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Original poster

So, Hedrin - once and for all, why do I have to comb as well?!

31 replies

MakkaPakkasPacamac · 12/03/2009 20:52

I've read all about Hedrin and how to use it and I really, really can't understand why you need to comb the eggs out after treating. A 2nd treatment will get rid of any eggs hatched since the first treatment and after that there should only be dead lice and empty eggs left - so why do I need to comb to prevent reinfestation?

OP posts:
scrooged · 12/03/2009 20:53

It stops the little bastards sticking!

AitchTwoOh · 12/03/2009 20:54

isn't it to pull off theeggs?

mollyroger · 12/03/2009 20:55

Right now, I'd use Agent Orange if I thought the little feckers would just succcomb and GO!

mollyroger · 12/03/2009 20:55

Right now, I'd use Agent Orange if I thought the little feckers would just succcomb and GO!

Original poster
MakkaPakkasPacamac · 12/03/2009 21:01

Yes it is to pull off the eggs, Aitch, but they are all empty by the time you do the 2nd treatment, so I don't see why you can't just leave the hatched eggs there and wait for the, to grow out. it's not like you can see them, they won't cause any problems or any reinfestations as long as they are empty...

OP posts:
AitchTwoOh · 13/03/2009 09:24

you'd really do that? gggggggrrrrrrroooosss. how awful for the person who cuts their hair.

Original poster
MakkaPakkasPacamac · 13/03/2009 12:01

Aitch, I have to ask - have you actually seen an egg?! They are virtually invisible! If the entire head was covered in them then that's one thing but we're talking a very small amount. I look and look and can't see any at all but then when I comb I find out they were there - you can't tell me that something you can't even see is gross. Besides, you don't know how distressing it is for the child in question - nice judging though [hmmm]

OP posts:
Original poster
MakkaPakkasPacamac · 13/03/2009 12:03

And frankly I put my own child's comfort far above any hairdresser who may ever cut his hair...

OP posts:
AitchTwoOh · 13/03/2009 12:05

aren't the nits, the hard brown bits, the empty egg casings? they're held on with a glue-like substance (or so it said recently on QI) and won't come off without a fight. i think it would be really out of order to put a hairdresser through dealing with them, even if you know that the actual lice have been dealt with.

and what do you mean, how distressing is it for the child in question? to have lice? very.
to have their hair combed? with a nitty-gritty, a lollipop, expensive conditioner and the telly on? not particularly ime.

AitchTwoOh · 13/03/2009 12:06

really? is that true, makkapakka? gosh.

Marne · 13/03/2009 12:11

I combed dd1 for 2 days after her last treatment (dd has ASD so this wasn't easy) i found it best to comb her before bed when she was sleepy.

Original poster
MakkaPakkasPacamac · 13/03/2009 12:47

Is what true Aitch - that I consider my child's feelings more important than a hairdresser's feelings? If so yes it's true and I would be frankly that others might place them the other way around! I still maintain that a hairdresser would never notice a small handful of them. Anyway, my DS doesn't have his hair cut at a hairdressers so it's a moot point.

The distressing part I was referring to is about the combing. And it may not be distressing in your experience but your child obviously doesn't have the same issues as mine. You don't know him and his problems so you can't understand.

The hard brown bits are live eggs, hatched eggs are lighter in colour.

OP posts:
OrmIrian · 13/03/2009 12:49

I don't think the instructions tell you to do they? That was one of the things that I liked about it.

Having said that I do. To remove eggs and any dead lice that haven't washed out.

AitchTwoOh · 13/03/2009 12:51

well of course i don't know your child, what a strange thing to say. neither do i know your hairdresser.

i think it's outrageous that you would put a professional through that if you didn't need to. typical of the kind of selfish parenting we see more and more, though, very sad imo.

Marne · 13/03/2009 14:14

I think you are being a bit harsh, they're only nits and i'm sure hairdressers see them all the time, my dd2 (ASD) would find combing distressing (i would maybe comb her hair once and then leave it), Dd1 used to be scared of having her hair washed, she would shake and cry with fear so she would go weeks without washing it.

Makka- do what you feel is rite, don't upset him if you don't have too, they are only empty/dead eggs and i'm sure they will come out with brushing and washing (it might just take a bit longer). They are only eggs and no harm to anyone.

mollyroger · 13/03/2009 14:17

trust me, you really don't want to go through the humilation in a crowded salon of a young hairdresser telling you to take your child home until the nits have all gone....

AitchTwoOh · 13/03/2009 14:25

i do think a child with sn is a little different.

thr fact remains, however, that it is tremendously discourteous to expect someone else to have to deal with the fact that you couldn't bear to comb out your nt child's hair. and the tone of "is what true Aitch - that I consider my child's feelings more important than a hairdresser's feelings? If so yes it's true and I would be frankly that others might place them the other way around!" is pretty desrespectful and smacks of 'mere hairdresser'...

not to mention what molly said.

AitchTwoOh · 13/03/2009 14:26

i do think a child with sn is a little different.

thr fact remains, however, that it is tremendously discourteous to expect someone else to have to deal with the fact that you couldn't bear to comb out your nt child's hair. and the tone of "is what true Aitch - that I consider my child's feelings more important than a hairdresser's feelings? If so yes it's true and I would be frankly that others might place them the other way around!" is pretty desrespectful and smacks of 'mere hairdresser'...

not to mention what molly said.

Simplysally · 13/03/2009 14:43

I'd comb them out just to make sure all the lice had gone as well as remove the dead eggs. A hairdresser will spot eggs, dead or not - the hairdresser I take my dd to, routinely checks all heads prior to accepting the customer. If your head isn't clean, you're not coming in!!

I really shouldn't click on nitty threads though .

Elibean · 13/03/2009 19:39

Um, I am a nit-virgin so not best placed to enter conversation, but wouldn't Hedrin not kill 'live' eggs that haven't yet hatched? Or would it suffocate those too?

I think, unless I was very sure there were no unhatched eggs left, I would comb.

I've been combing weekly as dd1's class have headlice atm, and have found that spraying their heads with loads of leave-in conditioner whilst they're still in the bath, and doing a load of combing there while they play, is fairly painfree....though not sure how effective it would be for thorough nit-removal as opposed to just checking.

Sympathies to those with upset LOs, though - dd2 has very fine, very curly hair and getting a wide toothed comb through it is a nightmare, god help her if/when she gets nits. I might have to shave her head

AitchTwoOh · 13/03/2009 21:56

eli, dd1 has lots and lots of fine hair that falls in ringlets, it's not so bad. after tea, in pyjamas, give them a lollipop and stick on a dvd. dd got them at aged 2 but even at that age she could understand that she had 'yucky bugs' in her hair and wanted them out.

get good quality conditioner, a nitty gritty comb (you can get this free on the minor ailment scheme and it's worth having one in the house just in case) and a jug of water or pint glass. section hair and comb through, plunging the comb into the glass and you will start to see the bugs. tbh we only ever had eggs, we got to it before they hatched, thank god, but it was ABSOLUTELY GROSS and i was glad when we could stop combing everyone's hair at night... bleeeeeeeeee.

Original poster
MakkaPakkasPacamac · 14/03/2009 06:55

Thankyou Marne

Aitch, sigh,of course I don't mean 'mere hairdresser'. I was just trying to point out how it was ridiculous to think that a parent would care less about their child's feelings than they would a stranger's feelings, be that straner a hairdresser or prime minister.

Anyway, am leaving this thread now as it's getting a little silly... thanks for your help, everybody!

OP posts:
AitchTwoOh · 14/03/2009 09:50

no, i'm sorry. it is NOT ridiculous to care more about a professional hairdresser finding lice eggs in your child's hair than it is to care about putting them through a few minutes of combing.

i'm really shocked by this attitude, although i come across it more and more on here. your child is not the only person in the world.

AitchTwoOh · 14/03/2009 09:50

no, i'm sorry. it is NOT ridiculous to care more about a professional hairdresser finding lice eggs in your child's hair than it is to care about putting them through a few minutes of combing.

i'm really shocked by this attitude, although i come across it more and more on here. your child is not the only person in the world.

DumbledoresGirl · 14/03/2009 09:58

H2O, I am not sure the hairdresser would come across the egg casings would they? They are virtually microscopic! And anyway, what is so awful about coming across them? It is not as if they are going to pass the infestation on to the hairdresser.

That said, I would not want my children going to the hairdresser if I thought there was anything in their hair. I won't use Hedrin either. I have been combing ds3's (long) hair every 2-3 days for the last 2 weeks to get out the little buggers he had crawling there.

BTW I am intrigued H2O by you saying you only combed out eggs when your dd had them. Surely you must have found at least one live louse?