I Am Getting So Frustrated

shaving cream plastic cap for 2o minutes.
rinse and shampoo with coconut shampoo.
Use coconut shampoo until person can do their own hair. Treat all her friends hair that stay over.

Don't forget to do the blankets and throw pillows, cushions and everything in the whole house, not jsut her room.

Tea tree oil. Its expensive but it works. The schools in coventry use it bc I recommended it. Put it in a bottle of shampoo even if you think its gone only a small amount maybe a teaspoon. My kids haven't had lice for 4 years.

Hello,
I used to be a pediatric nurse....and this is what usually does the trick. Apply equal parts of Apple Cider Vinegar and mineral oil (you can purchase at any grocery store) to DRY hair. You can saturate the DRY hair and then comb through and then keep on her head for several hours or overnight with a shower cap since she is an older child. (Never use a shower cap with a little one for the risk of a choking hazard!) Rinse well and comb through again. (You can repeat this process as often as you desire) In addition to all of the laundry you have been doing.... also be sure to place all stuffed animals in plastic bags and seal them for at least two weeks. I hope this helps you out!!

This is a good article about the myths of lice: http://www.homestead.com/snp/lice21.html

Please, DO NOT USE KEROSENE on your child's hair. Not only does it NOT work, it is DANGEROUS!

L.

Hi A.! I know how you feel. My kids have never had it, thank goodness, but when I was a kid we had the same problem. I remember my mom putting all our stuffed animals and bedding in plastic bags and leaving it there for weeks. She sprayed them with a household all purpose bug spray first. It was 20 years ago and she can't remember what spray. Make sure any soft plush items where the bug can live are put in the bags including hats. Good luck!

Hi A.,

Do you have any suspicions of what the source for the head lice is? Your daughter may be hanging around another kid who has it and their parents are not addressing it. If this is the case, the head lice problem will reoccur if her friend has it and is not addressing it.

Hope this helps.

I remember when I was little I would get them all the time! My house was clean and everything. The thing is that you have to clean everything the child plays with including stuffed animals, couch, bed, pratually the whole house. Its a pain in the but. We also learned to use straight vingar on the childs head and use that comb. It does wonders!

I know one sure way to make sure all the knits all killed is to smother them. Cover her head completely in mayonaise, sounds gross but it's possible all the knits aren't being knocked out with each treatment. Hope this helps. Good luck!

I hear ya! Actually the thing that worked for our family is something I bought at Wallgreens called a "Robi-comb". It was a little expensive ( around 30 dollars I beleive) but it really seemed to do the trick. This comb is supposed to "zap" any eggs or knits, without your child feeling anything. I have to drama queens, as daughters, they never complained a bit. You may try talking to the school as well. Usually when there is an outbreak of head lice, a note goes home with the kids, to keep parents aware and to look out for signs. Good luck!

Hi. I'm a teacher and first of all, let me reassure you, (in case nobody else has bothered) that the lice is not a reflection on you as a mother or your family home. It happens. Second. ALL of the nits (lice eggs) MUST be combed or pulled out of her hair. If she has long hair, I strongly suggest bobbing it, mainly because this has been an ongoing problem for you--I would never suggest this for the passing case that most children get. Secondly, ALL of her stuffed animals and bedding (pillows included) need to be treated. You can put them in the dryer, or for smaller items you can put them in a trash bag, seal it and put it in the freezer. The lice soap only works on the live lice, so if she has nits, it won't do any good unless you comb out every strand of hair with the fine-toothed comb that usually comes with the shampoo. Also, after treating her, don't wait to see if it will come back, take her directly to someone (most daycare workers and many school employees have much experience with this, as well as nurses) who will check her head for nits. You will never get rid of the lice if you don't get rid of the nits.

Good luck!!
M. G

A.,

I went online and purchased a product for lice for my niece- I think it was called LiceX- it was gone after TWO applications and never came back.

Do a google search for removing lice and it will come up. You'll know you have the right page because there are tons of testimonials-- a mom's voice started describing her experience once I got there.

My brother-in-law was sure it was a scam, but it worked. It's amazing stuff-- all natural, too, mostly oils.

Good luck.

Hi, I also have delt with head lice many times. If your daughter has long hair, it might help to cut it. I had to cut my daughter's hair because I got so sick of dealing with it. Also bag up every stuff animal in the house or that she comes into contact with for 2 weeks. Buy the furniture spray and spray everything. The lice can only live off your head for 24 hours and they don't jump. Make sure she doesn't share combs or hats with anyone. Pick her head everyday and retreat in 2 weeks. If you miss even one egg they reproduce. Hopefully this will help you.

Tina S

Hi A., I know your frustration, I have had the same problem with my daughter, which is 5. It is so aggravating. I have found that the over-the-counter stuff does not work. What has worked for me is mayonaise and a cap. Also, a bottle of Dexerol (dandruff shampoo/medicated). I have used Tea Tree Oil and that worked also. But they do come back sometimes. I am so happy that finally I have gotten a place where my daughter has her own bed and bedroom. This way we want keep giving them to each other. It's heartbreaking to see my little one go through this also. I hope this helps. And if you find anything else that might work better, please let me know.

I have found that you have to spray all of the upholstery in your vehicles and take all of her stuffed animals,place them in a trash bag and spray the lice spray into the bag and tie it up for a week, then after that week wash them in hot water.Also, you can use vegetable oil on her head and use the nit comb to get out the nits. Alot better for her then all of the chemicals. One more thing-make sure you get everyone treated for it too.Good luck!

do you know why african-americans never have head lice...because we use hair grease and have to keep our hair and scalp from being dry and falling out...so maybe you should try a little bit of hair grease on her scalp to suffocate the lice...mayo just leaves the hair extremely smelly and is hard to get the residue out...let me know what happens...by the way, i'm a licensed hair stylist

The lice comb, it removes eggs too. Use it every day for a week or so, until you find no more lice. It's tedious, but it works.

If the school has cubbies or hooks in the room that they hang coats from try this, our school out here from kindergargen on they have thier own lockers. But the daycare which is at the school uses garbage bags when you drop your kids off everything including backpacks are put in the trash bag and hung from the hook. All of the local liscensed daycares use this system and it has cut way down on the spread from kid to kid. If the school doesn't mind and they use hooks bring in a trash bag put her name on it and tell them to put her things in it. Suggest that the school do the same I know our school will send notes home if someone in the class has it and when our kids may have been exposed. We have been lucky this year with all the schools efforts only one note home and no lice this year I have three in school two of them in the same building and the school is great about making sure the kids don't share anything even telling the kids even in preschool about lice and how not to spread it. Keep the faith lice is always something you have to deal with when they are in school I have 3 girls and two of them have had to have thier hair cut and also my hair was cut short to ease the combing. My husband keeps his shaved and my sons is kept short we even had to one year shave the underhairs of my oldest because that was her hotspot, I dont recomend it it took forever to grow back. Keep up what your doing it is all you can do unfortunately.

Good luck

We used an electronic comb specially made for head lice. you pau once and you keep it forever. The cost of the shampoos and all the trips to the launry mat made me almost as crazy as the thought of those little critters.
Good luck,
J.

HI A. (my name is A. too!) my little cousins were having problems with lice as well and they went through all the things you did with the shampoos and such. They finally tried Mayonaise and it worked! Good luck to you!

My son brought lice home from kindergarten last year so I understand your frustration. I work with a woman who suggested Paul Mitchells TeaTree shampoo. I first used the lice products and removed all stuffed animals from my son's room. I then washed his pillow with bleach and laundry soap. After throughly cleaning his hair and everything in his room, I started using the TeaTree shampoo. It has something in it that detracts the lice. They had an outbreak at school again and he has not had it since the first time. The shampoo is little pricey, but it is cheaper in the long run than buying lice products weekly.

Hi A.. do you have pets, if so check them? I have heard that birds, chickens and even guinea pigs can get lice. Wash all hair pretties and brushes too. Maybe the doctor can give a different stronger prescription. I wish you well. S.

put mayonnaise in her hair all over as thick as u can get it. then put in a shower cap and wait an hour. wash wash wash. the mayonnaise should smother all the lice use a metal comb with small teeth and comb her hair out in small sections.
good luck

A., sounds pretty frustrating!! Your daughters head could be itching from all of the medicines and treatments you are putting on her scalp young kids tend to have sensitive skin...about the nits, lice usually lay their eggs close to the scalp at the nape of the neck and behind the ears. It is almost impossible to get every nit out of your daughters hair, but the dead older ones will grow out away from the scalp as her hair grows. If your daughter does have lice you will be able to see the bugs if you look long enough (they almost look like small pieces of rice. So if you dont see bugs please dont use medicated shampoos as they could be harmful when absorbed into the skin repeatedly.

A.,
I am sure your daughter is frustrated as well. A common misconception about lice is that most people think it is because the hair is dirty. That is false. Lice feed off of CLEAN, DRY scalps. This is why most african american people will not get lice...they wear a lot of moist hair products every day.
A natural remedy that will be a lot easier on both you and your daughter is to put Mayonnaise all over her head. Completely saturate it and then tie a bag around it. Keep this on her for approximately 4-6 hours. Kind of like what it looks like when we get a perm. Afther that you can wash it normally. It will be greasy for a while, but that is okay, because the lice HATE greasy hair. What this does is suffocates the lice. Lice can not live with out oxygen. In addition, they must have sunlight. Take all clothing, bedsheets, pillows, and any cloth toys and put them in Black trash bags, tie it tightly, for 3 days. Afterwards, they will be dead and you can take everything out and wash it normally.
Most people want to know "why Mayo?" because it is a natural food product and won't damage the hair (i.e., fat, oil, eggs, etc.) I have worked in social services for over a decade, this is time consuming, but it doesn't burn your child, and it works. Good luck. J. ... ____@____.com

Dry her hair every day with a hair dryer. Heat kills the lice. I got this information from a nurse. You know how to launder everything. Adults normally do not have the same problem because we dry our hair.

I too am new to the site. We did the mayo when my daughter was young and it worked great. Plus we started to blow dry here hair twice a day. The lice don't like the heat. Hope the problem is already solved.

S.

A.,
Have you washed her stuffed animals in hot water? Another thing many people forget is to treat their cars and carseats? There is a spray you can use and then follow up with vacuuming. I remember having issues as a kid and my mom was as frustrated as you. I kept getting reinfested because I shared a softball helmet with the rest of my teammates. It ended up that we all bought our own helmets.

I hope this helps.

P.

We had the same problem last school year. Does your daughter use any type of hair detangler. What we did was put some peppermint oil in the spray they don't like the smell or the taste of it. (mice don't like it either if you have r had mice put peppermint on a cottonball and put it where you think they are coming from). We never had a problem with head lice again

To keep lice away go and buy suave coconut shampoo and conditioner. Lice does not like coconut. Also if she gets it again wash her hair and put mayo in it for 2 hour take your hairdryer and warm her hair. When you rince it out the lice will slide right off of her hair and you wont have to pull the hair out or cut it.

I have a very different opinion on this. when i was little around 6 my mom was taking me to the doctor overoveroveroverover because i kept having lice. well after about the 7th time of doing all laudry, throwing away all stuffed animals, doing shampoos and cutting hair, making sure dads house was clean, and checking all family members she got sick of it. she took me to a dermatologist. well guess what? i never had lice in the first place. I had what is called hair cast. it is where the hair follicle grows out with the hair and it iswhite or clear. this is just a thought and if you are not satisfied and they are still comeing back i would recommend a derm. i think i just had to wash my hair every other day or something i cant remember.

Have you tried washing her hair in Rubbing Alcohol? You need to do it in a well ventilated space, but if you wash it in that and then go through her hair looking for knits, that should work. My mom used to do that on my step-siblings when they came to visit so my brother and I wouldn't get them and it always worked. Just an idea.

Does she share a cubby at school? maybe ask if she can move to a different one or by herself for a few weeks to see if the person she shares with is bringing something. YOu REALLY have to wash stuffed animals. I have had parents throw them away because they are very hard to get rid of becuase it can get inside.

One thing I noticed you didn't mention is taking all stuffed animals and any toys with hair and putting them in garbage bags close them tightly and leave them in the garage or attic for 2 weeks. Also, you need to get Rid's bed spray to spray down beds, furniture, carpet. You might even want to put pillows that are in the house into garbage bags, because the eggs tend to get in the seams of pillows. Otherwise, it's highly recommended that she doesn't go to other people's houses while she has it. Also, you have to sit there and pull out any nits that are in her hair, shampooing alone isn't going to work. Plus, you need to soak all brushes and combs in boiled water.

Another helpful suggestion: tie a plastic grocery bag on her head when you administer the shampoo...this helps suffocate any live lice.

But if the problem persists, I heard if you apply Mayonnaise all over the hair and scalp, this suffocates the lice as well.

One other suggestion: After you have gotten rid of all the lice out of your daughter's hair, each day put Mousse in her hair to keep the lice from coming back. Lice aren't attracted to hair that has chemicals in it.

I hope this helps...I had the same ongoing problem to where my children missed alot of school because everytime we would get rid of it...they would return to school only to come home with it again. Good luck...I know how frustrating this can be.

Hi A., My name is B. and when my children was small, they also had head lice, it something about grade school. After many attempts of trying to get rid of the head lice, I finally went to the school and talked with the school officals. I felt they were getting it from other kids and until everyone is checked and the problem is eliminated, you will continue to have problems.I wish you the best of luck, please let me know how things go. About myself,I am a single mother of 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren,so I have lots of experience at parenting. I love my family

> We had a hard case of this once. The first thing I did was put
> mattress covers on all the mattresses. Then I bagged up all stuffed
> animals and put away for about a month (this one was hard on the
> kids!). I also bought all new pillows. I also changed the sheets
> every day and washed clothes constantly.
>
> I sprayed all furniture with lice spray and bought a lice comb. I
> shampooed their hair, waited about 2 wks. (when any nits might have
> hatched), then shampooed again. I would try to get out as many of
the
> nits as I could so they wouldn't hatch.
>
> It was a horrible experience but you can beat it!
>
> K.

I know what you are going through . I had a daycare child who for about 3 months kept getting it. there has to be someone that she plays with that has it. plus you really need to check the hair after the shampoo. I had this like big spot light to use the brighter it is the better you can see the eggs. those are what is the most imoportant to get. go over and over her hair. I know it can be tiring. I also heard that when you think that you have all of the eggs and everthing else is clean. before your daughter goes anywhere to use hair spray on her hair it will repell the lice. hope this helps..

Hi A.,
My kids are grown now but we battled the head lice many times over. I know exactly what you are talking about. I didn't read the other responses but let me share what I learned.
The commercial treatment is very toxic to the humans and can show up later as some other illness... so I quit using that stuff. And the lice do build up resistances to the poison too.
I found the best and safest way to get rid of lice is to use olive oil. You coat your head/hair in olive oil and wrap it in plastic wrap and leave it on for 2 hrs or so. I know that is tough with a 6 year old but the oil floods the lice lungs and after 2 hrs they are dead. They said if you don't wait the entire time they can revive! Pesty little suckers.
Just an idea~ A.

A., I'm sure someone has already suggested this, but my first thought when I read your post was that she's getting it from the school. They may be letting the kids share play hats that haven't been properly cleaned and disinfected or other toys. Do they take naps at that age? If so, it could be coming from carpets or mats that need to be cleaned. Another place lice get transferred is coat/backpack hooks. If kids' things get piled on top of one another on a hook or in a cubby, lice can get into the clothing or jackets.

I hope you can discover the source soon so it can be cleaned up. That sounds like such a pain! Good luck!!

.....L

I was in the same situation as you when my daughter was in preschool this year. I had alot of trouble with the school cause they said that it was cause of my daughter and refused to cooperate with me on the situation. I took her to school alot and picked her up and went to many birthday parties and what i noticed made me even more angry. I noticed alot of the kids that have very light blond hair were itching their heads like crazy and that was over a 3 month period i went back to the school numerous times and had it out with the principal and the school nurse and they told me that my child could not come back to school until it was gone and i asked well what about the other kids that are itching like crazy why are they allowed to stay and keep spreading it back to my child. I bought all of the stuff at wal mart the rid and every other kind there was. i bought the electric comb and everything nothing was working. i finally had to take her to her doctor and they told me that the lice now days is becoming ammune to the treatments that were out there. they gave me a prescription for her. this stuff was horrible. it smelled like gasoline. it was bad. it was a prescription that went on completely clean dry hair and she had to leave it in her hir for 8-12 hours then be washed out and could not have her hair washed with shampoo for at least a day after that. i will call her doctor on monday and get you the name of the prescription that they gave me for her. with our insurance it was not expensive. i know how you feel. just dont get discouraged. also one thing to remember that even after the lice is gone they are still going to itch for a while just means that the bites are healing. one more note. my daughter is 4 andshe has dark brown hair that is very curly and down to her butt so it was very stress full. trust me if i can get through it i know you will also. like i said i will call her doctor on monday and get the name of the prescripion and i will post the name of it on here so maybe you can ask your doctor about it also
Sincerely
A. Merrell

One important fact - RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT LICE DO NOT LIVE WHEN NOT ON YOUR HEAD!! Industrial strength vacuums were used on linen, towels, floors etc. of people with lice and NO LIVE LICE were found. Don't bother with all the washing and cleaning. Invest all this energy into combing them out of the hair.

I taught 1st grade for 4 years (recently) and I believe I am the QUEEN of detecting and identifying lice. If I am correct, this clear/white lice will mostly be found on the crown (top) of the head, as opposed to the dark ones that mostly congregate around the nape of the neck. The clear/white lice lay eggs that look like dirt flecks on the crown of the head, unlike the dark ones whose eggs look like little dark tear drops. The bad news is that the clear/white lice are VERY VERY hard to get rid of.
As well as commercial lice killing lotions and potions and combs, the best treatments/prevention ideas I experienced were to use a solution of water and tea tree oil sprayed on the hair (this kills and prevents) and/or hair care products such as hairspray, hairwax and spray-on leave-in hair conditioner - as lice can't cling properly to hair with these products present. For girls, spray with leave in conditioner, tie in a ponytail and spray heavily with hairspray.
If REALLY desperate, or if you get the lice, hair dye kills them quite nicely!!
Hope this helps.

You mentioned multiple households and cleaning everything. If there are pets at any of the houses you'll want to 'treat' them as well. Hartz makes a flea dip that also works on lice (it's a green shampoo). Does this help?

I'd shave the head! Well, maybe do a really cute, really short cut. Stay on top of washing EVERYTHING! Stuffed animals, pillows, blankets, sheets. It's a hassle, it's costly, I have 3 and have been dealing with lice for way to long. Have you talked to your Pediatrician about this?

Hi A.-
I know how frustrating this can be. My 8 year old daughter got lice back in December and just when I thought it was gone she got it again. We used NIX shampoo twice and nothing. So I called our pediatrician's office and the nurse told me to use mayonnaise. I thought it sounded crazy too, but it worked! She said to buy the cheapest generic mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip, real mayo) and just slather it on her hair and wear 8-10 hours. So first thing in the morning we put it all over her hair and covered it with a shower cap that she wore all day. It was pretty slimy but we were both willing to try anything. Before she went to bed we rinsed her hair out in the tub (she has really long hair) and it was filled with bugs. I was pretty disgusted, but relieved at the same time! We rinsed it three times, then washed it and she's been lice free since then. Of course she makes sure she doesn't share hair stuff at school which all the girls want to, but she does not want to go through that again! And neither do I! Hope this helps. L.

I know I'm a bit late to respond, but since I just joined...

to all the moms out there - my daughter had lice when she was 4. The same family kept brining it to the daycare, I tried all the "shampoos", combs, advice I could get from the pediatrician, my mom, my friends, coworkers...well you get the picture. After 7 months and a very tramatic hair cut for her, we got lice-free. What finally worked? Mayonaise - my daughter's hair and scalp had a violent reaction to the Nix and Ridx shampoos, we almost had to shave her head. Also, if you don't get the nits off the hair shaft and disposed of, you will never be rid of the lice. Hope this helps to any of you moms that might have the same issue, especially if your child has a sensitivity issue with her skin to irritants!

My bil lives in FL and I guess its near epidemic down there - what they do is first and foremost, wash everything! HOT HOT HOT Water! Hairbrushes, etc. Then as an "inbetween" they actually use mineral oil in the kids hair... Hope this helps!

Throw away her pillow. Also headlice treatments have some chemicals that are questionable to use...try cooking oil. It smothers the lice and won't hurt anything. Then you have to comb her hair very carefully with a lice comb. Hope this helps!
C. K

A.,
I totally understand what your going through. When my daughter was around that age we went through the same thing. I found out the hard way that washing linens and hair (yes, we got a prescription too) wasn't enough. You need to vacumn all the furniture in the house including the matress. Anything she's touched needs to be washed or sealed in airtight bags for weeks. Getting rid of the nits is the most important. Even one left starts it all over again. Use a bright light to see them better. But all your hard work will be worthless if it's not done everywhere she visits. Good Luck! D.

Hello,
Maybe you have solved this by now, but in case you haven't I'll add what I know. There is a cleaning product (biodegradable and pH balanced) that kills insects by causing them to drown. This product makes water "wetter" and it soaks through their exoskeleton. It is not a pesticide (which is good) and many moms use it even on infants because it is so gentle and leaves no soap scum residue. Please feel free to contact me directly if you want more info.
S.
____@____.com

Been there, done that....all you can do is just keep combing, combing, combing.......every single day, several times a day, until all the nits and insects are gone. Vacuum everything, every day....wash everything in hot water....boil the combs and brushes in hot water. As long as she still has lice, keep treating her hair every 10 days or so.

Also wanted to add that while some animals do get lice, they are a different type than the ones humans get, and can not pass from animal to human or human to animal. So it is NOT necessary to treat pets unless they have a noticeable problem.

You need to make sure everything you wash is on the hottest temp. in the was as well in the dryer and you need to strip all of her bedding an use a lice bomb in her room as well as the rest of the house vaccume all chairs couches and rugs.
T.

Way back when I was a day care teacher, we had an infestation of lice in our room. We had to put all of the laundry, stuffed animals, etc... in the dryer because heat kills them, they also told us to blow dry our hair, since the heat kills them. Good luck. Jenn

Have you been pulling the eggs out? That was the biggest thing my friend had to do besides the laundry and the shampoo. I hope that helps.

A. - I feel your pain - I have been through that - even as a freshman my daughter had a brush with it. The first year she got it, I had to take my daughter to the campground and we stayed there for about 3-5 days if I recall correctly, to pick the nits out, because she had gotten them so bad. My sick mom lived with us at the time, and the thought of my 7 year old in the house with bugs in her head nits grossed her out. I didn't know what they were as she had dandruff alot anyway...

I had to go through her head twice a day for about 2 hours each time for two days, then two hours once a day for two days then at least an hour a day every other day...THAt is the ONLY way you are goint toget rid of all the nits (eggs - yechh). You cannot miss ONE NIT. They can still hatch after 48 hours I think.

If your child's school does not do DAILY head checks during heavy lice seasons, i suggest you keep her home. She is young enough that she really wont miss tons of stuff. It is just too expensive, not to mention all the poison that goes into the kid's system with the perscription shampoo and then the conditioner too.

There is an over-the-counter regular hair shampoo - not Herbal Essence but something like it - OH I wish I could remember the name!! that helps prevent them. One lady at our old school used it and her daughters never got it. Do some research. It's one of the cheap ones right at the drug store...

My neighbor grew up in the country, and they used kerosene, left it on for 10 minutes then rinsed with vinagar (to cut the oil in the kerosene) and he said that was it - problem gone. I have never tried this.

No matter what shampoo you decide to use - removing every single nit is the key. I cut some of the hair like two to 5 pieces together when my patience got low (it didn't look that bad if it wasn't up by the roots..that would get the lower ones quicker.) Otherwise - fingernails once you get over the grossness of it. AFTER YOU HAVE SHAMPOOED TO GET OUT HE LIVE ONES. Make sure you pull your hair up and use an apron and wash all your clothes afterwards.

I'm sorry if I have offended anyone with my suggestions, but that's what we had to do. My girl had it about 4 times all through grade school. The kindergarden school she went to, pulled the nits out IN THE PRINCIPALS OFFICE and DROPPED THEM ON THE CARPET...STUPID..no wonder they had an infestation. I pulled her out of that school at the end of that year...and put her in private school. They were more hyper about sending the kids home after seeing ONE NIT. Thank God. Good luck to you dear...

A., ask the school how often they clean the toys/desks/etc. the kids might be playing with or touching. Many daycares and schools do not clean the toys with bleach very often (if at all)and infections and bugs are eager to transfer. It could be another classmate as well.

A.,

I'm not sure what county you live in, but a friend of mine was having the same problem and was able to get assistance from the Licking Valley Health Department. I would try any county health department and see if they have any programs. Good luck, H.

Lice don't like the smell of coconut, there's something in coconuts that is toxic to them. Suave makes a coconut daily shampoo and conditioner. Treat her, carefully removing all nits. Treat everything she comes into contact with. Treat her again 48 hours later and AGAIN in another 48 hours. Use the coconut scented shampoo for the next few months. It really helps. My brother's entire family got lice once and he never got it. They later found out it was because he had always used the cocnut shampoo and was "undesirable" to the lice. I later got lice at a gym and had to resort to my advice above to finally rid myself of them. The first treatment didn't work, neither did the second. It wasn't until I treated myself 3 times consecutivly every 48 hours, laundered everything I could with bleach and sprayed everything else, couches, beds, carpet chairs etc. with lice spray, and then switched to the coconut shampoo and conditioner that they were finally gone. (I very much feel her pain.) Good Luck!

this is what i found on baby center.com
http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/refcap/bigkid/ghealth/...

My 3 yr old had that problem from her school aged cousin.I used Olive oil(alot but try to wipe above the eyes every chance you get) in her hair and put a shower cap over it for 8 hours twice a week,this will smother them and you don't have to smell the mayo.I told her it was a beauty treatment so that she wouldn't take off the cap.I would give her a shower after the 8 hrs and just shampoo her hair,no conditioner.Then I would comb through it with the metal lice pick.Of course cleaned her bedding during the treatment and it only took about 2 weeks.Before I knew to use the olive oil I had fought them for about 2 months.I feel your pain.I wish you all the luck.

olive oil, 45 min., kills them, but make the whole class be checked, or if she uses and instrument check the strap and case

Try tea-tree oil - you can buy it at walgreens. It is safe for your daughter and works very well. Just rub it in her hair like crazy. It stinks but you get used to it. Good Luck! http://rlangford.themomteam.com/

I KNOW WHERE U R COMING FROM!!!!!! I just, I mean JUST got rid of my daughters. i had done 3 treatments of Rid then i got this other stuff put 2 treatments in her hair. What i did was i put all her hair in a high pony tail ont he top of her head. i took small pieces out at a time & looked through them in the bathroom cause it has better lighting for me. it took me so long but it worked at least im praying. i have looked through her hair everyday for about a week & no sign. the other stuff i used was Lice Guard. i purchased it at walgreens yes it is more expensive then rid but i know how desperate u r. it comes w/ lice egg remover shampoo, egg & lice comb, & head lice repellent spray. its 19.99. its non toxic so u can actually use it everyday. i used it two days in a row. i have not used the head lice repellent. why? i do not know why. but the comb in there is a great comb. its better then the ones u get w/ the rid. if u have any other questions i would love to help out. I knw how frustrating it is. i was just ready to shave her head. LOL. Good luck to you.

I remember when I was a kid and had head lice, it was horrible because I had hair all they way down my back. I remember using the shampoo but the worst part was my mom had to go through my entire head of hair with a special small comb to get it all, I believe the eggs are close to the scalp and on on the single strands of hair; you have to get them too. I do not think the shampoo does this. I remember it took hours. I also remember my mom washing everything in bleach. Not sure if you have done these things but if not you may think about them. Good Luck!

Hi,
My husband is a nurse. Here's what he had to say:
First, get a hair cut. If you had it for six months, chances are you have done several of the following:
Comb, you have to get a special comb. Very, very fine teeth. It has to be brushed several times a day, along with the shampoo/treatment several times a day.
You mentioned laundry. It can live on clothes, sheets, pillows. Start with getting a plastic mattress cover, plastic covers around the pillows ( they have them at Sears )
Keep her off the floor, it can live in carpet. Does she have nap time at school???
Other kids ... no wearing hats etc., reduce contact with anyone else in this time, so you can eliminate sources. It can live on any fabric in the house. Get it out of the equation. Vaccuming doesn't help. Check for a disinfectant spray for your couches and her bed. If she was a boy, he recommends shaving the hair. Pets... make sure pets are kept far away, they can be a carrier. You want to remove all the sources, those are places lice can live, they will re-infest.
Good luck. I'm so sorry for you guys.
L.
Good luck.

I had the same problem with my older daughter. She kept coming home with the lice no matter what I did. I eventually got her hair cut into a pixie (it was fine but she had a lot of it) by our hairdresser who actually came to my house to cut her hair and I also dyed it the same color that it was naturally. I kept gel and some hairspray in it and also when it grew out put it in a ponytail as well. Lice do not like dirty hair. I hope this helps.

M.
mom to Christina almost 15
Isabella, Logan and Brody 4

I know what you are going through. That was a continual battle that I also had when my children were younger. First you have to get rid of every single bug and nit. That means picking through her entire head. I got to the point that I didn't want to put anymore insecticide on my daughters hair, so I used olive oil and a plastic bag. They will smother over the course of several hours. Also you have to be careful with the other children that she comes in contact with. That is usually where they get them in the first place. Make sure she is not using other people combs, brushes, hats or anything like that. If you have her friends spend the night...you might want to check their heads before they do. Sound kind of mean, but dealing with head lice is aweful. My daughter is not 14 and we haven't had any problems in about 5 or 6 years. Sometimes I think they grow out of it. Just be patient and do your best. If you have any other questions, I will be glad to answer them. I do consider myself sort of a lice expert. lol

We have also bought the spray that kills them on your furniture and mattress we sprayed it anywhere the kids had been.We didn't let them have their toys beck for 2 weeks if they had any sort of fur or hair.Good luck it is a hard and long process.

A.

I know this is an old post but we've dealt with this for a while,, I found a product online that doesn't seem to work terribly well for the bugs( like most things out there) but it turns the nits colors. The problem i have always had is getting all the nits.....this was helpfull.

http://crittercolors.com/

2 of my step kids, 1 girl & 1 boy, had a lice problem for a long time and we were ready to shave everybodys head and most of us have long hair. A teacher that my mom works with suggested that we get a product called Queen Helene Super Cholesterol Hair Conditioning Cream. It suffocates the lice. When all of this happened I did alot of research online and we were ready to try anything. I found some a study that put some lice bugs in olive oil and the lice taken out of the oil after 2 hours recovered and after 3 hours they were dead. Now I put the conditioner on our heads every couple of days, left it in for atleast 5-6 hours just to be safe, put on a shower cap and wraped a bandana around our heads. We combed through our heads everyday. We are lice FREE and have been for sometime now. The conditioner is cheap. No Chemicals. I paid 6.79 plus tax for 2 pounds of it. You can get it at Sallys and at some Dollar Stores. Be careful if you leave it in your hair overnight cause it can really do a number on your pillows.

My heart goes out to anyone with this problem.
GOOD LUCK!

Chell

When my sister had lice, my mom put peanut butter in her hair. I know it sounds odd, but everything stuck to the peanut butter. She had the peanut butter in her hair and wore a shower cap for probably about 30 minutes. then mom combed through the peanut butter hair with a straight comb. She tried to get as much peanut butter out before she washed it. Then she washed it. I am not sure if this is what finaly worked but I don't remember any other treatments after that. Also make sure you have gotten rid of any dolls or stuffed animals. Just because you wash them doesn't mean they are gone.

Definitely use the real mayonaise with a cap as some of the other posters have suggested. It doesn't have any chemicals that would hurt your daughter, and it works just as effectively. I have had this problem a few times, and it does work. The Dept. of Health in Minnesota recommends it as well. The absolute most important thing to do is to use a very good, fine lice comb to pull out all the nits. It takes a very long time, but if you do the mayo treatment every time you see a bug (if they do come back), and sit down with a comb to very carefully go through her hair every night, they will go away. You do not have to wash everything every time. Lice cannot live off a human's head for very long, so putting bedding, etc. in plastic bags for 2 weeks will take care of it. That should save you some trouble and time. Also, if you can clean a room/area (like your bedroom), and then keep her out of that room until she is lice free, that may also help prevent the spread. You can use the Nix sprays on furniture and other fabric and vacuum it, and you may want to put a sheet over the area she sits until it is finished. If you can keep this up for about 2-2 1/2 weeks, you should be nit free. Once you get rid of them, periodically check her and others in the house to ensure other outbreaks are caught early. It's a tremendous amount of work, but I wish you the best, and hope this helps you rid your house of them and keep your sanity.

My girlfriend had this happen with her daughter. Go to a Whole foods grocery store (or a nicer grocers) and get tea tree oil. Also get mineral oil. Mix in a bottle (like when you dye your hair) About 20 drops of tea tree oil added to the mineral oil. Put in hair 20 min and get a hair cap for over her head. Do all other kids in the household. Wash after that and make sure everything else is clean (sheets etc...)

If this doesn't work...It really should. She said put vaseline over her whole head which kills the eggs and it will take a week or so to come out of her hair. Good luck E.

My son had head lice just about continously the whole time he was in elementary school. The problem was the coat rack; the lice would crawl from an infected hat to his.

A.,
I haven't tried this but my step daughter has used mayonnaise in the past. I guess you put it on pretty thick and leave it on for awhile. From what I understand, it suffocates the lice. If that doesn't work, try baby oil.

Hope this helps!!
E.