Not AIBU but a cry for help with head lice

[PixieAndProsecco]

As the title states this is not an AIBU however this is the busiest forum I can see and I do need some quick help in both dealing with the situation and my own paranoia.

On Wednesday night, around 1am, I went to check on DC 6 and noticed they were scratching their head. They have had impetigo recently and suffer with eczema, so I checked to see if I could see anything. I noticed few small brownish dots near the scalp and then the tiniest "thing" moving. I had taken my glasses off and thought it was just my eyes so checked again and nothing.
After getting ready for bed I went back to check and again saw a small moving thing. I asked DH to check and he couldn't see anything.

At this point I knew it was there, googled and obviously head lice and nits are the answer.
In the morning I checked and both DH and I saw one small moving thing and off I went to the shops to equip ourselves with anything we'd need.

By midday yesterday DC6 had a treatment of Full Marks 5 minute solution, plus a 30 minute session with the nitty gritty comb. During this time less than 10 lice and nits came out his head, very small, and I didn't stop until the comb came away clean.
Both DH and myself also put treatment on our hair and DC13. The three of us were free from any nasties, thankfully.

I stuck all DC6s bedding and towels in the wash.
Since then I have frequently checked DCs hair, every time I pass them or they're sitting still, to check for any missed parts and it looks good.

Having read the instructions on the solution I know we will all do another treatment next week. I have also purchased an additional Headrin spray and Lyclear shampoo should the Full Marks not work. I've also purchased Vosense lice repellant shampoo and it's all we will be using for the next while, as well as their lice repellant leave in conditioning spray.

This part if where I need help:

• I've read about the nitty gritty and conditioner comb out but views on how often differ. Some information suggests doing a treatment on Day 1 and then this comb out method every other day, so day 3, 5 etc. Some suggest using this method every single day. How often should I be doing this? DC is very sensory and hates hair washing, hair brushing and hair cuts (although decided a hair cut was needed after seeing how quickly I finished DV 13s hair in comparison to their own). They cried through the entire process yesterday but if doing it every day is the best way to treat things then we'll just need to do that.
• when do we stop treating? When are we, as a household, considered lice free? We've obviously got the second treatment next Wednesday night, with combing between now and then. If it all comes up clean during that time when do I stop?
• if needed when do we try other treatments? Say between now and next week the combing isn't clean and there are still lice after the second Full Marks solution. How long do I keep combing for before moving onto another treatment?

I know this might seem simple but I've never had lice before, DH has never had lice and DC13 never had lice.
It's not something we've dealt with and are complete novices.
My own issues also mean that I feel itchy everywhere. I've had DH check my own hair about 5 times now and it's clean, nothing is there, but I can't shake the feeling due to knowing they were in the house.

Long hair probably is more susceptible to picking up lice as more of it-but even my son with 'short' hair would catch them.
His 'Louse freezer' cut {as he called it} was short around the neck and sides and longer at the top...but he still caught them.
Easy to treat though . 🙂

Nitty gritty was rubbish for us. The kids found it painful and it didn't work. The only effective treatment I have found is the bug buster kit but you have to follow the instructions to the letter

To be fair though the paraffin probably did get rid of them ........... Though I haven't seen this method adviced in the childcare magazines !

I think if we had to use anything again it'd be Tea Tree and comb. Thankfully not at risk as no-one in the house has contact with children.

Why isn't there such thing as a National Nit Day?
Everyone treats on the same day, then again 7 days later.
It wouldn't eradicate them completely, but surely it would slow them down?

I did have a quick google and it seems paraffin was used for Lice.. definitely not recommended though.
The oldskool nit lotion {1980's} used to have a very pungent aroma..Possibly malathion[?] Lice probably drink that for breakfast now.

Completely agree with a mass treatment.

There almost needs to be a 'sheep dip' where every child and parent is dunked as there are always parents in denial...
My son's friends over the road, their mum said that they didn't have them, and I asked if I could check - sure enough, her sons had them- a light infestation.
They say once a person has begun to actively scratch the itches, that the lice have been there a month!

Places to check with the comb are behind the ears, nape of neck and fringe- when the nymphs are freshly hatched, they are tiny and blend with the person's hair colour.
The full on adults are hopefully something no-one should see if they are checking their child's hair properly... the big adults are hideous.

Exactly the same here!!! Teeny tiny brown dots - smaller than the tightest lice comb in existence and tiny little lice smaller than normal ones! This is the third instance of this in 2 months. The last time was Christmas sodding eve.
I've discovered that Lyclear is rubbish. It says "eliminates eggs" on the box but when you read the leaflet, it doesn't actually kill eggs only lice and it just "helps eliminate eggs"
What I've decided tonight is that we need one of those treatments which kills the actual eggs as well as the lice. So that if any eggs miss the comb then it doesn't matter as they're dead!
Apparently some of the treatments out there do in fact KILL the eggs as well as the Lice.

These don't get rid of the eggs though, so you get a new infestation a few days later

Using a treatment like full marks is generally all it takes but my DD had treatment resistant ones earlier this year if you can believe it. Used every treatment on the market by the letter and couldn’t get rid of the bastards for months. In the end I had to comb through her hair every single night for two weeks until she was definitely lice free. I wouldn’t mind if she was a small child but she’s 12! It was a nightmare.

Keep checking with the comb after she has a bath every few days. I think you’re lice free when you haven’t found any for two weeks.

We have never purchased the chemical treatments. Literally wash hair, puts loads of cheap conditioner on and use the manual
nit comb. The buggers just slide off.

If the DC had bits then I used to just rinse a few days later, put some more conditioner on and use the bit comb again.

Never done the stinky chemicals sitting there for ages thing.

The issue you have with kids at primary school is that even if you treat, others won’t, or someone misses a tiny egg, or forgets to comb… headice were perennial in both my DC classes. It was only lockdown that totally sorted it (silver linings).

I found the only way to deal with it was a weekly conditioner/nitty gritty comb every single Sunday for both DC.

Do people with the electric combs use a treatment too?

Do you use the electric combs like the nitty gritty comb so with conditioner?

Veteran of a household where 2/3 have hair to our hips here...

You need Hedrin Once. A lot of it. Don't belive the quantity on the bottle.

DROWN your head in it - right down to the scalp and the full length - then comb while it's in.

Leave it an hour (or overnight - cheap shower cap to sleep in) then neat green fairy liquid onto the head and massage in. Don't get the hair wet until you have a good coat of fairy.

Wash out, re-fairy and then shampoo and conditioner as normal

Condition and comb midweek and repeat the whole thing on day 7.

It works, it really does, and far better than hours of just combing. It is messy, though

Once I’d treated my DC’s initial invasion, I used tea tree shampoo on them from that point on and they never got them again.

I don’t think you’re overreacting OP. I mean, you probably are, but I totally get it. No offence for the comparison, but I went totally overboard when I found flea bites on my dog a few weeks ago! Became an expert on the lifecycle of bloody fleas 😫

My DD had a massive infestation once in primary school. I used one of the shampoos (can’t remember which) and it killed the live ones.

I combed every night for an hour or so. When combing, you have to look around the hair - sometimes the eggs are so tiny that you can’t see them from every angle.

And then there was the problem of the eggs that were too small for us to see combined with the fact I have ultra thick, unruly, ultra curly and frizzy hair, where nits could live for years. So we went to this place: https://hairforceclinics.com/ which uses steam to dehydrate the eggs. They also did a thorough manual check. We went back a week later for a final check. Problem sorted. But it’s an expensive option.

With thick hair the nitty gritty comb pulls a lot and pulls out. Lot of hair. The one that comes with the treatment box is slightly wider spaced, still does the job but much less uncomfortable for those with thick wavy hair (she says with recent experience!)
They do get more used to the combing, masses of conditioner, every few days for a couple of weeks and you'll be fine. But you do have to, even after the chemical treatment because they don't always get all the eggs.

You have my sympathies OP. We discovered nits in DC6's hair on new yrs day. Happy new yr to us. Have now combed through with conditioner 3 times in 1 week and have used dimeticone. To be repeated in 1 week. We actually did a journal/trials search for the best treatments. Nothing is singularly 100% effective so we decided to use a combination of treatments. Hope you remain nit free. This was our first experience too and like you all of me is itchy and DC is fed up of the comb.

It's the denial.

Some parents are infested themselves and don't realise- probably their husbands or partners are infested -and they don't check regularly-

Or, if they do check, they miss a couple of eggs or tiny nymphs.

It's a huge faff to get rid of lice, especially if oneself or children have long hair.

They tend to live close to the scalp - the female louse glues her little darlings in their sturdy egg cases to the hair shaft close to the scalp where it is warm.

Parasites are horribly efficient at evolving a resistance to chemical treatments.

Manual removal is time consuming, but effective if done methodically and regularly.

The most effective and quickest treatment I’ve ever used (5 kids) is Nit Wits! Spray on leave for 30 mins wash out, any time my kids have had head lice, I’ve done it once and they’ve gone, I’ve never used the comb or repeated the treatment!
highly recommend!

Dimethicone... a type of silicone..
Never known anyone not having to use a nit comb to get rid of the eggs though..

Most people have to comb and then get re-infested at school :(

I went through my children's hair every Sunday night with a nit comb whilst they were in primary. Luckily I've only ever found lice twice. My mum did the same with me and my siblings. I actually have fond memories of sitting in front of the Simpsons and having my hair done after Sunday baths.

I sympathise with the 'theres nothing there but my head is itchy' feeling as, I work with preschoolers, often end up treating myself just for peace of mind.
I also have thick curly hair, best thing to do is put cheap conditioner in damp hair and comb through while child is watching tv. Comb through with a wide tooth comb to get the tangles out first, starting at the bottom of the hair, section hair, then use the nitty gritty to comb root to end. Wipe it on white kitchen paper after each comb through, best way to see if you ve gotten that section clean.
Tbh it sounds like you caught it early and might get away without the combing but i always do it on DD

My experience of 3 kids who have all had them is nothing works better than lashings of thick conditioner ,a nit comb and tedious close up visual checking - very regularly done.
You can't rely on other parents being as vigilant and responsible , there may be times when your child goes to school completely clear and comes home the same day with big adult ones in their hair - have been there !
If you know who the main suspect is /are then approach the school , i did it quietly and sensitively as it was quite obvious and things did very much improve.
Its a pain in the arse but you can get on top of it if you put the effort in, another thing i remember is i used to do the conditioner / checks when they were sat in the bath , the little feckers can't crawl about so easily when the child is sat naked in water.

Tomorrow will be our first tea tree mixed with conditioning and nitty gritty combing session, followed by lice repellant spray

Lice repellant spray is Tea Tree oil, in a bottle that costs 6X as much.

Same with shampoo it just contains tea tree oil.

Add you own - it’s much cheaper.

For all the shampoos and conditioners I've added tea tree oil.

The spray is teabtree and citronella, it's also a leave in conditioning spray that is supposed to work in conjunction with the shampoo brand I always use on the kids.