Head Lice experts- I need some advice please.

[MorocconOil]

I got to 40 without ever having had lice. (proud emotion)

We discovered some on DS1 on saturday and treated him with Hedrin. I've been putting conditioner on and combed through every night this week. I thought the rest of us had escaped them, even though I've had a really itchy head for a couple of weeks. DH checked me and couldn't see anything. So have I and can't see a thing. I had heard if you have coloured hair you won't get them. Is this true?

Anyway just discovered DS2 and DD have them too, and have treated them with Hedrin.

I must have them musn't I, if I'm itching and all the dc have them? But why can't I see anything?

My boys have really short hair, so I'd assumed they wouldn't be affected (wrongly )

I found one egg in DS2's hair, but couldn't see anything in DS1, but I thought Oh well, I'll do the combing thing with both of them just to be sure.They both had loads. They're really hard to see, IMO the only way to really check is to comb with conditioner, so I'd go through your hair like that too.

Current LA advice here is that there's not need to "treat" as such, just combing evey other day for 2 weeks, clears out the eggs and breaks the legs of the adults, so they can't lay more, apparently.

Mind you, as soon as I know nits are about, I get a really itchy head, regardless of whether I have them or not, so hopefully, you're imagining it

They're not that easy to see, especially if you haven't got the experience.

Treat yourself anyway. Doesn't have to be Hedrin - just use conditioner and a nitty gritty comb.

Thanks whatdayisit. My boys have short hair too, so I thought they'd never get them.
Unfortunately I started itching about 2 weeks ago, and only discovered DS1 had lice on saturday.
I have treated myself now, but I have really thick hair and I can't see how I'll ever get rid of them now

i'm going through this for the first time ever as well, dd's got the eggs so we're all on the combing. i called my friend (who's got two at primary school and therefore a reluctant expert) and her first piece of advice was 'do NOT trust dh to check for you, they never see them.' she says none of her friends' dhs have ever managed to spot a louse in their wives' heads. i must say, when dh checks mine i never feel like he's doing as thorough a job as i would. [obsessed]

I consider myself somehtig of an expert on the headlice front.... YOu are doing the right thing , but the whole family needs to be checked. The Nitty Gritty comb is the best option, used in conjunction with lots of conditioner - it costs about £10 from a pharmacist, but it is worth it, cos it takes out the eggs as well as the live lice. Take a look at this

Oh thanks all. Just been to comb my hair with a nit comb, and found two, browny grey blobs. They are hard to identify because my hair is wet with hedrin.
I must be sadly deluded to think I could escape when the 3DC have all got them, and my head especially the back of my neck has been itching like buggery for 2 weeks. I thought it was caused by fluctuating hormones.
Will wander down to chemist later to pick up a Nitty Gritty comb. We all look lank and greasy with our 'Hedrin' hairstyles.
I suppose it's a good time of year to get them, as the DC will be away from school and less likely to get reinfected.