AIBU to ask if your head can still feel itchy even after successful lice treatment?

[Thelowquietsea]

I've had a bad case of nits. I've treated it three times this week - two different over the counter treatments and once with tea tree oil and thick conditioner.

The first time I pulled out a lot of live lice; the second a few and today, this morning, one dead one and nothing else. But my head still feels really itchy! Do you think that could be the body's reaction to it - and the effect of the metal comb scraping over my scalp?

Driving me nuts!

My head feels itchy just reading that!

My head itches just at the thought of them! So could be psychological itching rather than actual itching.

It could be that your scalp is still irritated but in my experience if you can still feel the little buggers they're probably still there - you may have had some eggs hatch perhaps.

If it was me I'd keep combing with conditioner for a few days, no lotion in case it's that that irritated you, and then maybe have another go with a lotion.

I don't think combing can cause itchiness.

The itchiness is usually caused by an allergenic reaction to the saliva in the bite, so yes it can persist for a few days. However keep combing and perhaps treat again to be very sure you've broken the cycle.

Can be psychological.

Can also be overuse of the over the counter treatments causing an irritation (usually I'm not certain you're supposed to use two in a week).

It can also be dry skin.

Can also be a tiny little fucker of an adolescent louse.

Do more conditioner and combing to make yourself feel better before another treatment in a week?

I'm itching now!!

you need to keep treating for a couple of weeks, as that's how long it takes for them to hatch.
so yes, you could still have lice, but also irritation from the chemicals.
comb through with nit comb and conditioner every other day for the next 2 weeks. that should get rid of them and not irritate the scalp too much.

The bites can itch for a few days after. However, you really need to understand the lifestyle, you will not have got rid of all the eggs (you just won't have it is impossible no matter how good you are at combing). They'll hatch and you'll have a few days before the young lice are old enough to reproduce, that's when you need to comb again. Essentially you need to comb every 4 days for about three weeks to get rid of the buggers (your hair and your kids if you have them). It's bloody tedious- you have my sympathy (DD always shares the love in this house)

Yes, try taking an antihistamine for a couple of days

I'm sensitive & the bites can itch for days after full extermination (of adults, people are right about eggs might still be in there). That's why you're supposed to treat again a week after first full treatment, to get the newly hatched babies.

You need to comb comb comb.

But also I'm itching just thinking about your bits, so

You'll still be itchy because you'll have little irritated bites all over your scalp from the live bits biting over the last few days.

Despite being clear of live nits now, you may well still have eggs waiting to hatch as the treatments are not good at killing eggs, the combs are not great at picking them up, and they're really hard to see so you can't get them all. There's a website that talks about how long it takes for all the eggs to hatch and recommends a combing schedule every few days for 21 days (I think). Worth a read.

www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/theliceprogram/

We all got really itchy heads after using the treatment, even those of us who had no lice in our hair (precautionary treating whole family) so could just be from that

The little bastards are hard to kill.
You need the right hour treatment, the one that suffocates them and that you leave on overnight.
Then you need to comb with conditioner daily. Then repeat the overnight treatment in a week. Then again a week later. Still combing daily.

Yes it’s normal, your scalp will be incredibly irritated for a few days. I had head lice last year after my DD’s caught them at school, it still itched for a few days after successful treatment.

Yes of course, the itch is down to the reaction to the bites, not the insects. Takes a while to subside, no biggy

Also you should do a repeat treatment 7 days after the first to catch any hatchlings

Combing every couple of days for a fortnight is the only way to get rid really. The over the counter remedies don't get rid of them effectively enough. They're very annoying but it takes longer than a week so keep at it.

It’s just the thought of lice. Everyone starts itching when nits are mentioned.
I’d also do a hot wash of all bedding.
Nit comb every day with conditioner. In case the lice are hatching. Well I did morning and night just to be on the safe side.
Check what the packaging says on when to re-treat with the OTC treatments. But if you get all the lice out with combing daily then you might not need to re-treat.
I bought an electric nit comb as well!

Yes, I will keep combing.

I've had half a day without an itch...then suddenly it feels itchy and the idea takes root, and then I simply can't work out what's real and what isn't!