Anyone who has successfully got rid of nits - how dd you do it?

[MrsPotato]

I am desperate for any advice and tips. Dd is in Y1 and has had nits since September. She has severe asthma so products aren't an option. I use conditioner and the Nitty Gritty comb.

I'm obviously not doing it right because they keep coming back! I comb for about 45 mins and then again when her hair is still wet and she is out of the bath. I also do dd2 at the same time (not at school or nursery) and myself. I do this at least twice a week and always find loads on dd1's hair, a few in dd2's and none in mine.

I was so looking forward to the Xmas holidays as a chance to get rid of them as I thought I was clearing them and then she was getting them from school again. But I found another one today!

What am I doing wrong?

[lalalonglegs]

Can I add that not only do I comb each child every day with a Nitty Gritty (flicking the prongs of the comb after each stroke to get rid of anything that might have been caught in them), I also freeze the combs and any other hair-related items each night to kill any eggs that might be festering there .

[sumrandomgirl]

Get a Nitty gritty comb, its expensive but worth it...clear most ov the eggs as well, so less hatch next time.

[pointythings]

at alanyoung.

But there is no excise for not checking and not treating. Let's face it, when there's an outbreak, everyone knows who the source is, and more often than not, nothing is done about it.

[alanyoung]

We could eradicate nits forever if everyone shaved their heads just once. We could have television programmes in which leading figures such as the Queen and her cronies shaved theirs and pop stars and film stars and television presenters did the same. If we all did it on the same day the head lice would have nowhere to go and we could burn the lot.

We could make it fun by having games such as 'Guess the Celebrity'

On second thoughts, perhaps it's not such a good idea as my wife has two barbers shops and we would have no customers for several weeks following the event.

[omletta]

It's massively important to check everyone's hair weekly, using conditioner and a nit comb (nitty gritty is the best). If everyone did this there wouldn't be a problem with them.
Lavender water (few drops of oild in water) sprayed on daily seems to work well as a repellent.

[pointythings]

I wet comb thoroughly once a week and treat as soon as I find something. Fortunately DD2 is very, very allergic to them and will start scratching as soon as one sets foot on her - and if she scratches, it's wet combing time.

There was a monster outbreak over Christmas, DD2 had them and I went to get more Hedrin, only to find the shelves virtually bare!

[lalalonglegs]

I use Nitty Gritty comb too - they are brilliant.

[lalalonglegs]

I comb my three children's hair every single day without fail. Very occasionally, I find a single louse in the youngest's hair which must have arrived that day but we haven't had any outbreaks since September when I started this (very unpopular) drill.

[Oblomov]

I used Hedrin Treat and go mouse. And a nit comb.
I used the mouse once and combed with the nit comb twice. They were gone.
But I used the Hedrin mouse for a second time, just to make sure.
I guess, I was one of the very very lucky ones. To be fair though, my 2 boys have quite short hair so combing was really really easy.
Unlike my friend whose 2 girls have waist lost hair. NIGHTMARE.

[bexa]

nitty gritty comb is the only way!

[anklebitersmum]

If you're having an ongoing issue approach your doctor or ask the local pharmacist as regards options for your DD.

Personally I've always sworn by Full marks solution-goes on dry hair easily and murders them works a treat. I repeat a week later regardless and follow through with tea tree oil (ebay is cheapest but Boots sell it and if you're in with the pharmacist anyway..).

Vosene do a specific spray for prevention if you're not tea tree confident too

Should probably say only had 2 instances to date here but I'm on immediate notice to move the minute that letter comes home as the very thought of the little critters makes me crawl.

[FrustratedSycamoresRocks]

I use whatever product my local chemist isnt selling alot of. I dont trust the little bleeders not to be plotting against me resilient to the popular one.

[spanky2]

Obsessive combing with the nit comb. I used full marks too. Poor you.

[FrustratedSycamoresRocks]

I take the annoying as hell finger nail approach. Dd has alot of long fine hair, so the combs don't do anything, it takes 4 hours to completely do her. Strand by blinking strand. (After coating her in anti-nit product).

[PastSellByDate]

Hi Mrs Potato

I know this sounds overkill - but try changing sheets & pyjamas as well.

If toys are taken to bed - consider whether these could be a hiding place - if washable throw them in for good measure too.

we had a really bad infestation and no amount of cheap conditioner & nit comb from boots (which normally does the job) would win. We kept having one or two crop up. Changed sheets & pyjams. Did a quick vac down sides of bed and mattress. And hey presto - problem solved.

One thing we have found is that they are getting more and more resistant to shampoos - so investing in a good nit comb and cheap conditioner has been more effective for us.

[MrsPotato]

Just wanted to update and say thank you! I followed lots of the advice on here and got rid of them completely.. Found eggs 2 days later but got rid with daily wet and dry combing, wiping the comb after each stroke.

I remembered this thread when I was combing through last night and found none - nit free for 3 weeks! Thanks again.

[FiftyShadesofTurkeyGravy]

(Marking place, as I'm sure I'll be needing these helpful tips some day soon! Thanks...)

[mumteacher]

www.thehairforce.co.uk/about-us/

My sister used them and says the nits have not returned.

[Startail]

You decide that no obvious nits is good enough.
Someone in DD2s class didn't check and she had only so much patience with having her hair combed.

[GrimmaTheNome]

Full marks solution, lots of combing, reapply after a week per instructions deloused my DD who has long, thick hair.

I wouldn't have thought Full marks would be a problem for an asthmatic any more than conditioner.

[cathkidstonbag]

Delacet. Sorry can't do a link but just google it. Absolutely marvellous stuff, had to deal with nits numerous times (long haired DDs) and this is the only thing that works and seems to repel them for months after.

Works without stripping colour from hair, as I've found to my cost with other products. No need to nitcomb after (although I do), kills them all and even dissolves the eggs off of the hair.

Bloody marvellous stuff.

[PoppyWearer]

We've had two lots so far (DD started school in Sept).

She has shoulder-length hair and the comb didn't get all the eggs out. I put on a head torch and carefully cut as many hair strands with eggs on as I could find, using nail scissors.

Then Hedrin overnight. Washed out in the morning, more Hedrin applied and left in for the day.

Then a thorough comb-inspect-remove-Hedrin for another few days. Then daily inspections for as long as I can be bothered after that. Plus tea tree shampoo and conditioner, combed through. And hair spray/gel spray and a ponytail/bunches at school during the day.

Need to buy some neat tea tree oil.

I literally didn't check on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and there were about 40 bastard eggs in her hair by Boxing Day.

[Rikalaily]

Combing twice a week with an active infestation won't touch it, it has to be daily. They lay eggs every day so if you miss one egg thats another one that will be laying within the week too so they end up heaving with nits again in no time as the life cycle isn't being broken.

Even a quick go over with a nitty gritty in the morning before school before a proper comb through before bed will help because the comb shreds eggs and the legs of the live ones so even if you don't get any out they die pretty soon after.

[Kendodd]

I combed the whole head with conditioner every day (sometimes twice a day) until I found no more, then I carried on combing every day for at least four/five days after that, then I reduced it to every other day, then every three days. I only stopped when I hadn't seen any for at least three weeks. If I found even one of the little gits we were back to combing every day.

I was completely obsessed with the things but we did get rid of them. We have had them twice in six years. One thing I have learnt (in RL and on MN) is that it actually helps to be obsessive about then if you want to get rid of them, if you are in any way complacent you just won't get rid of them.

Combing twice a week seems far to little to me (but then I am obsessed )

[GrumpySod]

I can only add:
Tie their hair back and /or consider keeping it very short.
The little blighters crawl from head to head, so shorter hair cuts the risk that somebody else's parasite will hook a thread of your DD's hair to crawl onto.

My record for clearing an infestation was 45 minutes with DS2: upon discovery, we gave him a Number 2 buzz, next I combed 4 big obvious bastards off him, then I spent 25 minutes finding & removing all eggs. Very satisfying.

With DD it was daily hour of combing for first 4 days (I didn't even bother to wash first, just conditioner or detangle spray or even just water) and then every other day for at least a week. Plus finding the eggs, removing eggs helps hugely if you can see them.

You are doing well if you don't have them yourself.