Wetcombing for headlice - a few questions

[Tinkjon]

Not sure if DD has lice/nits or not...

1. Is it normal to find lots of eggs but no lice whatsoever? (this happened on 2 combing sessions).

1. I did one comb on me and DH and there was nothing showing - do we still have to comb ours until DD is clear, or can we leave ours now?

1. I combed DD once and found lots of things which I'm assuming are eggs (though I'm still not sure) but no lice. Then did a second comb 2 days later. I assumed that I'd have caught most of the eggs 1st-time round but a second comb today still found quite a lot - maybe 100 the first time and 50 the second. Does that sound normal?

1. How on earth do you manage to comb long hair that thoroughly? Do people feel sure they've got every single strand? Because I wasn't sure at all. I tied it all up in sections and did it methodically but I still found it so hard to tell what I'd done and what I hadn't.

JARM

Eggs are eggs and are dark brown. Can hatch and wreak havok. needs treating
Lice are lice...itchy little buggers needs treating to prevent spreading
Nits are empty egg shells and are white. They are harmless, but unsightly. Nitty Gritty comb will get rid of them.

oh yes that reminds me. if you've not seen any live ones, i was told, then you can't treat with anything other than combing.

x post

Nits are not eggs.

Nits are empty egg casings/shells.

Oops, crossed posts. Thanks for that description of your technique, Don'tNeedAnything, that's really helpful.

So half of you thin Hedrin gets rid of nits and half of you don't - could you just fight it out amongst yourselves and let me know the conclusion? I must admit, I didn't think that anything could get rid of nits except combing... I will investigate.

JARmouse, nits are eggs, lice are just called lice.

ExterminaAitch - I hope you don't mean I am being lazy by not wanting to comb mine and DH's hair?!

Vinegar dissolves the glue holding the eggs to the shaft. Never tried it as TBH the nitty gritty does a mighty fine job without dissolving the glue.

DNA - thanks. Will get the nitty gritty out on her tomorrow. Not had any itchings for months, and I do look through her hair for crawlers but never find any.

Im clear on it now! WOO HOO.

If you wet comb with conditioner every time they are in the bath you are always getting the adults out and never end up quite riddled - as the adults ones are always being removed whether they are homegrown from a missed egg or a new visitor from Isobel!

I think we are nit picking over the small details now.

Boom boom.

"What about the eggs?
Hedrin is a two-dose treatment. In order to ensure that the lice are effectively eradicated, a second dose of Hedrin lotion should be applied after 7 days to deal with any eggs which may have hatched since the first application. The ?nits? (empty egg cases) are glued to the hair but are completely harmless.

They can be removed with the fingers or a fine toothed comb. "

from the Hedrin website.

Hedrin does not kill eggs.

Ahh thats why you have to apply it seven days apart, to give the eggs time to hatch but before they are old enough to lay eggs of their own

Don't know why I'm so bothered as I do the nitty gritty comb and never use it myself.

Think some people who use Hedrin forget to do it again seven days later.

This thread is making my head itch.

there seems to be much confusion over the nits thing. some info says that they're unhatched brown eggs, some hatched white ones.

So using 2 doses of Hedrin should mean no regular wet-combing - just a comb to get rid of the hatched eggs?

Er, yes.

I tell you what, the thought of headlice used to completely freak me out. But once you've had threadworms in the family then headlice fears instantly pale into insignificance

Is the thought of no wet combing tempting you?!

But with hedrin, the next day when they get another live one from nice school friend, the whole thing starts again doesnt it?
What am i missing?

TL, it certainly is! If you saw DD's hair you'd know what I mean Mind you, Hedrin may be another one of those 'not until you've seen live lice' treatments... though as it's not a pesticide it may be ok.

you are missing nowt charliecat.

Sells super comb and bottle of conditoner in nice pink and blue colours...

charliecat, as I understand it, you still need to do a preventative wet-comb once a fortnight with whatever method you use to get rid of an infestation. It's just that Hedrin saves you having to do a comb every other day once you've actually got an infestation. I may be wrong though.

Did anyone mention a couple of drops of tea tree oil in the wet hair before combing? Worth a try.

You should do a wet comb for detection. There is no other method for detection. The prevention has to be combing.

Hedrin should only be used when you have seen live lice.

Am I the only one who wishes the nitty gritty comb was at lest twice as wide? Whay is is so small?

Hmm, so 12 quid a bottle and you still have to wet comb?
If you always wet comb you never get a serious infestation in the first place. (two dds, one in year 5 with really long hair)