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Children's health

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Original poster

Nit-iquette - do I tell the barber about DS's little 'guests'??

32 replies

Aniyan · 22/04/2009 13:08

So, DS has had his first bout of head lice. We spent a good hour last night with a nit comb and gallons of conditioner, and this morning I couldn't see any of the little critters at all.

DS is due for a haircut anyway, so I'm taking him today (it'll also make the repeat combing easier).

Do I tell the barber about the nits? DS will be mortified if I do, but am I breaking any unspoken public health rules by NOT saying anything? Will the barber recoil in horror and banish us from the premises if he finds a nit in DS's hair?

Please advise - my instinct is to say nothing, but I'm open to persuasion otherwise!

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

SlartyBartFast · 22/04/2009 13:09

dpends on the barber,
some hairdressers are quite ott about it,
others less so.
i am in the camp of hoping he doesnt notice or perhaps admitting he has been treated for it.

southeastastra · 22/04/2009 13:09

i always ask the hairdresser to double check just in case i've missed any! though i worry that they'll get half way through the cut and spot one!

MuffinBaker · 22/04/2009 13:10

If it was me I wouldn't take him while he had nits.

Take him, say nothing and the hairdresser will find them and say something to you.

Why keep quiet? Having nits is nothing to be ahamed of.

MuffinBaker · 22/04/2009 13:10

ashamed

mankyscotslass · 22/04/2009 13:11

You may find the barber will refuse to cut them if there are still live ones in his hair!

Or worse, he gets 1/2 way through then finds them and won't do the rest!

You may be better waiting a week or so and taking him then.

Idranktheeasterspirits · 22/04/2009 13:11

You should cancel and re book for a few days time to make sure your ds is clear.

southeastastra · 22/04/2009 13:11

and now my head's all itchy and i have appointment at hairdressers in 10 minutes

Tortoise · 22/04/2009 13:12

My hairdresser checks before cutting my DD's hair and would refuse to cut it if they had any.

Barber who does DS's hair probably wouldn't even notice if he had any!

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 22/04/2009 13:12

You must say something. Otherwise they will use the same comb on someone else and risk passing eggs/nits on.

I don't think I'd take him either until a few more combing sessions at home.

nancy75 · 22/04/2009 13:12

i didnt think hairdressers would cut hair with nits? in my hd recently the hairdresser quite loudly told the woman next to me she wouldnt cut her hair because of nits.

SlartyBartFast · 22/04/2009 13:13

i have had stand up fights arguments with eptty hairdressers.
health and safety was all they could quote.

although i am scared now

BecauseImWorthIt · 22/04/2009 13:13

One salon I used to go to would stop the cut at the point at which they detected nits - regardless of what the child would look like.

So I wouldn't risk it!

Original poster

Aniyan · 22/04/2009 13:14

I don't mind telling the barber, but DS is v self-conscious about it, despite all my reassurance that it's nothing to worry about, everyone gets them, etc etc.

I suppose I'm thinking more about DS's feelings (and whether to 'pander' to them) than the barber's - they must see them all the time.

OP posts:

MuffinBaker · 22/04/2009 13:15

You should be thinking about other people catching them and the worst embarrassment when the barber asks you to leave with your son's hair half done.

SlartyBartFast · 22/04/2009 13:17

personally iwouldnt have thought a barber would notice.
and why worry about other people catchign them?

she has treated him already

Original poster

Aniyan · 22/04/2009 13:17

OK - looks like I'd better postpone the haircut for a while!

I'm glad I asked now - would hate to have DS sent home with half-cut hair - he's feeling sensitive enough as it is

Thanks for the prompt advice.

OP posts:

Flibbertyjibbet · 22/04/2009 13:26

Why worry about other people catching them?

If one of my ds's was next along and came out of the barbers with nits because someone else didn't care, I'd be blazing.

We haven't had any nits so far and I'm not looking forward to the day when it arrives. If that day arrives because someone else 'didn't care' .....

SlartyBartFast · 22/04/2009 13:28

you wouldnt catch them from the barbers,you woudl catch them from another child. and as i pointed out, she has treated her dc

Hulababy · 22/04/2009 13:29

Many hairdressers won't cut if they find lice.

Telling the hairdresser first is surely the only decent thing to do, else delay it for a few days.

GrinnyPig · 22/04/2009 13:35

I'd delay it. If the OP has only combed through with conditioner and nit comb once her DS will still have live lice. It needs to be done thoroughly every day for about a week and then every couple of days for another week. Personally, I've never found the conditioner method 100% effective anyway.

Original poster

Aniyan · 22/04/2009 13:44

I'm definitely delaying the haircut - unless I do it myself, which I'm considering as DS has very thick hair and the combing will be a pain otherwise.

May be time to dig out the clippers!

OP posts:

alittlebittired · 22/04/2009 13:52

Definitely delay - I would be fuming if caught them at the hairdressers from someone who knew they had nits, but didn't care about other people catching them. Of course they can be passed on at a hairdressers - just takes a nit or an egg to be left on the comb and then the next persons hair to be brushed.....I do sympathise though, they are an absolute bugger to get rid of!

me23 · 22/04/2009 13:54

I don't think you should take him as it was only last night you removed some there could still be some there, and the hairdresser wont want to risk infecting anyone else and rightly so.

DebiTheScot · 22/04/2009 13:55

could you phone them in advance to explain he's being treated and ask if they mind cutting it? Then your ds shouldn't be embarrassed.

Original poster

Aniyan · 22/04/2009 14:11

DebiTheScot - I could phone, but they're the kind of people who would probably mention it to DS in a jokey way (not unkindly) - which would either be fine, or, in his eyes, the Most Embarrassing Thing To Happen EVER, depending how he was feeling at the time - and I'd get the flack if he took it badly!

Clippers in the back garden and the promise of an ice cream afterwards is looking more and more likely...

OP posts:

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