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Original poster

AIBU to be unprepared for head lice

34 replies

WilbursWinnie · 19/05/2024 15:08

Help!
We've got to age 8 without the dreaded head lice but now we are infected.

Tell me your tried and tested solutions. I've been out and bought a nitty gritty comb and lots of conditioner.

I also have some treatment as I want to exterminate the f*@£#+s asap. My entire body feels like it's crawling with the horror.

What do we do with hair brushes, towels and bedsheets. Do I firebomb the lot? Blush

OP posts:
Hankunamatata · 19/05/2024 16:46

They are more a pain washing everything than anything else. Wash all bedding and towels etc. Hoover.

I use headrin leave in. Then comb every day small sections. I prefer a clear leave in conditioner spray so I can see the little buggers. Retreat on 5-7 days. You need to continue to comb every other day for up to 3 weeks

Dobbyismyabsolutefav · 19/05/2024 16:21

Treat, then use a nitty gritty comb and lots of conditioner 3 x a week for 6 weeks. Then once you are confident you have got rid of them nitty gritty comb weekly. Tea tree oil diluted and spray around ears and nape of neck. Towels and bedding in a hot wash.

If it's any consolation my teenager gave me nits for Mother's day years ago!

Ratatouille1 · 19/05/2024 15:47

Dishwashers pretty much sterilise anything, I chuck in washing up brushes, dog bowls no concerns!

CoffeeAndPeanuts · 19/05/2024 15:33

@Rawrrr

Hairbrushes can be stuck in the dishwasher

🤮🤮🤮🤮

they walk amongst us

longdistanceclaraclara · 19/05/2024 15:31

We had a real issue in primary, once we got rid of the fuckers -
Conditioner and comb - I combed every Sunday night. Hair in plaits for school, tea tree shampoo and sprayed with a tea tree solution.

Jellycatspyjamas · 19/05/2024 15:25

Vosene do a tea tree oil shampoo which is great at repelling the little buggers.

TheTimeTravellerswifeisaFraser · 19/05/2024 15:21

Wash them?
Lice are annoying but they aren’t dangerous and they aren’t indestructible.
They can’t live for a particularly long time off a human head anyway. It’s really pretty unlikely that you’d get reinfected from bedding or towels but you can always put them through the washing machine if it makes you feel better.
Wash the hairbrushes and combs. Lice and even nits aren’t invisible. You’ll see if there are any left on there.

LakeFlyPie · 19/05/2024 15:20

What you've got is literally all you need plus extreme patience
Condition, comb on repeat until all of the crawly feckers and their eggs are gone.
NHS info gives guidance on which days you need to recomb to prevent remaining eggs hatching and undoing all of your hard combing work.
Good luck!

Rawrrr · 19/05/2024 15:17

Tea tree oil mixed with moisturising conditioner. The conditioner stops them clinging to the hair and tea tree either kills or repels them, cant remember but it defo works. Leave it on overnight and repeat in 2 weeks to kill any new ones that have hatched.

Towels sheets etc are fine after a 60 degree wash and tumble dry on high heat. Hairbrushes can be stuck in the dishwasher or smothered in conditioner and tea tree and cleaned off with boiled water.

For maintenance to repel lice, a drop of tea tree on a comb and run it through LO's hair, or put a drop on a hair bobble

My sympathies. I'm literally itching writing this

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