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Original poster

Please Help Me Get rid of Nits.....am seriously at the end of my tether

40 replies

astonished · 14/04/2005 19:16

My dd twins have had nits on and off now since February, just cannot seem to get rid of the blighters. Am doing everything right, treating whole family, informing school etc, have evn had their pretty curls cut shorter. Treated them on Friday with aromatherapy stuff, again on Sunday with Lyclear am combing constantly and have now just found some more. Wouldn't mind if some of them weren't such monsters, really quite big. Am really loosing the plot now it is making me that frustrated and probably a bit obsessed. HELP

Just one more thing how do you get rid of the eggs??? They just go through the comb, have bought three different types now, am itching now !!

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BubblesDeVere · 14/04/2005 19:18

i will be interested to hear about this, i am currently having to do myself and 2 dd's as dd1 got it from school.

I bought a nitty gritty comb the other day and think it is far far better than the plastic ones.

Just to let you know that you are not on your own.

cod · 14/04/2005 19:18

Message withdrawn

RTMTMML · 14/04/2005 19:19

only thing that gets rid of nits in combing through with conditioner. You have to do it every few days for about 2 weeks (which is how long it takes the eggs to grow to adults). Then, what I do with mine, you do a quick comb through each weekend in the bath. My BF does a quick comb through each morning (because her children have fine hair). I don't find that the different lotions make and difference really. Just wet combing with conditioner. hth

bundle · 14/04/2005 19:20

wetcomb every 4 days for a fortnight according to leaflet from dd1's school. don't worry on inbetween days.

Surfermum · 14/04/2005 19:22

Have you tried the Nitty Gritty comb? It's fantastic. It's supposed to get the eggs out too.

Have you checked if the ones you have just got out are moving? They might just be dead ones, in which case you don't need to worry.

My step-d gets horrendous nits, we're talking hundreds, and the best thing I've found is wet combing with loads of conditioner. When dd and I get them from her it can take a good fortnight to 3 weeks to get them all out and I just wet comb every 2-3 days until they're all gone.

Original poster
astonished · 14/04/2005 19:22

have thought about a zapper, would be interested to know if they are good, problem is i would probably spend my whole life combing, get stupidly obsessed about these things. Even moaned at my kids in frustration earlier, this truley is getting to me but it has been going on ages. Tried the conditioner thing comb it through constantly, what I'm finding is even after one hours worth of combing I'm still getting some aaaaaaaghhhhhhh. Thanks for the ideas guys keep them coming

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Surfermum · 14/04/2005 19:23

Oh and you can get the Nitty Gritty on prescription.

Blossomhill · 14/04/2005 19:23

Have to say putting babay oil in the hair is the best advice I have ever been given. gets the really small ones out!

Original poster
astonished · 14/04/2005 19:24

What is the nitty gritty comb like, plastic or metal??

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Original poster
astonished · 14/04/2005 19:25

Definately moving surfer mum yuk!! baby oil sounds interesting might try that one

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BubblesDeVere · 14/04/2005 19:25

its all metal and worth the money, i ordered it at 4pm one evening and it was here the next day.

RTMTMML · 14/04/2005 19:26

astonished I have 5 kids and DD1 has incredibly thick hair. It takes hours to comb hers through when she has lice. It's just one of those things. If you comb through every few days for about a fortnight you should get them clear. Can you tie/plait their hair back when they are in school/nursery? That would help.

tiddlypom · 14/04/2005 19:26

The electronic nitcomb you can buy for about £20 from Boots is a godsend - it really does kill them and the eggs. The only problem was that dd is such a sensitive flower she didn't like the noise, but we could use it on the rest of us. Now that dd is 7 and we have no younger kids we don't seem to get them, touch wood, if that's any comfort. But do try the electronic comb, we used it in desperate combination with aromatherapy stuff and together it all worked v quickly. We felt we could be sure we had 'got' them all with the electronic nitcomb.

We routinely use tea tree shampoo and conditioner as a prevenatative for the whole family and have done for years - not failsafe but may have helped.

Original poster
astonished · 14/04/2005 19:26

I have one with metal teeth, is that the same??

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BubblesDeVere · 14/04/2005 19:26

Here you go astonished Nitty Gritty

Trinab75 · 14/04/2005 19:27

I had major problem's with my son having nit's every other week after he started school in january, I found the combing through his hair whislt saturated with conditioner the best way to get rid of them.
I read somewhere that nits hate tea tree oil, so since then I have been using the original source mint and tea tree shampoo and conditioner a few times a week and so far so good.

Surfermum · 14/04/2005 19:27

here I hope!

bundle · 14/04/2005 19:27

a mix of base oil plus teatree and eucalyptus is supposed to be v effective

Original poster
astonished · 14/04/2005 19:29

RTMTMML, poor you that sounds like real hard work!! Will keep it up then!! Think I may make a few final investments, this is costing me a small fortune, might try the electric zapper, may give me a sense of satisfaction!!

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Surfermum · 14/04/2005 19:32

The Lyclear isn't working then. There are apparently 3 types of chemicals you can use, and if one doesn't work you can switch to another. A pharmacist would be able to tell you what an alternative to Lyclear would be, but if they don't have many I honestly wouldn't bother with chemicals and just do the wet combing. I only use Full Marks on dsd when she's totally infested (like dropping out of her hair) and she's with us for a week so we can do 2 treatments.

Original poster
astonished · 14/04/2005 19:33

That Nitty Gritty comb has massive teeth, haven't got it so will invest, somethings got to work, even had my kids hair soaked in vinegar and have been rinsing in diluted tea tree. Wondering if they just keep catching it back from other kids in which case not alot i can do except perhaps seek counselling for my spiralling obsession, could check their hair for hours pulling out the eggs.

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RTMTMML · 14/04/2005 19:33

It's not too bad. My children are mixed race and DS1 has european hair, as do the DTs and DD2's hair isn't anywhere near as thick as DD1's. The only reason I told you about the number of kids is to let you know that it's worth persevering. I think the efficiency of the zapper depends on the texture of your child's hair. Every time it finds a louse it stops, so you have to take the louse out of the comb and start again. Take a poll as see what people find the most effective, but I think you'll probably end up back with good old fashioned conditioner and wet combing. The baby oil idea sounds good and should mine be re-infected I'll try it!

bundle · 14/04/2005 19:35

i think it's the malathion (?sp) that has fewer problems with resistance, but should be used v sparingly as it's an organophosphate

bundle · 14/04/2005 19:36

astonished, no need to pull them out, just crack them with your thumbnails

Original poster
astonished · 14/04/2005 19:36

RTMTMML I have five kids two and although i have treated the others it just seems to be my twins that get it repeatedly!! Will be at the cash and carry buying bulk conditioner from now on!!
Thanks people for your quick responses!

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