Help with headlice!

[Unicornshorn]

We got told in January that there's were cases of lice in DD's class so I'd been checking regularly (or so I thought)! Last week I noticed her scratching her head and still couldn't find anything even with a torch. Further research made me realise that they are clever little critters and wet combing is the only way! On doing this we found one tiny moving bug on wiping the comb and some dark specs, same with me. We did Hedrin once and have combed with Nitty Gritty every two nights since. I'm quite freaked out by it and how hard it's been to actually know they are there and then whether they're eliminated, threads on here suggest it's an ongoing battle. When we are combing and hold it up to the light it looks like there are little dark flecks, but not much on the tissue and with the conditioner it can be hard to tell. If we see no more moving bugs does that mean they are gone?! We'll do the follow up Hedrin treatment then I'll have to do a weekly check I think. Any insight or advice welcome.

I comb DD’s hair once a week with plenty of conditioner and a nitty gritty - touch wood(!) we’ve never had nits that I’ve seen.

Sounds like you’re on top of it, but I would continue combing once a week and making sure hair is tied up very well for school.

Thank you, I used to work with kids and it was always obvious they had lice so I feel really bad about not knowing to check the hair wet. I've got extremely thick wavy shoulder length hair and combing is horrendous, I feel like I'll never get them out of my hair!! I'll incorporate combing into her bath routine one evening a week.

If you dry brush hair over a bath, a few will fall out and you can see them. I use this to check before doing all the wet combing with conditioner.

Thanks that's a great tip. Hedrin instructions say to do again after 7 days, does anyone know if 6 would be ok just to fit in with other plans as you have to leave it in for hours (will probably be overnight)? I've also read that brushing periodically for 21 days is a good plan but I don't think I can face that with my hair and I would hope that suffocating them with Hedrin means I don't have to follow that god this has been an education..

I generally do the combing every other day for a week, have a week break and then do the same again for a second week. Don't bother with hedrin any more as it horrible and foggy.

My youngest has long curly hair so we avoid nit combing unless he has them (not for a couple of years now touch wood) - but they're tricky little things, who seem to go from no-sign, to head is crawling so quickly. We always start looking at the back of his neck as that seems to be where they're easiest to spot.

He (and TBH I) hated the Hedrin-type chemical treatments, and have found that the oil based ones (nit-no-more I think it was called) work just as well, and are much more pleasant to use (although washing out does take a few days) - pretty much the same deal - comb it through carefully, then do it again a few days later.

Years ago we went through a long spell of head live with both dd’s. It was an absolute nightmare. I bought the electric comb which picks up live lice. I found this useful to use on dry hair twice a day to make sure there were no fresh lodgers. Also, Neem oil is excellent. You can get it in the health shop. Cover their hair and put a shower cap on, leave as long as you can. It was the only product that I found really worked.
Then constant combing and checking. I really feel for you, I’ll never forget the stress of it.

There has been nits in DS' class since just after Christmas, we comb once a week with conditioner (he has longish hair) , I've also been using the child's farm detangler spray, spritz through after bath/shower and not only did it make brushing his hair easier but it's teatree and grapefruit which I think seems to put them off. On days I'm not washing his hair I spray a bit on his brush (plastic tangle teezer) and brush it through his hair. Fingers crossed it's worked so far

Don't forget to hot wash your bedding, change your pillow cases more regularly until you are sure the lice have gone.

It sounds like you caught things early if you've only found one bug.

That should have been faffy

Use leave in conditioner - they only cling to clean hair and remember, even Princess Margaret’s children had head lice.

Can I just add the best thing I've found is a magnifying glass with a light makes searching for them very easy. You do need to repeat treatment 7 days later. For my own hair I just do 2 treatments. I've been parenting for 20 years and we only have had headlice in the family since last year (twice) horrible

Thanks everyone some brilliant advice. I see Nitty Gritty sell a pack of two combs with a magnifying glass. The Child's Farm spray looks good too, might smell better than some of the tea tree sprays! I think I can cope with checking/ combing DD's hair every week which isn't too long and not wavy and thick like mine. I did manage another comb today on myself and found a bigger dead one and a few smaller dead ones so I'll maybe use another treatment in a week but I'll look into Neem too. I think I need to do something about the state of my hair in general as it gets easily tangled but if I get it cut any shorter it's even harder to control.