Head lice help please!!!

[punkybam]

Hi all,
I'm a teacher, 26 weeks pregnant and just found out I have contracted head lice from the kiddies. Have been itching for weeks, but a doctor told me I had some kind of dermatitis or an allergic reaction. Does anyone know of any safe chemical product or alternative therapy I can use to kill the buggers before I scratch my scalp to pieces???
Bel

[AnyDream]

Have answered in your other thread. For instant relief (before you go to the shops) you can saturate your hair with cheap hair conditioner, section your hair and comb from the scalp out, wiping the comb on a tissue after each stroke.

BTW the doctor may not have been able to see them as they often the exact same colour as your hair. And they run. FAST. I've found that doing a quick conditioner comb through is the best way to check for lice as you will see them in the comb.

[Chocaholic]

Go to the chemist and ask for a pregnancy safe treatment. My sister used one when she was pregnant but I can't remember the name. I think it was in a green bottle.

[SamOake]

I am in the same situation this week as my 9 year old son has head lice.

The phamacist said the 2 brands that are ok for use in pregnancy are

"Wild Child" - which can also be purchased at Safeway/Woolworths and Coles

and

"Moose" which is in a green package.

Both are safe as they contain all natural ingredients.

Good luck

[punkybam]

Thanks everyone
I can't believe what a help this forum is. I spent last night itching but I'll be out finding Wild Child today!
Thanks again

[Mumma2three]

I swear by conditioner. Totally harmless, drowns them all and then it's easy to come out. Also when you shampoo if you add a few drops of tea tree oil it will keep them away. (we had nits for ONE YEAR straight at one point and the conditioner was the thing that got em.)

[Kazmar]

Get 'MOOVE' great stuff Its natural so it wont have a stronge smell and wont affect bubs (i wouldn't think so anyway )

[**Helen**]

Aww Sweety, How awful for you. I think all of the other suggestions sound great. Plus definantly go out and buy a cheap spray bottle and fill with water and a bit of tea tree oil and give your hair a spray everyday anyway. I would also invest in one of the nit combs as well to help get the eggs out. Make sure you lather your hair in heaps of conditioner and then put the comb through, it makes it easier. Also wipe the comb off on a piec of white paper towel or toilet paper etc and you will see whats coming out of your hair and know when you arent getting anymore.

[Daydream Believer]

Yep definately the conditioner & lice comb.

Once you have got rid of them, If you put gel in your hair or have it up with a lot of hair spray, they wont be able to hold onto the hair because it smoothes the follicle down & glues it and there's nothing to hang onto.

[Aimz]

DH got them from his god-daughter last year and we tried EVERYTHING!!

Mum told me she used to use vinegar in my hair when I was a kid so we tried that twice a day for three days and it did the trick. No more lice!

[**Helen**]

Oh wow, vinegar, I will have to remember that one in the future too. Although fingers crossed I wont need it.

[punkybam]

Thanks everyone. I feel so supported!
I'm still itching so I don't know if my conditioner with comb/wild child did the trick but I'm going to try conditioner and lice comb again tonight, vinegar tomorrow and I'll keep going until I get them all!
Thank god school holidays are only 4 days away
Thanks again!
Bel

[AnyDream]

Bel, best way is to get a friend to comb you through so they can see what they are doing. Repeat in 3-4 days time in case you missed any eggs and keep repeating every few days until there's none for sure.

[sweetpea678]

once you do the conditoner then rinse with vinegar works everytime for my kids. We aslo put teatree in the condtioner cover hair with it put shower cap over for about 20 min then wash out with water and vinegar then comb out.

[~clover~]

When my girls bring them home
1. wash their hair with stuff. Have tried everything, Neutra Lice seems the best so far. Pregnancy safe.
2. towel dry hair, then add conditioner, comb out with bright coloured fine tooth comb
3. wash conditioner out & comb with metal KP42 egg comb. The prongs are side by side so it pulls out the eggs. Must be done when wet or it pulls the hair.
Can add vinegar while combing as it loosens the glue that holds the eggs on the hair & makes them easier to remove.
Lavender & tea tree oil mixed together with water sprayed every day over hair should help keep them away as they don't like the smell.
Or you could use gel, hair spray, or leave conditioner in the hair so its greasy.
Good luck! They are so much fun!!
BTW - I have Neutra Lice in my hair as we speak! Off to the shower.

[studentmum]

HI

I have very thick, frizzy hair and once a mth or so give my hair a rub through with vinegar and olive oil (separately) just to add shine, it is a real bonus that the vinegar is hated by those pesky blood suckers and the olive oil helps you come through even the most un-tame hair. My DD5 and DD7 bring the bugs home from school all the time!!! I do the same for them, and every condition too

[luna moth]

Get 'MOOVE' great stuff Its natural so it wont have a stronge smell and wont affect bubs (i wouldn't think so anyway )

It's what I use, as a childcare worker. And a fine tooth comb. Make sure you re-treat once a week for three weeks. The week after that, I use heaps of conditioner, then it's all good

[DoubleK]

i hate Lice!!! aarrghhhh Krystal got them in December... and her and i are still itching today!

i have tried soo many different things, i go for a month or so without scratching.. then the itching starts again! i make sure i wash everything as well.. but i must be doing something wrong!

i might try the vinegar tomorrow.. not sure how that will go with dd.. but ill try it on me first!