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Original poster

Nits ongoing after 2.5 weeks

28 replies

FluffyCat17 · 28/10/2022 20:32

Any advice please?

DD hasn’t had them for five years, now they seem to have moved in. I have done two treatments with Hedrin and two with Full Marks (both times I bought what was available but Hedrin worked in the past) and they are still coming out of there.

She has long, thick hair. I know they are particularly awkward little buggers because for the first time in my life they got to me too. I was clear after two treatments (but have done three and four to check, cos itching…).

Does it just depend on the strain as to how long it takes, or is there a new treatment on the block I should try?

I always follow the instructions and then do a full comb through with conditioner and a nitty gritty comb to see what comes out.

Thanks for any advice!

OP posts:
LakeFlyPie · 07/11/2022 22:35

If you have a nitty gritty comb and conditioner then no need for chemical treatments.
Just loads of patience and thorough combing to cover the entire life cycle of the lice i.e. days 1,5,9,13 and 17

www.nhs.uk/conditions/head-lice-and-nits/

Original poster
FluffyCat17 · 08/11/2022 23:27

Thanks, am doing another nitty gritty comb through tomorrow night with her.
I know we haven’t hit the days you list as tomorrow will be 21 but hopefully I have started to get a grip on them.

OP posts:
Pallisers · 08/11/2022 23:31

forget the treatments. you need to comb every day for a week. Then every 3 days. then every week. Lots of white conditioner, nitty gritty comb and wipe off on kitchen paper. Relentless combing is the only way to get rid of them. (well I hear that high heat treatment works too but that isn't available).

shabs05 · 08/11/2022 23:38

After you've combed through look through her hair manually, very close to the scalp, there might be some eggs remaining which is why you're not seeing the end of them.if you do find eggs pull them out, they grip quite tightly onto the hair so use the tips/nails of finger and thumb to pull out.

Melroses · 08/11/2022 23:40

Yes - wet comb with plenty of conditioner - let it soak in for a few minutes first and make sure it is slathered on underneath at the back and behind the ears.

Give it a comb through with a wide toothed comb first, then an ordinary comb, then the nit comb.

I only used chemical treatment once and it didn't work. My MIL got me a rather nice flea comb from the pet shop with a good handle because I can't grip the nitty gritty ones for the length of time it takes.Grin

Original poster
FluffyCat17 · 28/11/2022 19:55

5.5 weeks on I did another conditioner comb through on Saturday as she was itching again, I thought they had gone but no. This time I feel like I got more eggs as well as nits. Will do the correct days as mentioned above, using Saturday as 1.

OP posts:
Original poster
FluffyCat17 · 30/11/2022 20:38

So we are six weeks in. Today (day 5 counting Saturday as day 1 in my new campaign) I got eight big adults, about 10-15 small ones and as many eggs as I could find.
Going to do myself later tonight as I had a four week gap but am now back with my second lot. DD has had them throughout, they almost disappeared but then came back with a vengeance last week!

OP posts:
popcornfrenzy · 30/11/2022 20:40

I feel your pain! DD has really thick long hair and it's a nightmare. I have the nitty gritty comb but still keep pulling big buggers out.

PeanutButterFalcon · 30/11/2022 20:43

Use tea tree shampoo and conditioner. They absolutely hate it.

DiDonk · 30/11/2022 20:48

Is there one of those hoover in services near you? Worked a treat for DD ( very long, very thick hair) .

There were none on the return visit and it's really painless, plus you get to see them all caught in the sieve ( and die)

Original poster
FluffyCat17 · 30/11/2022 21:40

@DiDonk tell me more about this mysterious service!

OP posts:
DiDonk · 01/12/2022 06:44

There's one round the corner from my house (obviously nit central!) apparently it's a chain from New York.

You go and they have a special hoover thing and just suck the nits out of your DD or DS's hair. You can see them in the machine. They oil it and comb it, section it and hoover it. Then you go back a couple of weeks later.

It's like a cross between a hairdressers and a dentist with a totally no-shame atmosphere and in our case, slightly funny nit based small talk. The lady used to be a nurse and was good with DD who is shy.

Did cost 70 euros but frankly money well spent!

RoachPussy · 01/12/2022 06:49

LakeFlyPie · 07/11/2022 22:35

If you have a nitty gritty comb and conditioner then no need for chemical treatments.
Just loads of patience and thorough combing to cover the entire life cycle of the lice i.e. days 1,5,9,13 and 17

www.nhs.uk/conditions/head-lice-and-nits/

Exactly this, oh how I hated doing it. I think in the end I just used lashings of conditioner and the nitty gritty comb every wash until they were all gone.

dementedpixie · 01/12/2022 06:49

She could be getting reinfected if you're finding adults. Is her hair tied back for school?

JPduck · 01/12/2022 07:04

Check that it's not still rife in the class as she may be getting reinfected.

Melroses · 01/12/2022 13:52

We used to suffer badly from reinfection. DD used to wear her hair in a tight high ponytail with a thick hairband.

The lice tend to lay the eggs under the ponytail and so when you take it out, they are no longer next to the skin so fewer of them hatch and they are easier to comb out.

I also found all the hair conditioner made their hair slippery so they were not so well attached. Used to use the thick hair gel to stop the pony tail slipping out and killed one of the little buggers with that once ☝

Flapjackquack · 01/12/2022 13:59

I second the use of a flea comb rather than a nit comb, the teeth seem closer together and the handle makes it more comfortable when combing.

Original poster
FluffyCat17 · 02/12/2022 13:09

There may be a reinfection, the standard email has gone round the year group again since I reported it on Monday.

Since this started 6 weeks ago she has gone in a pony tail every day. She does like to take it out sometimes though (has various additional needs) and I will have to try explaining again to help her link this to not getting more nits.

Thanks for all the tips. Day 9 this time round is Sunday so that’s our next conditioner comb.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 02/12/2022 13:30

Would she tolerate braids as that has less loose hair floating about?

Howamihere · 02/12/2022 13:39

In addition to using the nitty gritty as often as possible also try straightening her hair a few times a week - the heat kills lice & eggs too!

Mumlifedc · 02/12/2022 13:55

Only way we got rid was daily conditioner and combing for the whole family along with washing pillow cases daily at 60 and putting hairbrush and bobbles in a sealed bag in the freezer overnight.that got rid out of our hair, and got rid of any from elsewhere as they can survive a short time not on a head ( only a short time as they need to feed). We did this the whole summer hols Now we all use the hedrin spray in repellant conditioner and the repellant shampoo( can't remember the make) my daughter has her hair plaited or a bun for school. Not free since September despite more outbreaks in her class, we nit check twice a week and use the nitty gritty Comb

TheFormidableMrsC · 02/12/2022 14:24

I really feel for you both. My DD was plagued with them throughout primary. Not a week went by when we didn't have reinfection. It jut became routine. She didn't get them again after she started secondary. My DS has never had them and neither have I. I found I got the best removal results with tons of conditioner and a nit comb. You are also relying on other parents doing the same and that was a problem in DD's class. I hope you're free of them sharpish!

Mumlifedc · 02/12/2022 15:01

I mean nit free since September

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 02/12/2022 15:11

My DD has very thick, curly hair and what worked best for her was to apply the Hedrin and leave it overnight. Wrap an old towel around the pillow to protect it. Every single bastard nit was dead by morning.

I didn’t need it but I’ve heard good things about mixing water with a bit of tea tree oil in a spray bottle and spritzing the child’s hair before school as a preventative.

Flapjackquack · 02/12/2022 15:55

I would just say be careful about leaving Hedrin etc on hair and being near candles and fireplaces which are common this time of year. It’s very flammable. There was a poor woman on Tv recently who has experienced severe burns from walking past a lit grill with lice treatment in her hair. It really shocked me as I had no idea.

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