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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that we wil soon be overrun with headlice as the treatment is prohibitively expensive.

125 replies

Ohnodisaster · 13/12/2014 00:34

Noticed that my dd had headlice for the first time earlier in the week so diligently informed the school and made a trip to the pharmacist to pick up some treatment.

Was informed that until last week certain treatments were free on prescription but now we have to pay-the treatments ranged from £14-18!

This seemed very expensive to me so set to work with the conditioner and a nit comb which managed to get the larger ones out but didn't catch the smaller ones. I spent about 45 minutes trying to get them out before admitting defeat and going out to buy the treatment.

How are people on low incomes or in difficult circumstances going to be able to afford either the cost of the treatment or the time to so a proper job with the conditioner?

OP posts:
furcoatbigknickers · 14/12/2014 15:34

Lots of good tips on here. I have tired just combing but didn't find it effective. Must buy a nitty gritty. I have 3 long haired dds so us alot of work. Tbh i'd rather just use chemicals but ££££

ICantFindAFreeNickName · 14/12/2014 16:03

For those using the conditioner /combing method. I believe the advice is to repeat every other day for two weeks. This is based on the life cycle of the lice and ensures all eggs have hatched and all lice are removed before they can lay anymore eggs. You need to continue for two weeks, otherwise any missed eggs could hatch and start the whole cycle again.

Clueing4looks · 14/12/2014 16:04

I've just scratched my head to pieces while reading this thread!

I use the full marks oil, think it's £4 from Tesco, then condition/comb method every other night for a week. I have 2 kids and they probably catch lice around twice a year. The treatment is not prescribed where I live (lydney) nor free on the minor ailments scheme.

cruikshank · 14/12/2014 16:16

Also for people using conditioner/oil, it doesn't actually kill the lice - only the chemicals will do that. It loosens their grip on the hair, but it doesn't kill them.

ThePointyAndTheIvy · 14/12/2014 16:26

I've found that Hedrin is really good, but you do need to follow the instructions, and just because you're using it does not mean you're excused from combing - combing the Hedrin through means everything is thoroughly covered.

I've always done it this way:

Day 1: Hedrin on dry hair, comb through thoroughly, leave overnight. Wash out in the morning by putting the cheapest, most oil-stripping shampoo direct onto dry hair, really slather it on, then rinse out. Follow-up with normal shampoo will then leave hair silky soft.

Day 2: Soak the hair in vinegar. Leave in for half an hour. What this does is dissolve the glue that binds the eggs to the hair so they wash out - breaking the breeding cycle. Rinse out the vinegar and wash.

Day 7: Hedrin again as prescribed. I have however never found anything on day 7.

In addition to this, wet comb with conditioner at least weekly to catch them early - more often if you know there is an outbreak. Tie hair back, preferably in plaits, spray with hairspray daily. My DDs have caught them, but we have always been able to get rid.

TattyDevine · 14/12/2014 17:08

I don't like the Nitty Gritty comb. Yes it is effective but its not that easy to use on my hair (though its fine on the children).

In fact my hair is a law unto itself, they seemed to still be on me long after I'd got them out of the children's hair. In the end I used horse shampoo with insecticide and combed through with the Safe n Sound nit comb which I find much better for my hair (and easier to scrape along your scalp close to the hairline which you are supposed to do). That killed them!

Unidentifieditem · 14/12/2014 17:30

Which vinegar should I use Thepointyandtheivy? I do hedrin + conditioner combing and find that works well. For now...

Fabulous46 · 14/12/2014 17:53

The nitty gritty comb is fab. It also crushes eggs. That and conditioner did the trick for us.

ghostyslovesheep · 14/12/2014 17:57

Hedrin once - 20 mins - wash and done - works every time here

combing is great ...but not easy to do when you have THREE girls all with long thick hair - and you don't have 2 hours a night to spare doing it Hmm

I think people who don't treat and don't comb properly or who use stupid myth treatments are the real issue

ThePointyAndTheIvy · 14/12/2014 21:46

Unidentified any vinegar will do, it's the acetic acid that does the trick and that comes in all vinegars. Obviously expensive balsamic would not be a smart move. We use plain white vinegar. It is best to use a spray bottle - we use a plant mister, it drenches efficiently and aims well so you don't hit the eyes. I'd advise having your DC place a soaked flannel over their eyes in any case, the fumes are not pleasant.

Vinegar makes their hair really, really shiny.

I'm a big nitty gritty fan too, it catches the tiniest of newly-hatched lice.

ThePointyAndTheIvy · 14/12/2014 21:47

ghostly my DDs reported it was always the same children who were literally crawling...

Szeli · 14/12/2014 23:16

tea tree £1 for huge bottle poundland

UserNameUnderConstruc · 15/12/2014 06:20

We use Hedrin too, leave on overnight and repeated 7 days later. Works every time. I do check their hair every couple of days with the Nitty Gritty comb.

whattheseithakasmean · 15/12/2014 06:46

Conditioner & combing every 2 days then weekly to maintain is the only thing that works - you can't short cut the time with the nit comb.

Chemicals just fuck up the environment & create resistant lice. Stop it & get yer comb oot.

CaptainVasiliBorodin · 15/12/2014 08:26

I for one will welcome our new headlice overlords

whattheseithakasmean · 15/12/2014 08:50

Captain - they are already heeeere!

EbwyIsUpTheDuff · 15/12/2014 10:06

are those combs that electrocute the lice any good? I have one, I just don't know how effective it is and would like to know before we REALLY need it!

so far neither kid has had lice, though before they were born their father came back from the job centre with them (the only place either of us had been for a fortnight, so we know where he got them)

Mrsjayy · 15/12/2014 10:16

I bought an electric zapper didn't work on dd2 thick wiry hair it was a pain in the arse to use. I used to straigten dd1s hair burned the buggers Grin

frozen70 · 15/12/2014 10:21

we are having this problem now with dd. She has eczema and even conditioner hurts her skin as I left it on for 5 minutes last night. I did get some hedrin on prescription but had to jump through hoops to get it for our family of 5. They originally prescribed a lotion which was obsolete several years ago and than prescribed 1 tiny bottle.

Theas18 · 15/12/2014 10:24

Not read the thread. Comments addressed to OP

Head lice treatment is dirt cheap. a large bottle of cheap condition and a nitty gritty comb and you are set up for all the family till they are grown up!

Insecticides are not commonly used as, frankly they don't work due to hight levels of resistance. They are also toxic. Why use a toxin on your child when time spent combing works better ?

My top tip for long haired girls - sell it as almost a " beauty treatment" - " you hair will be so soft and shiny after a careful condition and comb" and it's not a fib it is like a nice hair mask treatment!

ReallyTired · 15/12/2014 10:25

frozen70

I used mountains of aqueous cream and the nitty gritty comb to get rid of nits. You have to repeat every night until the nits are gone.

ghostyslovesheep · 15/12/2014 10:27

hedrin doesn't contain 'chemicals' Hmm

PigletInABlanketJohn · 15/12/2014 10:41

There is nothing in the world that is not made of "chemicals," not even the purest and most organic foods.

DiHydrogen Monoxide being one of the most common.

The president of the Chemical Society will pay you a million pounds if you can produce anything that contains none.

Goldmandra · 15/12/2014 10:54

Hedrin may not contain insecticides (assumption) but it does cost a lot and it's very hard to wash out.

BlackbirdOnTheWire · 15/12/2014 11:04

Hedrin contains dimeticone, chemically-derived from silicone.

Silicone is in many beauty products (including moisturising creams) but is a fairly common dermatological allergen for those with sensitive skin/eczema, as in my and my DD's case. I have scalp psoriasis and cannot use shampoos or conditioners containing silicone; DD's dermatologist and allergy consultant also both said that she had a skin reaction to silicone so we should avoid it.

Frozen70, that may have been the problem with the conditioner treatment for your DD? Might be worth trying to find a conditioner without silicone if so.

Yes, the comb/conditioner method is time-consuming (I spend a good hour combing... Start with a wide-tooth comb before moving to the nittygritty comb and it definitely makes things easier) but better than weeping, infected eczema and a screaming child. Hedrin states on the packet that it's fine for sensitive skin, then on the enclosed leaflet says "not to be used on broken skin", which is basically all eczema/psoriasis conditions.