Headlice Problem!

Updated on March 27, 2008
J.L. asks from Avondale, AZ
9 answers

Hey there, we are dealing with headlice for the first time. My 4 year old has given it to myself and her older sister. we are using the over the counter shampoo's and such but I was hoping some one out there had been through this before and might now of something else that might help rid me off their eggs, otherwise known as "nits". Please help!

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So What Happened?

Wow! Thanks for all the suggestions. What seemed to work well for us, although it was a 2 week battle, was a lot of cleaning, keeping the kids isolated to a couple rooms, even having them sleep in those rooms, cleaning the bedding every day, the towels everyday, the hair everyday, checking the hair everyday, blow drying their hair, spraying "rid Flea killer" on the furniture, carpet and none washable items. (apparantly if it can kill a hard bodied flea it will destroy the soft bodied lice.) We used 2 treatments from the store that claim to be safe for children, (make sure to follow all directions and repeat in 7 days) and then I got the "Robicomb" and I swear by it! You run it through the hair and it shocks the lice and their eggs. It isn't so hard to get rid of the lice, but it is difficult to kill their eggs, and those will hatch eventually! It was no fun that's for sure, but it's over-for now. Thanks again!

More Answers

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T.W.

answers from Phoenix on

Hey I know what you are going though. My girls got lice about three weeks before I had my baby, I tried al of the over the conuter suff bit nothing worked. A friend of mine came over and use some stuff she had bought online and it wirked great!!! it was called liceX and it is completely natural ( so no pestasides) It wored on the lice as well as the nits.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.G.

answers from Phoenix on

We had this problem all summer long! My fiance's daughter comes over every other weekend and she is the one that brought it over the first time. My daughters, 4 and 2, have never had a proplem with this before. She we did the over the counter treatments and seemed like it worked....but when she would come back from her mom's the problme would come back again. This was horrible!! Well I called and talked to the nurse at her doctor's office and they suggested home remedies since some lice are becoming "immune" to the counter treatments. She said that we should try putting mayonnaise on the girls hair...like smothering it on, then covering it with seran wrap or a shower cap. This would suffocate them. But you would have to leave this on for 3 hours. Then after that to help get the nits out to mix 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. I'm not too sure about the mayonnaise thing, but the rubbing alcohol and the vinegar helped A LOT to get those stubborn nits out! Hope this helps!

1 mom found this helpful
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M.P.

answers from Phoenix on

I know this subject was a year ago almost but I just had to respond ---- for a year when my kids were little I fought and felt like I was losing the lice battle. I treated my kids and family many times and I was feeling like I was "dirt" til I came to a solution to the problem--- usually once you treat lice correctly it is gone BUT if the source you got it from did not treat their source you are bound to get it again and again that source its clear also.

without thinking I allowed my daughter to go play at someone's house and sleep over then days later I noticed we had lice again---- you know you do things without realizing the consenquences I decided to invite this child to my house and I secretly under the rouse of doing everyone's hair I discovered this child had horrible case of lice----my source---- well I wsn't sure if I was pissed but I did make up an excuse for this child to go home while I thought of my next plan of action. I decided to take the blame for the lice and tell the mother that I discovered lice in my house and that I reccommended she treat all of her stuff too. you do not know how hard that was to admit that when it was not my fault. I also told her that I could not let my daughter be with her daughter til her source was treated. though I did have a good relationship with the school all the kids attended and I told the principal of my finding and she had all the classes checked and the classes that the girls siblings were in were overwhelmingly covered needless to say.
just remember when treating lice get to the source too not just treat yourself.
sorry it got long but I tried to shorten it but could not

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S.V.

answers from Phoenix on

My daughter just had it a couple of weeks ago and we used Nix shampoo and it prevents reinfestation for two weeks. But as far as egg removal, I can't think of anything that helps with that other than the comb which I know is a pain.

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C.M.

answers from Longview on

Lucky us, huh. I hate them. I've done the otc lice spray/stuff/shampoo I have the little red combs from the drug store, I did the mayonnaise (I hate that smell now) but what has seemed to work is washing my dtr's extremely long hair, in the kitchen sink,rinsing it as warm as she could stand it & Actually hot from where she couldn't feel it. and then rinsing it in vinegar. And then right before school I got this stuff hair shine same as dying your hair but no color, and did that to it. I also dry her hair after washing it, yes I am peranoid against the little buggers, but there just so gross!What kinda home business do you have???

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J.V.

answers from Phoenix on

I am so sorry you have to go through this. I hope to never go through it again! Comb, comb, comb and comb some more. Get one of those head lice combs and go through their hair and your own one strand at a time and carefully remove any nits you see. Also, run pillows and stuffed animals they've snuggled with through a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes. Good luck. This too shall pass! Jen

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M.!.

answers from Phoenix on

I've had to deal with lice twice w/my daughters. The first time we tried the OTC shampoo and it did not work. Our pediatrician suggested this (it worked great)
1. Apply a heavy coating of mayo and cover the head with a shower cap (or platic grocery bag or platic wrap) leave on for 3 hours. Put a towel areound their shoulders because the mayo melts and drips. Protect your funiture too, we covered ours with a plastic drop cloth and towels.

2. After 3 hours, was the mayo out, then apply alot of conditioner and comb the hair out with a baby comb, using long strocks, form scalp to end.

3. Blow dry their hair, then immediatly use a flat iron. Use it on small sections, from sclap to end of hair. This is what kills any nits that may be left.

I have used this twice and it has worked both times. My youngest was not 3 the first time.

As far as the bedding, carpet, toys.... Wash and dry the bedding in the hottest water that is still safe for the fabric. What you can't wash (pillows, stuffed animals) put in the dryer for 30 minutes on high. If you can't put it in the dryer, vaccumm the stuffing out of it (okay, not really the stuffing, vaccum it well). Don't forget to vaccum the carpet, mattresses and furniture.
Remeber lice can only live 24 hours without HUMAN host. They cannot live on animals, real or stuffed or furniture. They have found that the whole quarantining of toys and spraying everything in site is unneccesary.
Good luck and remember you are not alone.

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S.H.

answers from Phoenix on

My daughters use to get it every year when school started. I read that coconut shampoo and conditioner help keep them away. We have not had it sence. The lice dont like the smell of the coconut. I use to get the over the counter kind that is a natural product, I am sorry I cant remember the name though, it always worked. My daughters have REALLy long hair and using that tiny comb was a pain but it was the only way I could get the nits out. Good Luck!

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M.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

just took a cpr/first aid class and in the discussion about lice, one mom had just dealt with it.
she said "fairytale" kids hair products worked wonders. she used the conditioner, put a shower cap on and had her daughter sleep with it. claims it was gone the next day....something about the rosemary oil in it...good luck....

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