NITS!!!!!! Arghhh!!!!

[curiousgeorgie247]

My dds 10&11 came home with headlice last week. First time ever! Argghh.
Anyway. So I used full marks lotion on them and combed for what felt like hours. Washed everything, changed bedding and even bought them new pillows. 2 days later I used the Hedrin leave in application. They went to bed with it on and I washed it out the next day.
Today. Day 6. I used full marks again on them again as a precaution. And when I was combing i still found tiny black lice. Dead of course.
Does this mean I didn't kill them the first two times? Or did i just miss the dead ones the first 2 times and they cling to the hair like the eggs do.
I'm rewashing everything again just incase. I'm so confused. Is this normal. Or are they still infested!? Boak!!!

[curiousgeorgie247]

Anyone??

[Witchtower]

Off the top of my head, if I remember correctly. Nits will hatch in about 7 days. So after treating it’s very likely you have nits still in the hair which will hatch in the next few days.
My household have only had them once but have to deal with this at work (school.)
Treat the lice with an overnight lotion. Comb out as navy dead headlice and nits you find. Treat again, doing the same, 7 days later. I and I also like to treat 14 days later again!
If all parents are not treating their children then it will a consistent issue.

[Witchtower]

And also wash everything on s 90 degree wash.

[dementedpixie]

You haven't broken the life cycle yet. Treatments don't tend to kill the eggs so more can hatch. They need removing before they are old enough to lay eggs. Why did you treat so many times over a few days? You normally do a treatment and repeat 1 week later. After that 2nd treatment I would then comb every 2-3 days for at least another week or until you are finding no more lice. No need to go crazy washing things apart from hair brushes

[dementedpixie]

Info here

www.chc.org/for-parents/

[Grilledkippers]

Nits are shits from hell. I remember over obsessing and waging full blown war when they first appeared. With Afro hair it felt like an added challenge navigating the nit comb through. But cheap conditioner and a Nitty Gritty comb are all you will ever need to win the battle against the evil blighters. Slather damp hair in conditioner and take your time combing through the hair in sections and wiping clean with kitchen roll to remove nits before re-combing. I did this for 3 days consecutively (as with thick hair you can miss a few) and then once a week to keep them at bay. It can be a quick process if the kids have straight hair as the conditioner makes it easy. No need for expensive treatments or chemicals. You're lucky to have avoided them for so long!

[Coulddowithanap]

We got rid of nits by nit coming daily.

DN got them really bad, my sister was struggling to get rid of them so I straightened her hair and that seemed to kill the eggs (the popping sound was rather gross though!)

[AgentJohnson]

Drown the fuckers in conditioner with two drops of tea tree oil and religiously use a nit comb. Don’t waste your time with that overpriced and not very effective chemical stuff.

[curiousgeorgie247]

I treated again after 2 days as the 2nd treatment (Hedrin once) claimed to kill the like and the eggs. Unlike the full marks I used on day 1 which just kills the lice.
Do you think I have broken the life cycle now by treating again on day 6? Or shall I treat again in another week?
They have very thick and long hair. It's such a nightmare. I havent been combing daily as we just haven't had time.id say ive been doing it every 48/72 hours.

[dementedpixie]

It's not that they are not effective, it's just that treatment has not been completed and the life cycle hasn't been broken yet

[curiousgeorgie247]

Lice* not like. Stupid phone..

[curiousgeorgie247]

Good idea @coulddowithanap I never thought of straighteners. I'll try that too. I'm open to anything haha

[dementedpixie]

Did you read the link? The life cycle is over 2 weeks so it says this:

Rememberthat whatever the product,youalwayshave to check for lice on days 5, 9 and 12/13 and remove them to avoid the three risks of continuing infestation.

[curiousgeorgie247]

Reading now pixie

[Puffinhead]

I’m another one who just recommends conditioner. Buy a big bottle of the cheap stuff and a nitty gritty comb and just comb, comb, comb. Yes it’s time-consuming but much more effective imo. Repeat every few days. I also use my nails to take out the eggs - I’m fairly adept at spotting them now.

[Momzilla82]

Plus- you know, if someone in their class has them, isn't aware and hasn't been treated. It just takes one louse to move over from their head and start the party all over again. So if you haven't told school- please do! Otherwise whole class has to keep treating

[ilovewelshrarebit123]

I never use treatment, nitty gritty, conditioner and comb. I do it every third day until I get nothing.

[Waveysnail]

I'm veteran. Hedrin once applied day 1 then day 10. Comb everynight - I use a clear spray on conditioner so can see white nits.

[moreismore]

Lots of good advice already but just to add that tea tree shampoo/conditioner andvwearing long hair in plaits/bun is meant to help prevent reinfestation!

[Serin]

The options and lotions are a waste of time (literally) a bit comb and some conditioner is far quicker and more efficient and you aren't putting nasty stuff on your DC.

[MillyMollyMandy2018]

I just posted about this a couple of weeks ago. Agree to tell school, because as people have said, it’s when there are untreated children around the problem never resolves. I used the solution on day 2 and then wet combed every day for the first 7 days. Used solution on day 8 and then wet combed every other day since. It does take ages. My daughter has very thick hair. But, they haven’t come back... yet.
Also, the nhs website says to keep wet combing until day 17. People don’t realise you have to do it for the full life cycle. I’ve been spraying tea tree oil to make myself feel better and making sure DD hair is tied back every day.
The nhs website does say you don’t have to boil wash everything as they don’t live away from hair for very long.

[Drum2018]

You really have to comb through the hair in sections every day for a few days and pick the eggs out with your fingernails - combs won't catch them all. It's time consuming but necessary.

[curiousgeorgie247]

Thank you everyone. And no I haven't told school. Will do today.