to in class? I had a similar problem a few years back with my daughter.....and it's all very well you treating your daughter, but if not all parents do the same......the lice will always be a problem. Have you spoken to the school? I would make it clear that unless they are going to help in this matter you will go to the local health authority. Have you spoken to your doctor? In some areas of the country were infestations are bad the lice become immune to certain products....he may be able to prescribe something more powerful.
Bring back the 'nit nurse' I say
Good luck!!!

Lisa x

[cameo]

I sympathise with you Donna.
I know how you feel!!
Make sure you treat the rest of the family and always tie her up for school.
If you have tried all the over the counter treatments speak to your pharmacist or doctor, maybe there is a stronger treatment you can get on prescription!!!

Good luck x

[~Wingnut~]

Hi Donna
Poor you, I know it is a nightmare and I feel like all I am doing is nitcombing my 2 daughters all the time! It is so frustrating!

Have you tried a nitty gritty comb? It cost's �10 but is brilliant as it removes the eggs very well too!! I found the plastic and metal toothed comb got the headlice out but not the eggs. The nitty gritty has little grooves which gets the eggs out. I must admit I was amazed at how well it worked.

As already said keep her hair tied up and try using conditioner for coloured hair.

Good luck!

[~Wingnut~]

Hi again :o)

Here is a link for the Nitty Gritty;
http://www.nittygritty.co.uk/ng/index.jsp

I bought ours from Lloyds pharmacy. Also have you tried using a leave in conditioner? I know you say you have tried everything so apoligies if you have tried that too.

I know I feel like crying sometimes when I do their hair and a big fat lice comes out :o(

[Psychick]

I have always found combing through with a conditioner in my daughters hair most affective too. I just wanted to second what wingnut has said regarding the nitty gritty comb. Everyone I know who has tried one has said they are the best thing for nits and said its well worth paying the �10.

[cazzz1975]

also just to add, unfortunately whilst she is still in primary school comb through her hair with conditioner at least once a week, you need to be vigilant about it as there are a lot of kids who have nits continously and are not treated.

I do my daughters hair regulaly whether she has them or not! peace of mind and all....

[rabbitygirl]

I used to advise on head lice as part of health product talks, mainly involving tea tree. For a start you will never see the end of head lice in schools while just 1 person has them.

Lice transfer when hair and heads touch. Short hair, the shorter the better, helps enormously in preventing it.

Use tea tree in a normal shampoo, and some in plenty of conditioner. Not added to the bottle but to the shampoo in your hand. Although it is generally considered safe, do not overdo the tea tree oil on children.
Every day mix a drop of tea tree oil with a little conditioner, or cream, or oil, that will wash out. Rub a little around the hair line, from above one ear, around the nape of the neck to the other ear. This is the area they usually settle on.

I had 2 cropped haired boys who fortunately didn't get head lice. I know many people who found the following useful. Mix ample oil, body or almond, with a few drops of t tree oil. Apply all over scalp, parting hair as you go. Cover with a shower cap. Leave for hours if you want. Shampoo out. Not sure if the t tree works or it is suffocation.

[Le Chat]

I feel for you all - fortunately I have boys with short hair, so it would not be much of a problem to sort out.
Isn't it horrifying though that some parents are just letting their kids go to school (or anywhere) with constant nits? By association, it must mean that the parents have them also - how gross is that!!

[astonsmummy]

my daughter had a nice hairstyle but now has an elfin crop and its trendy and easier to keep not free

[tufty7]

Hi, i agree with everyone else, nits are a pain!!! my lad never had them but my daughter couldn't get rid of them, in the end we asked for her to be moved away from a girl we thought had them, this did the trick, we have also brainwashed her into keeping it tied back and keeping it well conditioned.... at another school locally , if a child has nits he/she has to stay off until they are clear ..... perhaps this is the way forward , as parent we must spend millions on the cures that don't work , and after trying them all , its good old cheap conditioner and nit combing vigilance that is the only way ..... best of luck Donna .....

[fagidill]

just 2day there was an ad on tv regarding new product which claimed all head lice dead in 48hrs. unfortunatly i did not take in name as it did not have any relivence to myself. Maybe BOOTS may know of new product re:48hrs. Worth a try, GOOD LUCK.

[Ice.Maiden]

Maybe you're thinking of Full Marks, or Hedrin? My children've thankfully never suffered with head lice, but I have the remedies in ready! It's so easy for children to pass them onto others at school, but we have a way of dealing with things like that where I live. Any child with "nits" is requested to stay away from school until the lice and eggs've been successfully treated. This can take about 14 days, so ensure that the cycle's come to an end, and parents are politely asked to treat themselves as well. Conditioning & combing doesn't always do the trick. Neither does tea tree oil. Continuous infestation requires something stronger - like the products mentioned.

[lorraine29]

One tip I have been told by the doctor is that once the hair is clear (it is a prevention rather than a cure) make sure you spray her hair with hairspray.
As the nits love clean hair the hairspray leaves a coating which makes the hair appear dirty to the nit.
I have used this on my daughter for the last 3 years and although she does still get them occasionally it is nowhere near as often as she used to.

Lorraine

[toby99]

Do you leave the teatree oil in her hair? I combed the oil (not conditioner) through her hair every day and she always had tight plaits. It really worked; they hate the smell of neat teatree oil.

[May1982]

Hey!
I found lots of videos about hairstyling that have tips and advice. Maybe you'll find your answer here:
http://www.sutree.com/Learn.aspx?q=hair

Good luck!

[perigra]

in my experience there's nothing you can do more than you are doing already. she will just continue to be reinfected when she gets back to school.

however if you can hold out for a year, when she gets to secondry school you probably wont have the problem any more. at least that was the experience with my daughters who have similar hair to your daughter. my son now has dreads which wasn't an option for him at junior school due to lice.

[meltoadhall]

i know just how you feel, I spend he whole holidays getting rid of them and any stray eggs and within a couple of days back at school its like i never bothered!!

i use full marks mouse which is very easy to use and then use a nitty gritty comb after and it does work until the next time, lots of conditioner and tying back but the little blighters always come back.

roll on senior school

[crisgal]

imy daughter has long hair in ringlets too - and she had them for about 18 months.
I totally sympathise.
The last time she got them I tried HEDRIN, not expecting it to work, but we couldn't bear the thought of all that combing again!
I was amazed that it did exactly what it said on the box.
No combing either.
(Sorry if you've tried it already)