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Original poster

I think dd has had nits for a year. Help!!!

103 replies

Graceandlily · 07/01/2022 08:41

Dd age 14 has had an itchy head for many months. She has eczema and I just put it down to that. A few nights ago she said do you think it could be nits. I’ve got a comb from when she was little so we had a look and she’s riddled.
I’ve started with the conditioner and combing every other night. It’s taking over an hour and there’s so many I feel like we’ll never be rid. I feel so awful I could cry. What else can I do to get rid of them?

OP posts:
Danikm151 · 07/01/2022 08:43

Nit solution to kill them off then comb them out. Do yours aswell

jellybe · 07/01/2022 08:45

Just buy the chemical stuff hedrin and get them gone then continue with the conditioner and combing every few days after that. Honestly, if she is that riddled with them you need to use the strong stuff to make a dent in them.

MorrisZapp · 07/01/2022 08:45

Any kind of oil or serum saturated and left on will suffocate them. Hot oil conditioner overnight, any serum with dimethicone in it etc.

Blow dry it as hot as you can, that kills them too. If you have straighteners, all the better.

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middleofthelittle · 07/01/2022 08:46

You won't get rid of them without the nit treatment and it's really quite cruel to make her continue to have them for any longer using conditioner and a comb? Just buy the treatment it's under £10.

Seeline · 07/01/2022 08:46

You could try one of the special shampoos to kick start the process and then carry on with the conditioner/comb routine.

Ask at your local chemist which products they recommend - I was told that nits can get used to certain products and the local chemist will know what works for the local area. Don't know how true that is, but it can't do any harm!

APerfectSky · 07/01/2022 08:48

Get the hedrinnstuff from the pharmacy (rather than the stuff you can get in the supermarket) that you leave on over night. It's more expensive, but I felt worked better. That should kill off all the live ones, and the following morning, shower and condition, then nit comb. Continue with the nit comb, but also do the hedrin again about 3 days later to catch any that have hatched. You may need to repeat again depending on how many there are and if they're still hatching.

But keep going with the conditioner and nit comb in between too.

Purplewithred · 07/01/2022 08:49

Mum caught nits from my kids. For about 6 months she used an escalating array of itchy head shampoos, creams, took anthistimine.. Then she went to the doctor who diagnosed nits. I was mortified and it became a household joke. Whatever treatment you do just keep up with it, you will get on top of it. And consider her friends may have them too.

Original poster
Graceandlily · 07/01/2022 08:50

Thank you I’ll get the treatment today.
Great idea about hair straighteners too, she’s got some so we’ll do that too.
Thanks so much I just feel dreadful. I wasn’t sure about the effectiveness of the treatments from googling it but will definitely do it.

OP posts:
womaninatightspot · 07/01/2022 08:54

I agree with PP treat then start a combing routine. Its free on minor ailments here (Scotland) at the pharmacy. Once clear it'd be a good idea to teach her how to comb through herself. My eldest is 11 and does it. conditioner, wide tooth comb, nitty gritty comb. A couple of times a week seems to be enough to catch any visitors.

InTheLabyrinth · 07/01/2022 09:07

If you've already done a couple of comb throughs, are you seeing the benifit?
Keep going with the conditioner and combs. Straighteners are great.
If she has eczema and has a scalp that has been irritated for the past year, I'd be tempted to make sure any chemical works on suffocation rather than poison, as that may irritate her scalp more.

Have you hot washed her pillows and any hats/other stuff that goes near her hair?

ReformedWaywardTeen · 07/01/2022 09:10

Hedrin from memory was the best.
I don't think you'd need to worry about resistance to that treatment as you say the comb you had was from many years back.

And I have to say OP, don't feel bad, at that age you don't expect nits anymore.

MrsMoastyToasty · 07/01/2022 09:11

Tell school too. They can then put an announcement out and hopefully it will prompt others to check their children's hair.

PAFMO · 07/01/2022 09:15

My DD had infestations for almost a year. Hedrin and every other treatment under the sun never quite got all the eggs. It was basically one initial infestation that just never got totally eradicated.
The only thing that ultimately got rid was a Nitty Gritty and thick cheap conditioner. Every other day I'd slather the conditioner on and use the nitty gritty through it for about an hour.
During all of this I spoke to the pharmacist who said it's rare to get them all with one bottle of stuff like hedrin. If you go at it with a product AND a nitty gritty and conditioner you'll get rid quicker. Good luck.

CottonSock · 07/01/2022 09:17

I used a really gentle one which was basically just like silicone. It suffocated the nits. Worth a try first if she has sensitive skin.

SpacePotato · 07/01/2022 09:18

The hedrin that's like baby oil that you leave in overnight worked best for us. You might want to do your own head to.

Repeat a week later to catch any new hatchlings.

Eeiliethya · 07/01/2022 09:19

Does she have asthma? If so, let the Pharmacist know as some nit lotions aren't suitable for asthmatics. Also a nitty gritty to tackle the eggs.

Good luck! Nits are bloody Satan's work Brew

MargaretThursday · 07/01/2022 09:19

What we found best (especially for thick hair) was mouthwash! I think it's called listerin.
You pour it over the hair and let it soak in, then put the hair up under a shower cap for 15 minutes.
Then wash as normal.
It seems to kill the nits very effectively.
You do need to do it a couple of times (I did it on day 5 and day 10) as the eggs aren't killed, but it was far quicker and easier (and cheaper) than other treatments.

My dd had thigh length thick hair and it was impossible to get hedrin soaked through well enough, or comb out convincingly enough to get every single nit. Listerin, being more like water soaks in easily. We found half a bottle did her hair really well.

OnwardsAndSideways1 · 07/01/2022 09:19

www.chc.org/

I used this Bug Busters kit, never bothered with Hedrin. Lots of conditioner, do it on the days they say, it breaks the nit life cycle. There is also a finer comb which removes eggs which can be unsightly if you have darker hair. Two combs, £1 conditioner from the Pound shop, and you will get on top of this.

Use Hedrin as well if you like to start the process- but make sure you do the combing as that removes not only the nits, but the eggs (there are two combs for this purpose).

MissSteak · 07/01/2022 09:20

I agree with pps - suffocating Hedrin followed with the Nitty Gritty. The NG comes with instructions re the life cycle of the nit and how often/which days to comb.

Everyone in the house needs to be treated.

Happysexymillionaireswife · 07/01/2022 09:23

Use the right stuff from the pharmacy!

SoItWas · 07/01/2022 09:24

I agree hedrin or other nit lotion on you both, follow the instructions (usually one dose, then a second a week later?). I'd wash your towels, cushions covers, bedding etc on a hot wash (60°?) too.

Every day after, condition and run the comb through, to get any stragglers. If you have straighteners, use them on her hair after you've dried it too (the extra heat will pop them), make sure this is at least a day after the nit lotion has been well washed out though.

Keep checking for reinfestation, pick one night a week (Sunday?) and make that nit check night.

Nomoreusernames1244 · 07/01/2022 09:26

You won't get rid of them without the nit treatment and it's really quite cruel to make her continue to have them for any longer using conditioner and a comb? Just buy the treatment it's under £10.

Conditioner and nit combing will get rid of them as effectively as chemical treatment.

SummerLovin2022 · 07/01/2022 09:31

The best thing for getting rid of nits is malt vinegar. It suffocates them. My niece had them and my sister tried over the counter remedies but they didn't work. She went to a different pharmacy, not a high street chain one but a small family run pharmacy that has been going years. The lovely gentleman told her that malt vinegar would get rid of them. Tried it that night in the bath and it got rid of them.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 07/01/2022 09:35

I used to use Hedrin. I'd do the whole family on the same day. Apply Hedrin in the evening, wrap the pillow in an old towel and leave it on overnight. Then wash off in the morning. Doing it on a Friday night means less rush in the morning because you will need to shampoo a couple of times. Repeat 7 days later to catch the recently hatched before they are mature enough to lay more eggs.

DD has the sort of hair that just can't be nit-combed, extra super thick from her asian heritage and curly from her black heritage so Hedrin was the only option. Leaving it on overnight meant that it got spread all over her hair as she moved in her sleep. Also it's just silicon so it didn't irritate me or DS, we are both sensitive to lots of things.

KurtWilde · 07/01/2022 09:43

Never had any success with the nit solution, chemist said nits are becoming tolerant to the chemicals. I always found a super heavy conditioner and comb did the best job, repeat every 3 days over a couple of weeks and that did the trick. My youngest DD has the thickest hair I've ever known, it was a process!! But we managed it eventually.