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

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 鈥?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 鈥?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 鈥?no good, didn't get the eggs 鈥?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

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!

Shave your head, It's a sure fire cure.

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.

Go to your local drug store and ask for a box of product called Lice FREE. It is an all natural product that uses licorice oil in a gel. It doesn't smell too bad and it doesn't burn their scalps. Also it has instructions inside the box on how to clean up your lice infected house. It worked for my kids. Good luck =)

if they are boys shave there heads!!! it's the easiest way to get rid and prevent them...the weirdest old folk remedy I've heard is washing your hair in gasoline.... now that's extreme!!! try the r.i.d sold at the store it normally does the job well... if not consult the doctor...alsoyou'll want to wash all the bedding matrial in hot water to get rid of any on them or buy a wash special wash for them that kills lice....

Conditioner, then comb them out with a nit comb. I work in a kids home and we do this on an almost daily basis!

I used to suffer really bad when I was at school my mum had exactly the same problem. She used to comb through my hair every morning and evening to destroy the eggs and then use the horrible stinky stuff that you are describing.

There are new things now though there is an electric comb which is perfectly safe to use, I think they would probably sell it in Boots or places like that, that electrocutes the little suckers and there eggs you could try that if you've tried everything lose what have you got to lose!!!!!

kneel them down soak their hair with alchol and with a metal tooth tooth comb from walmart (make sure that the combs teeth are close together) comb out the lice. while there at school or after school wash all their sheets and pillow cases in hot water and boill their brushes and combs . I mean comb all the lice out trust me I Got them and thats how my boyfriend cleaned out my hair, no lice since then thank god. And look at the bright side its really not that expensive alcohol 1 dollor a the dollar store and the combs 2 for 1 like 5-6 dollars. do your thing girl and good luck

tell your children not to share pillows during sleepovers....sleepingbags....headbands....

and get medicated shampoos in your local drugstore or ask your pharmacist

Have you tried full marks solution. Can only be bought from pharmicist. Powerful stuff. Wash hair at night apply all over massage leave to dry naturally wash with shampoo and use nit comb. Have you also tried Health Visitor. I know under human rights schools arent allowed to publish problem but contact Head with your concerns as many others will have same problem as it is consistant.

Mix 1/2 cup olive oil with 2 or 3 tablespoons tea tree oil. Apply to hair and rub into scalp. Leave on hair for 30 min. to 1 hr. Wash hair to remove oil. Rinse hair with vinegar (the vinegar loosens the "glue" holding the eggs and nits on your hair). Wait 5 to 10 mins and rinse hair with hot water. Repeat vinegar rinse. Always comb hair out with a lice comb to remove any remaining nits.
Wash bed linens, towels and clothes. Vacuum mattresses and furniture. Don't forget childrens stuffed animals and the car seats.Prevention: mix 4 drops tea tree oil with your daily shampoo and shampoo as usual.

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

shave your head and then rinse your head with bleach or tcp paying particular attention to getting it in your eyes.
If this does not appeal to you the try soaking your head with a can of parrafin or other flammable substance then setting your hair alight and burn the little buggers !

The thing that worked for my family was the Robi Comb. It's sold at most drug stores for under 30 dollars. It sends an electric current from a AA battery through a fine metal comb that kills the lice. Use it daily for about a month. Clean any bedding, stuffed animals, hats, etc like you would for any lice killing program.

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

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

A special lice and nits comb is the best. Unless you shave the hair till they're almost bald it wont get rid of all nits. But cutting it shorter will make it easier combing their hair. Its relatively cheap and the best method so far. Little nieces and nephews got them last year and using the nits comb methodically was the best.

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!!

Mayonaise worked for our family too!!!

shave ur heads, get rid of pets and clean ur house

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!!

Before beginning any treatment:

鈥?Test a small scalp section for allergic reactions to the medication
鈥?A vinegar rinse helps loosen nits
鈥?Wash hair with regular shampoo
Treatments for applying to the scalp and hair include:
鈥?Olive oil or petroleum ointment to smother the lice.
Cover the head with a shower cap, four to six hours per day for three to four days
鈥?Olive oil (three parts) and essential oil of lavender (one part)
鈥?Herbal shampoos or pomades
鈥?A mixture of paw paw, thymol, and tea tree oil
鈥?A combination of coconut oil, anise, and ylang ylang
鈥?Other mixtures of essential oils
鈥?RID Pure Alternative, a nontoxic, hypoallergenic, dye and fragrance-free product
鈥?A spray containing phenethyl propionate, cedar oil, peppermint oil, and sodium lauryl sulfate (LiceFreee)
鈥?Cocamide DEA (a lathering agent), triethanolamine (a local irritant), and disodium EDTA (a chelator),
(SafeTek)is both a nontoxic pediculicide and a conditioner for combing out lice and nits Cutting the hair or shaving the head may be effective. Aromatherapies also are available. Infested eyelashes and eyebrows should be treated with petroleum jelly for several days and the nits should be plucked off with tweezers or fingernails.

there is something out there for this problem. and believe it or not its very simple. ok heres what you do wash all the bedding in hot water and take the lice spray and spray anything youve had your head on. then once youve done that take mayoniase and apply it to your hair apply it heavily keep the mayoniase in your hair for 3 to 4 hours with a shower cap over top of it. then once the 3 hours are up rinse the mayonaise out with vinegar. then wash your hair. then take the lice comb and go through your hair layer by layer you want each layer to be about 1/2in to an inch. make sure if you find anything in the lice comb to rinse it out. do this for 1 week and i can guarentee if you do this correctly your lice problem will be solved.

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!

hi there,

my sister had the same problem with her kids, this is only thing that sort of worked for her:

she was told by the chemist to do this, shampoo hair as normal, put condiner in hair then run a nit comb through hair untill you cant see any more nits,

you have to do it everyday and also you might have to speak to the parents of the other kids they hang out with as they might have to be treated on the same day otherwise they'll might get them again. it's such a problem as the nits are used to most of the products on the market now and are becomeing immune to it.

also thought of something else there's a nit comb you can get from boots and i think it sends the nits ectric currents to kills them
i think it was 拢17.99 when i saw it,maybe worth a try

Tea Tree Shampoo. The nits hate the smell if it and they cant cling to the hair shaft. I wash my childrens hair in it and they have never had nits.

buy a nit comb - wash your childrens hair and comb it with the comb every 3 days.

I have incredibly thick hair and as a result this is all that would work on me as a child.

Quail Oil is what is used for lice. Wash your hair in it...Or, get a short hair cut, so you can see the bugs.

NOW, wash EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE!! If you dont, they will be in there and come back on you, again and again and again!!!

Wash ALL the clothes, and get the rugs and furniture cleaned to eliminate the bugs...

I wish you well..

Jesse

I too suffered from lice as when I was a kid and I got a once for all solution by using the the liqid of boiled soap nuts which is a herbal product and very safe and also a conditioner for the hair. wash u'r hair with this liquid instead of using shampoo. After bath check u'r towel you will find a lot of dead lice in your towel. try this at least 2 or 3 times ina week. And all the best

Homeopathic treatment for head lice :-
Apply STAPHYSAGRIA (Mother Tincture) mixed in coconut oil 20 drops of mother tincture in coconut oil and give them PSORINUM 200C one a week.
Take Care and God Bless you

not sure if this was already said, but put mayonaisse in their hair and let them sleep with a plastic bag covering it. brush their hair the next morning and the eggs will be removed.