Nits have taken over our household - are their any home remedies that actually work?

I'm thinking of trying Olive oil? or Baby Oil? but don't want to waste my time if they don't work that well.

Anyone got any tried and tested solutions?

Nope, get the biggest F off pesticide you can and blast those little bu**ers. They are the one thing I just cannot deal with, so glad my kids are past that stage. It's people using "natural remedies" that have allowed them to become such a problem. Even now I keep a bottle of shampoo under the sink, and nit comb in my purse (we sometimes have women come in with nits at work, and we work in quite close quarters). `Don't believe when people say they don't work, they do if you use them properly, and spend the time actually combing the hair on a daily basis too.

We had nits in the house on and off for several years and it was so frustrating.

I tried so many potions and lotions but believe the only thing to do is slather hair with conditioner and then go through it carefully with a nit comb - doing it daily until there is nothing left.
Wash and iron pillow slips etc...
Oh and if you have girls with long enough hair then hair straighteners are fantastic for killing off the eggs that are on the hair strands.

I'm with Griz. There are times for gentle remedies, and there are times for the big guns.

One of my sons has had nits 3 times, and each time I've used Para Plus aerosol. That is the product 2 different pharmacists recommended, so I went with it. I think I've done 3 treatments each time, along with combing, washing pillowcases on 90C etc. It is enough of a pain with a boy who has short hair, so I can't imagine the effort required if you have girls with long hair! Make sure you spray any hats she wears, and carefully check (or throw out) any hair ties that might have eggs or lice stuck to them.

Thanks folks - I got my partner to buy some parasidose from the supermarket - looks like the kids are sorted. Mine still feels itchy but I wonder if its a phantom itch as I've spent the whole day going crazy feeling like my head is being attacked.

It's hard getting that comb through the hair!!! I pulled so much hair out, I reckon I've probably got bald patches.

Fingers crossed it doesn't come back - Good tip about hats and hair ties

Ingrid I also used coconut/olive oil at times, usually during the holidays when "greasy" hair was not such an issue.

Ingrid you need to keep combing the hair for a week or so, preferably several times a day (can be done with it dry or conditioned), and I'd give them another wash with the shampoo in a few days time. That's why people say the treatment doesn't work, they don't do enough. I remember having nits as a kid and nightly combing with several treatments was the way to go.

Recently we had a woman come into the unit, she'd been using pet flea treatments (while PREGNANT) on herself...once we'd got baby out we treated her and the bed was black with dead lice.

GRIZ: I don't know how anyone could cope with it for longer than a day - it has actually given me a headache and driven me mad.

I still feel itchy but no sign of any nits - so I'm unsure what that means.

I'll put the comb through the kids tonight again and douse them with another treatment in a few days

And I feel itchy over here in Adelaide just reading the posts!!

^{HEATHER F: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha}

Just an update....they are back!!! I didn't do the post nit 10 days later treatment ...they are seriously some tough little beasts to get rid of!

You need to do all the treatments or they just don't work....and throw in a couple of extra treatments as well. I'd look at changing the product you use, just in case the half hearted treatment has enabled them to become resistant to the parisidose.

I'm also a fan of putting the hair up and using hair spray daily to keep the hair close to the head and less likely to reinfest.

When we were in Auckland a few weeks ago I noticed a nit treatment clinic in Jervois Road, Herne Bay. It might be worth checking them out.

Dont leave it. Act now
My work mates daughter had them really bad and she said they were drawing blood and had started hatching. She said it was a nightmare to get rid of them and YES got the good stuff in and didnt muck around with anything "natural" in her cupboard.

She still checks her kids hair regularly.

Im feeling itchy now

Vanessa

Oh year - she said if you dye your hair it kills them too - might be time for a hairdye

You really do need to do multiple treatments... as you've unfortunately found out ;-) If you need to buy more product, definitely give ParaPlus a try. But you do still need to comb every night for 10 days or so and must do 2-3 treatments of the spray. It is a serious pain in the ass, but they don't go away on their own.

It's people who do a half a*sed job that are responsible for their spread through our schools.

Yes if we all followed through on the nit follow up or even alerted school, didnt send out kids to school with colds, took the entire bottle of antibiotics, went the the doctor sooner ect there would probably be less contamination of diseases and infection HOWEVER life isnt always that perfect.

Im a classic example, my son has nits too. I read up about them and decided as his hair was short and there wasnt many to only use the comb and conditioner to get rid of them. We are just doing that nightly so we will never never be 100% sure they are totally gone.

I also went to school with a cold today as a teacher ;-). Yes Ive probably spread it to some kids but decided they needed me as their teacher more.

Ive also struggled big time this week giving my 5 year old horrid tasting antibiotics.

We all try our best and have the best interest of our families at heart, its just one of those things such as colds that do the rounds. I think we just need to be aware and do our best.

On the positive having been a teacher for 15 years and a nanny previously - Ive actually never had them myself.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/15/2017 11:01AM by Vanessa45.

If you are going to only do what you want then why bother to ask on here for advice?
As a teacher you must be aware that kids with nits can be awake during the night itching, that children can develop secondary infections from scratching, not to mention the social stigma.
I do get hett up about nits, they are the one thing that really makes my skin crawl!
As for antibiotics and not taking the full course, don't get me started!

For the record, it wasn't me that asked for the advice, as you have, Ive just contributed to the post with my opinions to the topic.
Vanessa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2017 12:04PM by Vanessa45.