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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask is this a nit?

38 replies

Curlyy97 · 28/12/2023 22:18

unfortunately my 4 year old caught head lice at school. I’ve treated and combed and so far I can nor see any more lice ones but I have looked again see these near the bottom of her hair and they are stuck on quite well. I’ve had to pull some out . Is this nits? I’ve not had experience with these before but I’ve read the nits will be near the scalp but these are low down

Sensitive content
To ask is this a nit?
OP posts:
Bepopp · 28/12/2023 22:19

It’s not very clear but looks as though it could be. Or a speck of dirt/food?

WhompingWillows · 28/12/2023 22:20

Yup! That looks like an egg containing a live lice. The eggs look like sesame seeds.

Lougle · 28/12/2023 22:20

Yep, I'd say so.

WhompingWillows · 28/12/2023 22:21

A live LOUSE (I can do grammar, I promise). Do you have a bit comb?

Guavafish1 · 28/12/2023 22:22

yes

Original poster
Curlyy97 · 28/12/2023 22:22

Thank you. I’ll have to go through with the comb again tomorrow but so far all the live ones seem to be gone 🤞I’ve also got some Hedrin leave in treatment that you leave for 8 hours. I am hoping that will work to kill off the eggs too

OP posts:
WhompingWillows · 28/12/2023 22:23

OMG, I think my spell check has had too much Christmas spirit. That should say NIT comb.

DragonFly98 · 28/12/2023 22:24

Curlyy97 · 28/12/2023 22:22

Thank you. I’ll have to go through with the comb again tomorrow but so far all the live ones seem to be gone 🤞I’ve also got some Hedrin leave in treatment that you leave for 8 hours. I am hoping that will work to kill off the eggs too

Hedrin doesn't kill lice or eggs I don't understand how it can be sold tbh.

Original poster
Curlyy97 · 28/12/2023 22:24

@WhompingWillows thank you. yes I have one of the metal ones. I’ve been doing the conditioner and comb method and I did it again this morning and no live ones were found. Keep checking behind her ears too and on the scalp. Will keep at it and try the Hedrin too

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 28/12/2023 22:25

If its that far down the hair it could be an egg that didn't hatch and has stayed there as the hair has grown.

Original poster
Curlyy97 · 28/12/2023 22:25

@DragonFly98 oh no!
does anybody know any treatments that do work?

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 28/12/2023 22:27

Hedrin suffocates the lice and is supposed to work OK. Just leave it on for ages

yesyouareyouare · 28/12/2023 22:27

Derbac M. It's very expensive though.

yesyouareyouare · 28/12/2023 22:27

Hearing doesn't work.

Northsideoftheriver · 28/12/2023 22:29

We usually smother conditioner leave overnight and comb through with the nit comb. Repeat as many times as needed. Haven't had them for absolutely ages but there was a text from school last week saying nits in your child's class. I keep checking!

Altontowersq · 28/12/2023 22:30

Hedrin will kill the live lice but does not penetrate the eggs so the best way is to use it then go through the hair and cut off hairs with an egg attached. Takes forever but they just keep hatching otherwise.

Vigility · 28/12/2023 22:51

The only thing I found that works is combing with a nitty gritty comb and lots of conditioner. It’s tedious, you have to comb through methodically but after a while you’ll soon spot the eggs a mile off! I used to remove them with my nails.

Goinggreymammy · 28/12/2023 22:52

Yes, it is a nit. To be honest it's really hard to get any treatment that actually kills or removes the eggs, although lots promise they do. When my 4 Yr old got them a good few years ago her hair was too fine for the nit comb to get rid of all the eggs. I ended up going through her hair with her lying with her head on my sat, and pulling them out with my fingernails one by one. Gross and time consuming but 100% effective.

ballsdeep · 28/12/2023 22:54

i agree the hedrin doesn’t work! We had a nutty gritty and nit not that’s the only thing that worked for us!!

ChickensAndChops · 28/12/2023 22:57

Hedrin Once has always worked for us.

Mumof2teens79 · 28/12/2023 22:58

Hearing works well on live lice.
You just have to repeat 7 days apart, possibly more than once.
The first time you kill all the live ones
7 days later the eggs have hatched and you kill the young ones before they can lay eggs.

Each time change bedding and wash any hats etc, treat everyone in the house.

The other type- the chemical ones- they can become resistant to.

NewYearNewMeMamma · 28/12/2023 23:08

My 2yr old son caught headlice off his siblings. I managed to treat theirs with Full Marks no problem, but it didn't work on him. I went through a few different brands / types on him and the only one to work was Hedrin - we left it in for around 13hrs (put on just before bedtime). So far, they've not come back!

Lilyhatesjaz · 28/12/2023 23:08

I used to sit the child in the bath put on huge amounts of cheap conditioner and comb with a metal nit comb wiping it on kitchen paper in between.
If you use enough conditioner they climb to the top of the head to try to escape.
I did this every 2 days if my LOs were actually infested and every 2 weeks just in case.
This method is a bit of a pain to do but is effective and cheap.

UpendedPineapple · 28/12/2023 23:19

Tea tree shampoo and conditioner- B&M used to do a cheap one. Nitty gritty comb. Every couple of days for a week.

Rachie1973 · 28/12/2023 23:23

Lilyhatesjaz · 28/12/2023 23:08

I used to sit the child in the bath put on huge amounts of cheap conditioner and comb with a metal nit comb wiping it on kitchen paper in between.
If you use enough conditioner they climb to the top of the head to try to escape.
I did this every 2 days if my LOs were actually infested and every 2 weeks just in case.
This method is a bit of a pain to do but is effective and cheap.

That was exactly how I did it. I found the lotions and potions useless.

i checked weekly because of my girls long hair ‘in case’ lol