Seeking Advise on How to Get Rid of Lice.

I see lots of advice but I just had to respond. Years ago my children ended up with lice. I really freaked out. It cost me a ton of money with lice shampoo and laundry soap. You have to wash EVERYTHING that is out. I also found out that the health department does not consider this a disease and the school does not have a "no nit" policy. So kids are allowed in school with lice. I remember complaining and was told one little girl kept getting it at dads house. I finally got so sick of the whole problem I got mad and put mayonaise in my kids hair overnight. I put a plastic bag over their hair then a towel. I refused to put another ounce of pesticide on my children. It worked. bad part is took about a week to get the mayo out of the hair. Also lice don't like dirty hair only clean hair. Good luck. Hopefully you won't have the problems I had with kids that kept infecting my whole household.

Hi J.,

I know how horrifying it is to find that your child has lice. I have six kids and so we have been through it three times. What I found after the first round of the first time, was that all of these products do not work. The best way to get rid of them fast and easy is to mix three parts olive oil with one part tea tree oil and one part liquid thyme. I know it sounds weird but it works better than anything else. I never needed more than one treatment of it. What you need to do it saturate your childs hair in the mixture and put a shower cap on over night or at least a minimum of four hours, the longer the better. Then comb out all of the nits and make sure you wash everything. Keep checking her head daily until you have gone at least a week without seeing anything. Make sure you let the school and daycare know so that all of the parents can check on their kids. Good luck.

Hi J.,

Sorry to hear of your lice problem. Yes. You will have to keep her home from school until the lice is ALL gone. The school will NOT let her attend until the problem is rectified.

I have 2 girls. The best thing I have found for getting rid of and for stopping head lice from even getting started is using my regular shampoo with a little Tea Tree Oil (couple of drops) and a spoon full or 2 of vinegar mixed all together. We wash the hair 2 to 4 times in a row with this mix. You can actually see the nits and lice slide out of the hair! I also put a couple drops of Tea Tree Oil in the conditioner after the shampooing is done. AND I put a couple drops of Tea Tree Oil and some water into a spray bottle to use occasionally throughout the month and on bedding. Tea Tree Oil smells really bad but the smell does go away in about 20 minutes or so. And the vinegar smell will also go away. You may still find a couple nits and lice when you're done but they will be few and easy to remove. I also bought an electric lice comb that will ZAP them too. The Tea Tree Oil can be purchased almost any where. I get mine at Wal Mart. I got the comb at Rite Aide.

Hope this helps you too! Good luck!!!!
N. :o)

There is a shampoo and conditioner that you can purchase at an herbal store that works great! It has tea tree, neem, and eucalyptus oil in it. Also, rinsing her hair with vinegar will get all of the eggs out, especially if you comb it with the nit comb after rinsing it with the vinegar. Afterwords, put eucalyptus oil in her hair before school every day because it is poisonous to lice, fleas, and ticks, the lice will not want to go near her.
Here is a product I found online just in case there is not an herbal store nearby.
http://www.kalyx.com/store/proddetail.cfm/ItemID/735687/C...

Hope this helps!

M. *~

Hello J.,

You are undoubtedly aware that commercial products for killing head lice usually contain chemicals that are toxic (a polite word for poisonous). Below is a copy of an article about research showing the success of using essential oils, mixed with carrier oils to ensure a safe level for the child. These essential oils are available at a number of places in the Bay Area, including Whole Foods, Elephant Pharmacy, Lhasa Karnak in Berkeley and many others. Here is the article, which I copied from Dr. Mercola's website (www.mercola.com):

Natural Treatment for Head Lice

The oils of anise and ylang ylang may be effective in naturally clearing infestations of head lice, or pediculosis.

It is estimated that 10 to 12 million children in the United States are infested with head lice every year. The condition, which is easily spread from person to person, making it hard to eliminate, is characterized by an itchy scalp. Allergic reactions to the lice and bacterial infections brought on by excessive scratching can also occur.

Commonly, head lice is treated with lotions and shampoos made from malathion, pyrethrins, permethrins, lindane and other insecticides. Not only do some of these insecticides cause minor rashes and skin irritations in some people, but many are also known to be toxic to the nervous system and the immune system. Repeated use increases their toxicity, and head lice can develop a resistance to the insecticides.

In a study to determine other effective treatments for head lice, a natural spray containing anise, ylang ylang, and coconut oils was compared with a conventional spray containing permethrin and malathion. Researchers treated 119 Israeli school children with head lice with either the natural or conventional spray.

Both treatments were equally effective, and head lice were eliminated in 92 percent of the group. An itchy scalp immediately following treatment was reported by one child in both the natural and conventional treatment groups, though no other side effects were noted.

Anise and ylang ylang contain essential oils, which are generally antibacterial, antifungal, and insecticidal. These oils have long been known to have such effects; one related study found that the essential oil of an African plant, Lippia multiflora, was more effective against head and body lice than the conventional treatment.

Few other studies have examined the use of essential oils for treating head lice, though the positive results studies from thus far could lead to more widespread use of essential oil for treating head lice.

Israel Medical Association Journal October 2002;4(10):790-3

I am a mother and grandmother, a prevention and wellness consultant who is passionate about natural healing products and processes.

S. Merlo

Hi Do not worry it is not your fault and they like either clean or dirty hair. They do not jump as some people thing, but as kids play and their head touch then if one child has them then they will get caught up in the other child hair.

I found out my son has them this week too. Just let the teacher know she has them and she will be able to go to school, they can not stop her going to school. I bet a few more have them too and the mums do not even know about it. They will then send out a letter to the other parents.

The best thing that has worked for me is wash the hair with a few drop of Tea Tree oil in the shampoo. Then use a nit comb, go over the hair over and over and over with it. Wipe the comb in a wet wipe or damp cloth or wash it under the tap. This will need to be done every other day. It is hard to get rid of the eggs so you have to wait for them to hatch and then comb them out. Hence do it every other day.

Any precautions to take .. well I check all my children (4) once a month. Got caught out this month, son played with a friend who had them, the others are clean. You can not really put anything on/in the hair until you get them. If your daughters hair is long then keep it up while at school. Wash any hats and do not share hair brushes as this is the best way to spread them about.

Good luck J.

Buy Nix lots of it. My sister and I had it several times as kids and it is a pain in the ... Treat everyone in the house with Nix, wash EVERYTHING. And bag up all the stuffed toys in plastic bags for a while. You have to remove all of the eggs from the hair that way they will not hatch and hang around. I know it seems gross but feel reassured that lice goes to kids with CLEAN hair. Who knows why. Keep in mind that it is temporary and soon it will be gone. No worries.

I have used a Robi comb. It is battery operated and takes time but no chemicals. Once all the bugs and eggs are gone you'll have to continue checking and using the comb for a few weeks just to be on the safe side. It has always been effective, and I have been very pleased with the results. You can pick one up at the local drugstore. Good luck!

J.,
If the school finds out she has them, they will tell you to keep her home until she doesn't have them anymore. You have to change her sheets & wash them in hot water.
There is a spray to treat the bedding, couches etc. Lice can jump from head to head, it takes 7 days to lay more eggs, & they will mulitiply.
Make sure she doesn't share her brush with her sister, she will get them also. My niece got it all the time, & she gave it to my son. There is Rid, Nix, they are over the counter hair treatment medicines that you can pick up at a pharmacy. Its a bit embarrassing for some people, but it has to be taken care of.
They will let her back in school once her head is treated, & they do check to see if they have it. There is also a medi-comb that you use to get the big ones out. Most schools have lice checks. Girls with sensitive hair will cry if you try to remove them. Good luck. Some say baby oil makes it easy to pull out the big ones.
Some say even flea shampoo works, but Nix is better, its smelly. There are many methods to get rid of them. You can get them also if not treated.

My daughter is now 14, but when she was younger she got lice a few times from school... I tried a few products but the only thing that worked was this shampoo called "Lice Guard Shampoo" and I bought a "Robi Comb" which is an electric bug puller & helps with pulling out the eggs... LIFE SAVER! Not sure if they still sell it, but look at Rite Aid, Walgreens or Walmart for these products! Mayo works a little too for the mean time, apply to hair leave in for awhile then wash out... Good luck!

M.

Yes, she has to stay out of school until you buy lice shampoo/conditioner-but you can get rid of them in 1 night gently comb the eggs out of her hair make sure you use extra conditioner and brush hair before using the lice comb.

Yes, you need to pull her out of school until the lice and nits are gone. They won't allow her there. But, you need to notify the school so they can perform a lice check. She probably got the lice at school.

Lice shampoo and pulling out the nits. Washing all bedding and vacuuming sofas etc. It's the biggest pain but it will work.

Don't be too horrified- it is all too common... There are commercial remedies, I'm sure you can find at Walgreens or Longs: Rid is the big name one I can think of. This too chall pass!

J.,

YES, pull her out of school ASAP. It is very contagious and could spread to the whole school. First, cover her head in mayonaise- put a shower cap on top and leave on for at least 2 hours. That suffocates the lice and helps soften the hair to remove them. Then go to the drugstore and buy RID it is the best for lice removal. Get a fine comb because you will have to comb through all of her hair to make sure you got all of them. I would do this asap also, wash all of her bedding, hairbrushes, and clean anything that she has been in contact with recently. You will need to get yourself checked and all of your family members. Good luck to you!

Molly

Dear J.,

I remember when this happened to me! I was so horrified! The first thing to do is alert the school and the teacher that your child has head lice. They need to alert the class, at least, so all parents can check their child's hair (especially the parents whose child gave it to your daughter!). They won't use your daughter's name. They will tell you whether to keep your daughter home.

Then I would call your doctor because in my experience nothing works except the prescription medication. Use it on the whole family! Check every day.

Then, wash everything in hot water! Sheets, pillowcases, blankets, bedspreads. Vacuum the couch and any soft chairs. Vacuum the car seats thoroughly.

I was a stay at home mom at the time, and I discovered the lice the day winter break started so I had lots of time to do this. If I were you, I would take a day off work. I found the lice at 2pm, and by the time my husband got home at 5 I had already washed everything in the house and the first thing I said was "You need to vacuum the car".

It took a couple of weeks to get rid of the lice, but the second time it happened, it only took a week.

Good luck,

E.

I was told to use vinegar in the shower to wash my hair with. I let it stand for 10-15 minutes and then rinsed. Then I completely dried my hair with a blow dryer on full heat to make sure everything was dead. I have heard that mayo or oil will work too because it suffocates the lice.

My daughter got them the first time when she was 5 and I tried everything to no avail. I then discovered that they don't like processed hair so I put hair dye on in her same color and that took care of it. Because she is blonde it was too hard to see the eggs and pull them all off. They have a new product called Line MD that is supposed to be all natural but I have never used it. Hopewfully our lice days are over now that my daughter is in high school. You also have to spray indiode the house and put all toys in large bags tied shut for a month. I took all of the stuffed animals to the laundrymat, put them in the dryer then in bags. All beds and furniture should be sprayed and vacuumed and all family members treated as well.

For sure take her out of school. And every child in her class needs to be checked. Or you will treat your daughter and send her back to where she can get it again.

I am starting to feel itchy already just remembering when my younger sister and son got it right before my wedding. She had it so bad we had to treat her more than once and with all kinds of remedies. My mom and I were combing out the nits and would find a whole new generation. Finally, we stopped with the home remedies and had a treatment party. We a ALL had to use chemicles as we not only wanted to get rid of it for sure but we also did not want to risk passing it along at my wedding.

Wash everything! Even your own bedding. Boil brushes or toss. If they have a bean bag at school (needs to be tossed), or a reading area or any place her head may have touched that is fabric.

Then after she is free of it and you send her back to school. Keep checking her daily. As even if other parents are told to treat their child does not mean they did.

Hang in there! There is an end in sight.

Dear J.,
oh....so sorry about the lice. They are no fun.
My sister works for the schools, and if the school knows she has lice, they will send her home until she has been properly treated.
My sister is so accustomed to doing head checks, that every kid that approaches her, even family members, she will start digging through their hair out of habit.
I don't know what the best treatments are, there are a number of them on the market. I know many parents whose children have tons of hair that have taken them to a salon to help get all the nits out. Washing all bedding and clothing in super hot water is essential. Plus, they have a spray you can put on your couches and things to get rid of any that my be hiding there.
We had transferred to Sacramento and I took my daughter to enroll her mid year in kindergarten. There was a little boy sitting in the office crying. I had overheard what the problem was. It wasn't until after we left that my daughter asked me what was wrong with him. I said, "Honey, they have to send him home. He has bugs in his hair. He'll be all right, but you must never share a hat, or brush, or hair pretty, or jacket or sweater with anyone. That's how bugs get on people at school." She took it to heart and fortunately, we survived the lice thing. Even with my son. The main thing is not to feel bad, just get her head treated. Wash all hairbrushes and combs. Check everyone else in the family to make sure. Wash everything and if you need to, seek the advice of a hair professional in your area. Just know this happens every year, especially at the start of the school year.

Blessings to you!

Oh so sorry this is not fun. Yep you need to pull her out of school and tell the school why. They need to check the other kids because she must have gotten it from school or daycare (if she is in daycare). They have stuff at the drug store for this just ask the pharmacist. You can also go to a health food store and ask them if you want to go the natural route. You still have to wash all of her beding in hot water and may have to wash it again in about 7-10 days. Good luck!

There was just an article about this in this month’s Wonder Time. Turns out that the insecticides in Rid and those other products don’t work as well as they did when we were kids b/c (like everything else) they’ve developed a resistance to them (survival of the fittest and all.) Any way, in Wonder Time they profiled a woman in New York that runs a business of getting rid of lice. Turns out it’s pretty easy with conditioner, baking soda and a nit comb. Below is the link to the article (about half way down on the second page is the info about the “nit picker”) Good luck and don’t feel like you have to throw out all your child’s favorite stuffed animals. The lice can’t live long without a host, so just put them in a plastic bag and stick them in the garage for a month

http://wondertime.go.com/learning/article/how-to-treat-li...

hey my name is A. and the best way to get rid of it is to go the local drug store or walmart and the have lice stuff just ask your local pharmacist to help you. you can also treat her with a nice hair coloring day just make her feel special so she is not embarrassed. and if the school finds out they will make you pull her out. if you get the over the counter stuff there is a fine tooth comb that you will have to sit there and comb threw her hair. its really annoying because you have to make sure that you get every little strand of her hair. my best advise is i know she is young but its the fastest , easiest to just die her hair. even if you just go the same color as it is. the chemicals kills it. i hope this works .
A.

The best way to get lice from a girl's hair is to slather the roots with mayonaise, put on a shower cap and have her sleep with it on overnight. In the morning help her wash it out with very warm water. I would check for the eggs and if necessary comb them out or retreat with the mayo. I have heard that many of lice shampoos are smelly and don't work well. The smothers the little critters, it is not toxic and her hair will be shiny and beautiful.

Call the school nurse; she will guide you on how long to keep her home. Chances are that she got the lice at school and a warning note will be sent home to all parents.

Wash all bedding in VERY hot water and dry in the sun. If you are able, wash the pillows too. If not hang them in the sun and spray with Lysol. To be safe, I would wash and sun treat all bedding and pillows again when the lice are gone. Also wash any jackets or hats that she may have worn lately and warn her not use other children's brushes, try on hats or jackets, etc.

It is a hassle, but many kids get lice at one time or another. Let your daughter know that it is not her fault and don't let her feel bad about it. Make a big deal out of how pretty her hair looks after you wash out the mayo.

Good luck!

You will need to notify the school and be sure to tell them why so that other parents can be aware. It is highly contagious and you want to prevent an epidemic. I have read of some lice remedies on this site that should be helpful without harsh chemicals.

Good luck!

L.

Hi there,
When I was about 13 a got lice and it was sooo hard to get rid of it. Most lice kits have so many chemicals at does a number on your hair and scalp. And you usually have to repeat and sometimes that doesn't even work. About 2 years ago my cousins got lice (they have very long hair) and my aunt used olive oil, sounds weird I know, but it worked great and it killed everything. She worked it into their hair just like you would shampoo making sure to really coat the hair good. Then you leave it in for about an hour. (sounds like along time, but a couple cartoons later times up). Rinse hair well and then comb out with a lice comb. Repeat in about a week. Also, you probably already know the basics of wash bedding and clothing and such. Also, any decrative pillows etc. Things that can't be washed put in the dryer on high for awhile. vacuum everything, floor, couch, etc. And lastly, things that you can't put in dryer, put into a sealed black garbage bag and put it in your garage or some place dark (I don't know why it has to be dark) for atleast 2 weeks. It is time consuming to do all of this but it's that much less likely to get it again.
Hope I could help and good luck

I want to stress that the most important part of the process is combing the hair and removing ALL the eggs. This is a good article:
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/lice.htm
My two daughters got it about a month ago and so did I! (We think it was from a hotel but that is another story.) We did all the washing and combing as directed on the package of Nix, wahed and dried all bedding, romoved stuffed animals, etc. in bags to the garage and sprayed the furniture with the gross chemicals and one of my daughters had it again 3 1/2 weeks later. The Dr and the school said if even one egg is left behind, it can hatch and the process starts all over again. The nits or eggs are very hard to see and you need to look for them several times even after you think they are gone. You might be surprised at what you find! Good luck. I know what a hassle this is.

I am not sure if this was mentioned, but I remember my mom quarantining my stuffed animals for two weeks.

Like you my initial reaction would be shock, but after reading your responses, the other mommies are right...it's no big deal. I liked the shampooing party idea...that way your daughter won't think it's a "bad" thing. And everything being cleaned...even the rugs.
Good luck.

There is a wonderful natural product called HairClean 1-2-3 (that Staff of Life in Santa Cruz carries), which really works and is not harmful. It's main ingredient is highly concentrated Aniseseed oil. I did a lot of online research, and found this is more effective in studies than the nasty drug store chemicals.
I would not recommend tea tree oil based natural products, since I poured some tea tree oil right on a louse I had caught, and it didn't seem phased at all. Many natural products end up too diluted to work, by the time they are mixed with a carrier, but this HairClean stuff is fabulous!
Do be diligent on your follow up treatment and combing.
Lice can survive up to 48 hours off a human host--not 3 weeks, as was once thought. (So the down comforter that was too hard to wash we just quarantined for a couple days, and we alternated between 3 sets of sheets for 2 weeks after we thought we had gotten rid of the bulk of the lice)
And 95% of the time they are transferred through head-to-head contact, occasionally from hats/brushes/clothes, but not chairs (they cannot jump, only crawl). So while they are creepy, don't overreact: just be diligent at making sure they all get off her head!
Best of luck
--B.

I just went through this with both my boys. I used Rid to get rid of the lice. Follow the directions on the box. It was fairly easy but a complete pain in the but. Plus you have to treat your house and remove and/or wash anything that may have lice on it. Do not put her back in school until the lice are gone. Otherwise you risk spreading it to everyone else and it will end up comeing back to you.

I was horribly grossed out when my boys got it, but we made it through and got rid of it.