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Original poster

Experienced nit folk

78 replies

Merename · 01/02/2020 15:38

So I suspect I picked up nits at work. Have never dealt with them before, kids are 4 and 16mo. For a couple days I’ve been itchy, had DH look last night and he thought he saw some white things at the back. Ordered nitty gritty comb last night but hasn’t arrived, so ended up at chemist and bought white combs, and Hedrin as a back up. Combed us all in bath with conditioner this afternoon, DH did me, spent ages, we didn’t find anything.

Do you think if it were nits it would be more obvious? I haven’t felt particularly itchy since doing it so I’m wondering if it’s been a big psychosomatic experience! The kids hadn’t been itching that I’ve seen, but it was driving me mad itching myself last night!

Should I do Hedrin tonight to put my mind at rest maybe?

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MrNobody · 01/02/2020 21:14

I have observed live lice the day after a hedrin treatment but they are pretty knackered and close to death. They just haven't yet suffocated. Really work that stuff in. Hedrin makes your hair all glidey and the comb effortlessly moves through the hair.

It's also slippy if you get it on the floor Grin

PureAlchemy · 01/02/2020 21:16

Also the eggs can be darker if they’ve not hatched.

One of my DC has blonde hair and the dark eggs were really noticeable in his hair.

Original poster
Merename · 01/02/2020 21:55

Oh thank you so much to everyone - really appreciate you passing on the lineage. And enjoy your affectionate descriptions @MrNobody, I hate to kill a single thing so I feel horrible about this aspect of this, it doesn’t feel like there’s much alternative though.

I decided just to do Hedrin, and comb in the morning. I’ll do DD1 tomorrow. Stupid question- does Hedrin ruin your pillow case? I’ve got a shower cap on but it’s all rusty and I think will affect my sleep!!

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Original poster
Merename · 01/02/2020 21:55

Rustly!

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MrNobody · 01/02/2020 21:58

Could you lay a towel over your pillow?

That seemed to work for us when DD has a treatment on.

Original poster
Merename · 01/02/2020 22:01

I’ve just gotten an old pillow case so doesn’t matter I suppose. Now just thinking how am I going to manage to comb myself with a toddler in tow tomorrow morning. Maybe another bath. Thanks for all the help!!

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wrinkledimplelover · 01/02/2020 23:07

I do periodic checks on my own hair, which is loosely curly, on dry hair with nitty gritty comb and I've found live lice (bits are the eggs). Might be an idea in a few days.

I lay white paper out, then brush upside down over it. Then using a normal comb, comb, then using a finer comb, comb and only then, when there are no knots at all, use the nitty gritty. All the combs need to be there beside me, because if I move my head, it disturbs the hair and need to brush again! I do it, upside down (so head leaning over the paper) starting at the nape of the neck all the way over to the ends of the hair. Also from behind the ears. And then the rest. It's important to do it in one constant movement. Absolutely do NOT try to pull the comb out, it has to go all the way through. I've found eggs and lice this way - don't have anybody to check for me.

Would never do that with the kids though - not moving the head is crucial!

chillied · 01/02/2020 23:20

I never found Hedrin to work. Recently discovered Vamousse. Absolutely amazing, murders all the lice and kills the eggs too - nothing hatches afterwards. It must be made of some seriously toxic shit but it's so much better than keeping combing for a fortnight to catch all the baby lice as they hatch out. Because with Hedrin or just combing with conditioner there will be new ones hatching the next day...

I agree that any nit comb other than a nitty gritty is useless.

Vamousse and a nitty gritty - that's my hard won experience!

Phoebesgift · 01/02/2020 23:42

A treatment called Nitwitts is the only one that got rid of nits for us. Brilliant stuff!

PenelopeFlintstone · 01/02/2020 23:47

OP, have you got hair straighteners? Works a treat on popping eggs before they can hatch.

Usingmyindoorvoice · 01/02/2020 23:52

@MrNobody I’ve found your perfect business opportunity!
www.thehairforce.co.uk/

Whatsnewpussyhat · 01/02/2020 23:54

The worst stuff I tried was lyclear. It did nothing. Then got the hedrin that is like baby oil and gets left on to dry. Worked instantly. Then did 2nd treatment a week later to catch any that had hatched since.

Theromanempire · 01/02/2020 23:57

Hair straighteners?? Do you put them on a really high heat and straighten the entire strand of hair from as close to the scalp as possible? Do they work?

Had a really embarrassing visit to the hairdresser today - during the hair wash, she found a lice in my hair and (politely) sent me away with wet hair and a new appointment for next week Blush Checked and treated me and the DC and they both had them...turns out DC1 who is 13 suspected he had them for a few days but hadn't bothered telling us Angry

Anyway I can't face going back next week and them finding another in my hair so am desperately trying everything to make sure I am clear!

TheMotherofAllDilemmas · 02/02/2020 08:58

I have GHD straightener es that do not have a heat setting but yes, they are very effective, you can hear the eggs fizzling as you get them through.
It doesn’t remove the eggs though, just kill them, so you still have to nitty gritty but at least, those you miss won’t hatch tomorrow.

TheNoiseHurts · 02/02/2020 09:00

We use Vamousse as well.

It smells horrific for days but it works.

Original poster
Merename · 02/02/2020 10:08

Well I’m still unsure what’s going on, felt more itchy overnight even while using the Hedrin. This morning put wee one in her bath seat while I shampooed out the Hedrin, then joined her in bath while I nitty grittyed conditioned hair. This was all incredibly challenging, trying to do it on myself let alone entertain toddler at same time! Lost loads of hair! Anyways, I noticed something black in the bath water and on inspection looks bug like, but I was doing the swooshing the comb in a bowl of water thing, and I had showered out the Hedrin, so I don’t know when/ if it came from me and if even was a louse.

DD1 coming back soon and we are heading to a get together with friends kids - I’ve told them - shall we just tie both our hair back, hope for best and keep combing over next few days? Not sure about doing hedrin on her when she’s not even been itching.

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Original poster
Merename · 02/02/2020 10:09

And no straighteners no, hair is straight and fine.

That hair force is a good idea!

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LilQueenie · 02/02/2020 18:03

if you use hedrin you need to treat everyone in the house with it at the same time regardless of itching. Took a month to find a single louse in dds hair and she was itching for most of the time.

Original poster
Merename · 02/02/2020 18:14

That’s what I would have thought but the chemist told me to only use the hedrin on those who I knew had nits - doesn’t make sense tho as you say, sounds like the wee guys are hard to find. I’ve no idea what’s going on - seems unlikely I’d have but not DD, I definitely have been going into a family at work where there have been some recently.

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fairyfingers · 02/02/2020 19:18

We name ours. Goliath was a monster who tried to run away but we chased him down.

Both dds have long thick hair so it takes weeks to get them gone then one of the friends never gets hers treated so they come round again.

May try vamousse off the back of this. Other treatments haven't really worked so usually just nitty gritty and conditioner here

MrNobody · 02/02/2020 22:56

Usingmyindoorvoice that's brilliant. I have always thought I might have missed my calling in life.

Maybe I could start my own business!

fairyfingers I love that you named yours.

I keep them in a box and look at them every so often. It's ashame because I know they are starving and freezing to death but you can see the blood inside them.

Also they appear so slow and dithery and almost clumsy in appearance but it's just to fool you. When you watch them gliding through hair it's impressive. No wonder they are still here today and never die out (and keep coming back) 😂

WeSavedSallySally · 02/02/2020 23:13

Nitty gritty, cups of boiling 🔥 water. Spray hair with de tangle spray to make it slippy.

Comb through, comb into boiling water. The eggs or nits will go onto the water. Then wipe comb on tissue and start again.

One egg will start whole process again.

We used hedrin and did brush out and nit were still alive.

Endless brushing seems best. However our school is over run with them.

No nit nurses anymore more. Buying equipment is expensive, even hedrin is increasingly expensive.

I don't think I'll ever shift them...

WeSavedSallySally · 02/02/2020 23:15

Mere, what are you doing with the family at work. They can't jump from head to head only crawl.

Marie84 · 02/02/2020 23:20

We've had years of battling with the little critters! All 3 of my dd have extremely thick hair and at its worst I seriously considered shaving it all off! I couldn't find any solution that worked so spent hours combing and combing. Thankfully now they are all at secondary school and haven't had any in a while. Once you have got rid of them all we found adding a few drops of tee tree oil to your shampoo really helped,apparently they don't like it. Also using hairspray on tied up hair as they can't get in! Good luck!

Original poster
Merename · 03/02/2020 00:36

@WeSavedSallySally, I’m a social worker, and no was never in head to head contact so that’s why it’s all a bit suspect, DD would seem to be the more likely culprit if I have, but she’s not itching. I’m still feeling itchy, more so at night. I showed DH the one I thought I’d found earlier and he thought it was fluff and that I may have some kind of paranoid belief I’m covered in parasites (he’s a psychiatrist). Ha. My mum is coming tomorrow and she will be able to comb me properly at least, I think it’ll feel more conclusive if she does me with nitty gritty and still finds nothing.

I haven’t seen one obviously, @MrNobody, but I like your affectionate descriptions. I’ve been thinking about how they survive being shampooed, let alone all these chemical treatments. So many of you have been plagued, I think if this isn’t it and my mind is playing tricks, then at least I have learned loads that I’ll be ready when the time comes!

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