Head lice will not die

[claire222]

My sister's kids (aged 4 and 3) are mixed race with very curly hair. They have a very bad nit infestation which seems impossible to clear up. We have tried all the various products from the chemist with very little success. By combing daily (a nightmare job getting them to sit still that long)we can keep the numbers down but they keep returning! We may shave the boy's hair but feel that would be too cruel for the girl who has just started school. My friend suggested using diluted sheep dip carefully. This sounds like a very dodgy idea to me but we are desperate. Does anyone have any better ideas? Thanks

I second the advise about sitting for hours with the comb and conditioner. We do it in the bath and every single one that we pull out we squash between out flat thumb nails and they make a very satisfying crack

I have read that putting Cetaphil in the hair thickly, blow-drying it, and leaving it in overnight here's the method will kill off nits. Also, when my DCs' school had a huge nit problem one year many parents were swearing by any conditioners with a coconut scent and presumably coconut ingredients.

Here's a method using tea tree oil and tea tree shampoo and conditioner

Benzyl alcohol lotion (5% concentration) sometimes works -- you apply to the hair and wait ten mins then wash out, then reapply 7 days later.

The family will have to wash every single textile in the house, including all bedding, coats, hats, scarves and clothing, and put all cuddly toys in the freezer or in tightly sealed plastic bin bags for at least two weeks. All mattresses need to be wiped down, rugs and carpets steam cleaned. No harm doing a thorough job if it even contributes a little to preventing reinfestation.

Yes use the Nitty Gritty Comb its brilliant! It takes out all the head lice AND EGGS! It has special groves up the teeth which traps the eggs. I know Boots stock the Comb. It?s the best ever!

Yes use the Nitty Gritty Comb its brilliant! It takes out all the head lice AND EGGS! It has special groves up the teeth which traps the eggs. I know Boots stock the Comb. It?s the best ever!

There was an article on the Independent website about headlice yesterday. Apparently it's been calculated that at any given time between 8-15% of the school population have headlice. Aaaaaargh, we're fighting a losing battle.

Anyway, the researchers also put paid to a few myths and explained some of the physiology of headlice. When you're combing the hair, do it when it's soaking wet and with conditioner. The lice shut down their respiratory systems to avoid drowning, in the process losing their grip on the hair, making it easier to comb them out. Whereas on dry hair they move at lightening speed across the head to avoid impending death.

There's a cheery thought for early on a Monday morning!

That link to the lice eradication method was interesting. The dcs have been plagued with head lice for a year. I have spent loads of money on every single product. The pharmacist in Boots in fact said they were largely a waste of money because the current strain of head lice have become immune to them.

Where I have been going wrong, clearly, is having a major session and thinking I've done the job, when in fact the second wave is lying dormant ready to hatch out a week later.

On one occasion I succumbed and was itching like mad. I got rid of mine immediately with hair dye. Worked a treat but I don't think I can try that on the dcs!