Nits! How can I get rid of head lice - pesticides just DON'T work?

Question

I don't know what to do. Is there ANYTHING out there that can get rid of head lice? My children are going through hell over this, and being picked on at school.

Pesticides itch and stink and make them cry – and the very next day they come home from school with more lice all over again. Also, nothing seems to do anything about the eggs, which means you have to go on repeating a totally nasty amnd ineffective treatment, that costs a great deal of money and gets you absolutely nowhere.

Please, no old folk remedies, though! We've tried vinegar and brown paper, and someone even suggested paraffin – which is just so dangerous, and about the stupidest idea I've ever heard.

It might sound silly if you haven't been through it yourself, but this really is ruining our family life. How can you hug or play with your children if you are worried about getting (or passing on) these horrible little blood-sucking nits?

I don't care what it costs: just please tell me if there is ANYTHING out there!

Wow! Thanks for all the suggestions: I hadn't expected such a fast response, and so much support, so thanks everyone. We're in London, so no Wal-Marts here... we would rule out Full Marks, because it contains pesticide and doesn't do anything about the blasted EGGS! And shaving heads doesn't work, either. I tried it (on myself - NOT the kids!!)... with a v. short haircut, and as soon as the hair comes back, so do the lice.
I also tried the Bug Busting kit – no good, didn't get the eggs – and all kinds of metal combs that scratch as well as plastic ones that snap and bend. Has anyone tried anything that they can completely recommend, that's guaranteed to work, and that won't make my kids cry every time we use it?

Many thanks again for all those answers... DD

Answer 1

Teatree shampoo and conditiner,3 times a week and make sure you get to all the scalp, then before you rinse conditiner comb with a nit comb its hard for the buggers to cling on plus the eggs come out easily and that way you keep them under control!

Answer 2

What we used to do was to buy a couple of bottles of cheap hair conditioner. We would then comb out all the nits (eggs) that we could using a nit comb. Then we would wash the kids hair with conditioner several times. This would be repeated for two or three days. The idea was that by removing the nits no more lice could hatch and by conditioning the hair so much the hair became silky and the lice couldn't keep such a tight hold on the hairs. It worked well, but we always used a good shampoo and quality condition when the infestation was over.
Good luck.
Dave B

Answer 3

OK Listen up because I'm an expert!
(Infected as a child, my daughter and I later - numerous infestations)

I'm in Dublin so you should be able to get the same product in the UK.

I found that all of the latest short, foamy, rinse in rinse out products are useless. The only type that worked for me and my daughter was Prioderm. It smells. I'm not sure if it has pesticide but my guess is yes. The thing is it works. Sometimes with the more resistant lice you have to wait a few days after the first application and apply again. There sometimes is a residual itchy feeling but that will go in a day or two. You just have to suffer and pour on the yucky smelling stuff and leave it in overnight X 2. I only use the fine tooth comb after the first application to catch any dead fleas and lice, and again after the second one.

Then, to keep your heads clean use Tea Tree Oil or there is a preventative shampoo available.

The bible according to me lol. But it has worked every time.

Answer 4

DD...

I hate to tell you this , but I don't think ANYTHING is absolutely certain in working on those terrible things...it seems they would live through a nuclear bomb. First, let me say that lice LOVE clean hair, and do not feel badly!!! Lice do NOT jump, so sharing combs and hats usually are NOT the way a child gets head lice, and once infested, they are hard as heck to get rid of!!! The only way to be sure the nits and lice are gone is to manually pick them out. I have spent hundreds on lice preparations, and the only thing that was worth anything was a good METAL lice comb and many hours "nit picking" (yes, that is where the saying came from!) Olive oil may help smother the ones that are large enough to be affected but if you miss two nits or so, you are right back where you started from. Every other day for as long as it takes, get under a good light, let your child watch tv or look at a book, and PICK for as long as she can take it! When they are gone, or you think they are gone, keep checking for months!!! Hair spray or mousse may help, as it makes it tough for the lice to navigate the hair. God bless you, I have been there, and I thought I would NEVER get rid of them! The very thought of them makes me cringe in bad memories!

Answer 5

No joke, not a folk remedy, this actually works. Just use Mayonnaise (real mayonnaise) and leave it on their heads like you would Rid (the lice/nit killer), leave it on around 15-20 minutes. THIS DOES NOT KILL THE LICE, IT DOES MAKE IT EASY TO COMB THEM OUT. Then when you get ready to do the "COMB OUT" just comb out the hair as usual with the small nit comb, cleaning the comb everytime you run it through their hair. Picking out the nits and lice or running it under water and tapping on a towel.

Do NOT go from one child to another without cleaning the comb, no reason not to be clean even in this environment.

Since the Mayonnaise is Non-toxic and not made from poisons you can re-apply when needed or if you're nervous or see more. Also, please remember that doing your childrens hair will NOT GET RID of lice if their pillows, sheets, couches, chairs, hats and other things are not cleaned. Good luck!!

Answer 6

Unfortunately head lice has become resistant to the pesticides that are on the market. The only way to get rid of them is to make sure each and every nit is combed out of the hair. I know that in England they market a kit that has 3 or 4 different combs you use in a succession on your hair and research has showed it to be effective. I don't know the name of it or how to get it though. My friend caught lice while working in a day care center. She used a comb that delivered little electric zaps to the nits and lice and she said it worked. I think she said she got it at a drug store. Also, make sure you are getting them out of everything at home, especially clothing and bedding. Good luck, wish I could be of more assistance.

P.S.- When there was an outbreak of lice at my daughter's school her teacher told us the parents that people who use quite a bit of hairspray tend to not get lice as easy as those who don't. So I did some internet research and a lot of what I read said this was true, there were testimonials from people who use a lot of gel, mousse and hairspray and they didn't contact lice, even if they lived with and hugged and shared stuff with family members who did have lice.

Answer 7

You can try mayonaise. Or alot of conditioner. if u use conditioner dont rinse out just comb through and use either a dog comb or a rit comb. There metal. It's better than the plastic ones. It takes alot of work but it will get then out. Also wash their beding in the hottest water possible, soak all brushes and combs in very hot water. As for toys and stuff u can't wash in washer put in big plastic bag, tie and leave outside for i think 1-2 weeks. The reason for the mayo is it suffocates them. Their lungs r on the outside from what ive been told. When u do there hair do their hair in parts and once clean clip it up and go to next untill u got all the hair. U might have to keep them out of school untill the hair is completely treated. Also look online for ways to treat. U can go to www.ask.com Good luck

Answer 8

Been there, done that. My parents got me Rid (lice and nit treatment) Worked like a charm. It takes forever if you have a girl with thick hair, because you have to comb the hair through. The solution might burn a little bit during the twenty minutes that it must be left on the head, but it's worth it. Hope it all works out ok.
God Bless

Answer 9

This just happened to me.
#1 Find out if their friends have it, if they are getting reinfected from an outside source.

#2 Instead of washing everything frantically, leave your house for a week.(Even leaving for three days will help)

#3 Completely shave the boys heads, and cut the girls hair shorter too.

#4 Test a couple of the live lice by putting them in a solution of the Piperonyl butoxide (Rid or NIX) and see how long it takes for them to die. If it takes longer than ten minutes to die then forget about putting it on your head.

#5 If they do die quickly then put the shampoo on DRY, NON OILY hair.Let it sit for 10 minutes with a shower cap or plastic wrap on it. Rinse out with warm water in the shower and DO NOT use any other shampoo or conditioner for THREE days after the treatment. NO swimming in that time either.
#6 Do this treatment every seven days for three weeks, only combing hair with the silver fine tooth combs a few times a day.

#7 If you must use a alternative treatment then do this--Mix 1 cup olive oil with1/2 teaspoon tea tree oil and 1/2 teaspoon lavendar essential oils and apply to hair.Comb with metal fine tooth comb and wrap plastic wrap on hair or use shower cap and sleep on it at night. In the morning wash with dawn dish detergent to get the oil out. Comb three times a day, concentrating on getting the nits close to the scalp(those are the live ones) Do this two nights in a row and repeat three days later and keep doing it for a month at least.

#8 Everyone in the family must have their own nit comb and regular comb. Mix 60% rubbing alcohol and 40% water in a large container to put all combs in immediately. If they are not being used they should be soaking.

#9 Pray!!

Answer 10

you need a nit comb (metal ones are much more durable than the plasti ones) and either some egg remover or even regular hair conditioner on the hair to help get rid of the eggs, you should try that after the chemical treatments (also lessens the checmical smell)

there are electrical nit combs that zap the bugs but they arent really any more pleasant than the chemicals and can pull hair and zap tender ears

you can also try tea tree oil shampoo (or add a few drops to the regular shampoo) to help repel the lice when they are gone, it works like citronella candles work, bugs just dont like the smell