I'm hoping some of you who have battled these pesky critters have some advice. I have 3 kids who all had it, then I got it too. I freaked out and we all did the yucky RID treatment - even though I hated the idea of putting pesticide on our heads! But I still spotted a live one of my son two days ago - ugh. We have no nits left that I can see (although I never feel I've found them all). I don't want to use the poison stuff again, even though you're supposed to do a second dose a week later. I found a "natural" product called Nit Picky that is supposed to break them down using enzymes instead of poison, which they apparently can be immune to anyway. It's supposed to arrive in the mail today, and I'm really hoping it does the trick. Anyone ever use this product and did it work? Anyone have any other advice regarding cleaning the house/stuff they use, and when can we be around other children?? THanks so much!
Thanks for your responses - it does always help to know you're not the only one dealing with it! The Nit Picky spray and comb arrived today and I have to say that they are great! The other comb that came with the RID kit was useless - I kept having to pick the eggs out with my fingernails after combing through, but this one is great and I feel much more confident that I really did get them all this time. Whew!
This may not work-but it is summer and you have boys-can you shave their heads? and just be done with it? Somehow none of my kids have had lice. But, when it goes around school, I tell them if they get it their heads will be shaved. i do not have time for those combs and chemicals.
Unless you want to battle this longer than you have to, get the super poison stuff. Bag all their stuffed animals, clothes, pillows, linens, towels, EVERYTHING for... I think it's a week? This suffocated the little suckers. Wash everything that you can, THEN bag it. If you have a really hot attic or garage, that speeds up the process. If you have pets, shampoo them too. Vacuum like a crazy lady, make sure you vacuum the couch as well, multiple times. I'm so sorry, lice is the WORST!!
Nope. Fortunately - never had the little suckers...we had some friends at day care years ago have it...
All stuffed animals need to be put in black bags - large garbage bags and tied shut for seven (7) days...then washed in hot water and dried on high heat.
all sheets, bedspreads, pillows, etc. must be washed in hot water and dried in high heat...
Ensure the house is vacuumed...mattresses as well - especially if you don't have mattress pads or shields on the mattresses...
i would use what is known to work to get rid of them...I know that people associate lice with dirty people and that's not true...homeless and dirty people rarely get lice because the lice can't stick to the grease in their hair!!
I had head lice in 2nd grade. My mom had to pick my up from school, she did the rid treatment and washed every stuffed animal, sheet and blanket in my room. The next day the school nurse had to check my head before I was allowed to come back, but they couldn't find any, so they let me back in.
Sorry for the late response... just saw your post.
I've battled it a couple of times, once for 3 months! (Blessed with 3 DDs with long hair.) We've tried everything! RID, mayo (youngest DD won't eat mayo on sandwiches anymore becaues of it), olive oil/herbal remedies, electronic nit comb, daily nit combing with specialized (the more expensive) combs, and coconut oil. The daily combing (a must!) and coconut oil worked the best for us. The lice literally tried to 'escape' my DD's head. It softens the hair and makes the daily combing/checking so much more pleasant. It smells great. We us the Coconut Milk products. Now when we even hear of lice and when there are major holidays when classmates 'go away' and visit family (Thankgiving, Christmas, Easter, Memorial Day, etc.) we begin using those products immediately. It seemed to me that the majority of outbreaks happened within the month following those times. There were several outbreaks at school last year but by using Coconut Milk we escaped the joy of lice.
Other things we found work are:
*Heat really does help. Blow dry hair after every washing, especially in 'lice season' making sure to get the hiding spots (nape of neck, behinds ears).
*Not only wash the bedding, but vacuum the beds! I've also tried ironing them as I heard the heat from an iron would help. I believe it did.
*Place all stuffed animals that can't go in the washer/dryer in a black plastic bag and put it in the attic (hotter up there) for at least a month. That favorite toy may be away for awhile, but at least it can come back.
*If you have one, use a magnifying light (the kind used for crafts). You can see the nits and eggs better. My DD has honey blonde hair and the nits and eggs looked just like her hair (not 'peppery' as some sights described.) The only way I could see them was with the magnifying light.
Hope the Nit Picky helps! Please let us know if it works.
I have heard that mayonaise works. The lice can't hold on to the hair when it is coated with mayo cause it is too slick for them. My best friend owns a group home and douses her residents with Mayo when they get an outbreak. Good luck, lice suck!
Head lice is at epidemic proportions across the USA and it is really NO BIG DEAL. Go to headlice.org. 90% of the old wives tales of what to do is wasted and useless time spent "cleaning" them up.
When my daughter had it, we at first tried the RID, which didn't get all of them. Like you, we didn't want to use it again, so I looked on the internet for a natural cure and found one that worked great.
First you slather the hair in mayo. It has to be real mayo, not Miracle Whip. Apply it like you would conditioner, but a little heavier. This smothers the adults and helps break down the bond that the nits have on the hair. Then wrap the hair with Syran Wrap, around the forehead, etc to really seal in the hair. You can also use a shower cap, but it needs to be fairly snug around the head. Take a warm towel and wrap that around the head. Keep it that way for around 2 hours. I just read other sites that say overnight, but the two hours worked for us. I only heated the towel twice I think. My daughter watched a movie during this time, and it didn't bother her at all. After this you need to use an apple cider vinegar rinse. This step will sting a bit where you have been bitten, but it is a natural antiseptic. The vinegar helps to rinse out the mayo, and also helps get rid of the bond with the nits. Wash with your shampoo. Then find any remaining nits. They should come right off. Her hair was super soft after this, and lice free.
As far as everything else, wash all bed stuff in hot water and dry on high heat. Wash any combs or brushes too. Combs can be put in the washer, though I wouldn't dry them. If you can, wash the back of the couches, etc. where everyone sits. Put stuffed animals that they sleep with in airtight ziplock bags for a day or two.
You can also use an inexpensive olive oil instead of mayo. That will also help smother the adults.
Best of luck!
H.
We had that problem last year, over and over. I never used the chemical stuff. The final time I used a homeopathic remedy for lice that I found in CVS. I do not remember the name, but it was probably the only non toxic one in CVS. It worked with one application, so that was good and it was our last time (last summer). Basically, get a safe remedy and then you have to check every other day. Get a lice comb and scan through their hair. I think you have to go 10 days to make sure no new one was born. It take 5 days for one to lay eggs, so you have that window to catch them.
Good luck.
You should do a google search on head lice and heat. The latest is that heat kills lice and their eggs and you can apply the heat with a hair blow dryer. You should be a able to find an article on it.
