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Please please help - head lice. Worst infestation I've ever seen

162 replies

LEMtheoriginal · 05/02/2018 20:26

I am horrified and disgusted. My poor dd

We had visitors just before Xmas and we used headrin two weeks - sorted. Or so we thought.

Just done DD'S hair with here in once as she was itchy and I've never seen anything like it Blush

I have been combing them out of DD'S hair since 7pm and it's horrific. Like millions of them I am mortified. Like a black film of nits and it's never ending.

I need to know what to use or should I take her to the Dr? I feel we need something stronger but what??

OP posts:
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SaucyJack · 05/02/2018 20:28

Have you got a Nitty Gritty comb? Just keep on and on and on with that.

I don't think it's a matter for the GP.

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choccybiscuit · 05/02/2018 20:30

You need to condition and comb through every other day until all the eggs are hatched.

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raspberryrippleicecream · 05/02/2018 20:30

Yes, Nitty Gritty comb and conditioner.

Can you put DD in front of a DVD?

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whereisteddy · 05/02/2018 20:30

Olive oil all over hair and wrap in cling film. Leave overnight and comb.

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lalaloopyhead · 05/02/2018 20:31

It is mentioned all the time but honestly the Nitty Gritty comb was the only thing that worked for us.

DD1 (long thick hair) used to get nits all the time and we used various treatments but they never seemed to get rid of them.

Comb through every night until they are gone to break the cycle, and then we did a comb through every Sunday just to check.

More labour intensive than putting a lotion on but really to me is the only way!

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bimbodoc · 05/02/2018 20:31

Completely inappropriate to take to GP. Pharmacist for lotion and nit comb, tedious but will work.

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shushpenfold · 05/02/2018 20:31

The chemicals don’t work. Just keep going with the nitty gritty comb for at least 3 weeks, every 3 nights max (given that level of infestation) but do it every night for the first 5 days or until you have no nits at all. Once at that point, every 3 nights justvto make sure.

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ThatsWotSheSaid · 05/02/2018 20:32

It’s all about the nitty gritty and lots of really really thorough combing.

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Wellthen · 05/02/2018 20:33

Removing as many adults and adolescents as possible will hugely slow them down. Does headrin kill eggs? If so it’s worth another treatment in a couple of days.

Comb comb comb. Now, before school, after school, tomorrow evening. You will eventually remove the young ones before they lay eggs.

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JoeyMaynardssolidlump · 05/02/2018 20:33

Did you all treat yourselves? Have you checked your hair and everyone else’s.

My advice to treat everyone together abs then nit comb.

Then use conditioner to make hair soft and slippy. Buggers find it hard to hang on.

You need to let School know too as she will just keep being re infected.

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MsAwesomeDragon · 05/02/2018 20:33

Dd1 had a horrific infestation years ago. It was awful. But it cleared up after we spent 2 weeks combing with conditioner every 2 days, following an application of whatever head lice stuff was cheapest. We cut her hair to a Bob as well, to make it easier to get them out. She really suited the shorter hair, and it did make it much easier to get all the lice out.

So just keep going with the comb. Every night if you can, or every second day of its not possible one day. Applications of stuff exactly one week apart as well, to catch all the tiny ones.

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HereWeGoRoundAgain · 05/02/2018 20:33

Hedrin Once will suffocate them. Use very liberally and leave it on overnight. Comb thoroughly then shampoo out and comb again. Retreat at two further five day intervals to give three treatments in total and comb every single day inbetween. That should cover any you miss at all possible lifecycle stages. Continue combing every day for another two weeks.

It's a royal pain but the only way to conquer a severe infestation.

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xTinkerhellx · 05/02/2018 20:34

My daughter had a horrid case of headline. I swear the little fuckers had gas masks as nothing worked.

So I decided to nuclear bomb her hair. I used a whole bottle of Hedrin once. You know the bottle that says 4-6 applications? Yup. I dumped the whole lot on a 4 year old's head.

2 days later I did the same thing. I also applied the same amount to my hair too, in case we were cross contaminating each other.

Haven't seen a headlice since, nearly 2 years later, despite multiple letters home from school about cases of headlice in her year.

She has also worn her hair in braids since then as well. Every day. Her hair can basically plait itself.

I hope you get something that works. Headlice (and celery) are basically the only evidence I will accept that God, religion etc exists. Because they could only come from something as evil as Satan himself.

Good luck!

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user1471443504 · 05/02/2018 20:34

Conditioner and nitty gritty comb and consistent combing every morning and night.
Also checking all members of the family. No offence but if you've only just realised and it's at the infestation stage then it's highly likely you'll have a few visitors of your own to deal with too.

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countingkids123 · 05/02/2018 20:36

I found the teeth on the nitty gritty comb too widely spaced. I was getting some out but loads remained! My children do have extra fine hair though (think baby fuzz and you get the picture). In the end I resorted to plenty of conditioner and a flea comb from the pet shop Grin It worked! A friend of mine smothers her DDs hair in Moroccan oil overnight and also combs through with the flea comb

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user1471443504 · 05/02/2018 20:37

And yes to braids. My daughter's hair is waist length and I do 2 braids and connect together with a bobble down her back as I don't want to risk them moving around separately when she moves her head about. Touch wood we've never had them.... but I've probably jinxed myself now!

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Allice · 05/02/2018 20:38

We had a terrible case last autumn, we all had them, it was bloody awful. I used a couple different treatments that seemed to help but it was mainly combing combing combing with conditioner and a nitty gritty comb.

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onemorecupofcoffeefortheroad · 05/02/2018 20:39

Oh gawd I remember the festival of the head lice with our two boys.

We would have whole evenings combing out nits - sitting in front of the TV one parent doing one child's head and the other parent doing the other child's head then the washing bedding, towels etc. on a thousand degrees. The trouble is not all parents are as vigilant and after all that work they'd go back to school and within a few weeks they'd have them back again. I guess it helps to keep their hair really short or tied back to prevent infestations.

Some say washing hair in tee tree shampoo keeps nits at bay too but this made no difference to our two and I found dealing with nits was just one of the endless joys of being a parent. It did end when they left school and headed to college.

Oh and I wouldn't bother with the doctor - (s)he won't want to know.

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JoeyMaynardssolidlump · 05/02/2018 20:40

Yes user is quite right op you must check yourself and the whole family. You can have them quite badly and not realise until you comb yourself. Bitter experience

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JoeyMaynardssolidlump · 05/02/2018 20:41

With boys using wax or hair gel helps too.

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NotAnotherEmma · 05/02/2018 20:43

Have you tried coating her hair in Vaseline then wrapping it in plastic food wrap overnight?

www.clearlice.com/mayonnaise-vinegar-vaseline-successful-home-remedies-for-super-lice/

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MrsPatrickDempsey · 05/02/2018 20:43

Nuke them with ghds (not helpful)

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JesusInTheCabbageVan · 05/02/2018 20:44

Hands up who's feeling itchy now.

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redwineismine · 05/02/2018 20:46

Slather hair in conditioner and go through with nit comb. Every night till the wee fuckers are gone. Then once per week do the conditioner and not comb to keeep on top.

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Basseting · 05/02/2018 20:47

dd had them at our old school - they were 'in' her class permanantly.

she has waist length hair, tight braids up in bun and hairspray but she still got them.

weeks of nittygritty and conditioner in front of DVDS. Horrible.

Moved school (for other reasons). Been clear for 2 years.

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