to think that the producers of nit shampoo have us over a barrel?

[DrSeuss]

So, DS (6), and DD, (14 mths) have come home with what DS informs me are correctly called "visitors" (I am told off regularly by him for using the words "lice", "louse" or "nits") so it was straight off to Boots to buy the gunk. So expensive! The cheapest one was no good as it had to be done daily for a week, some required a long period of siting there and so I went for the one that takes only 15 mins, bearing in mind I had to sit with the baby playing games and singing songs to keep her hands out of her hair. £17.99! DH is an industrial chemist and read the ingredients. His estimate is a fiver tops! What a rip off!

I don't use any shampoos - they don't work.

Combing and pulling the bastards straight out of the hair with fingers with loads of conditioner, every night for a week, works.

My two have had nits about 15 times and both have very thick long hair so I am the world's expert, trust me.

The electronic comb is good too, for when the 'visitors' are bigger (yuck sorry but true).

I learnt early on that these products don't work

Comb and cheap conditioner... It is the only way

The problem being that the school and the CM don't accept the kids with "visitors" and I have to work. The infestation seemed to be fairly minor, maybe eight or ten on each kid. Also, the baby has a low tolerance for being faffed about. At least I can say that they have been treated and the childcare arrangements are still OK.

And won't most parents of nitty kids who have no experience of this just buy the gunk? It never occurred to me to do anything else. The cheapest was about £10. I think I shall just soak the labels off cheap, own brand conditioner and sell it at the school gates for a fiver a go!

Agree with the conditioner/combing. it's the only way. Even when they are clear, just comb once a fortnight in the bath to check. As the children get older, they can help with their own hair as well.

One night of combing should satisfy the school and CM. You comb until you have about 10 lice-free combings. At that point any lice that are visible to the human eye will be gone. Next night's combing will get rid of the ones that have grown and the next night's will maybe get rid of the ones that were eggs on the first night etc. Keep going for a week. You have to keep it up regularly after that, a couple of times a month. Realistically up until the age of 11!

Another here who conditions and combs every night for a week. It's the only thing that works. Lotions are a complete rip off.

We call them "little friends" in our house

I think I'll just shave their heads. Between keeping them lice free and keeping the ruddy cats flea free, I might as well just hose the house down with DDT. DH's grandad used to do that weekly when they lived in Pakistan in the 40s. So what if the kids start mutating!

nitty gritty comb is really the best. you really don't need the gunk!

Totally agree germyrabbit - forget the lotions and get a nitty gritty - best £10 you can spend on getting rid of unwanted visitors

I wish it stopped at 11, maybe it will stop when they are both at high school, but at the moment DH, DD1 and me still have to take out the little blighters.

I hope they arrive from the primary, but I fear there will always be enough younger siblings that they'll bounce round the high school too

14 month old shouldn't need doing really. It's very rare that they get them under three.

we have a minor ailments service whereby you can get some prescription items for free from the pharmacy as long as you are entitled to free prescriptions anyway e.g. children, on maternity leave, etc - includes headlice treatments and worm treatments, etc

my dd had them at age 2 - if they have head/hair and are in direct contact with someone elses head then it is easily passed on regardless of their age

check the research based info

You can't "treat" headlice, it can help but only repeated combing with conditioner keeps on top of them.

nitty gritty comb gets rid of them.

Why anyone pays for this stuff over the counter when its on prescription is beyond me.

most doctors wont even want to see you, just phone up and pick up the prescription.

'14 month old shouldn't need doing really. It's very rare that they get them under three.'

try telling that to the lice, that the child is too young to have them.

Hedrin has always worked for us ...and you can get it on prescription if needed

Nitty Gritty combs are good for in between infestation and treatments but I find a dose of that and I don;t need to spend the time combing 3 girls heads every night

I agree, Hedrin is very good. I use the nitty gritty comb as well but my girls and I find it very painful on long thick hair.

Another conditioner/nit comber her. Dd had them once, was mortified. Nit combed here every night n picked eggs out until they were gone. Now we do once a week on a friday night n no nits been found for last couple of years. It helps that they both have blonde fairly thin hair!

Nitty Gritty comb is fab!! I will be doing my kids later, again!! I always do on a Sunday and other days if I find any.

Cheap conditioner and keep coming through. One off payment of £10ish.

If your children get 'visitors' speak to your health visitor as she can give you the lotion for free.

I used the 3 in 1 shampoo/conditioner with tee tree in on my daughters hair to hopefully prevent her getting nits at all, she still got nits...

Conditioner and a nit comb is definitely the best way.

The first time we all got it we nitty grittyed everyone every day for about 10 days, then every other day for about a week, then they were back again, when we hadn't really been near any other children (away on holiday by then) so I don't think it got them all. One treatment with Hedrin each and they were gone.

I use the nitty gritty every couple of weeks on the DCs just in case, but they have thick hair and hate it, so I would probably go with Hedrin again next time, a lot easier.