Extra passengers!!!!

[Dimplenose]

I've just discovered I've an extra souvenir from brownie pack holiday - head lice!!

Normally I'll just condition and comb and in 2 weeks they're gone. But with little over 10 days to our trip I thought I might try chemical warfare.

Can anyone recommend a good treatment for headlice?
I don't want to be stopped for importing livestock and a nitcomb in my luggage is a bit embaressing.

Libby

 

[Goofyish]

My DW is a Brown Owl and runs two Brownies units. A few years ago she took 24 girls on a pack holiday. They stayed in a village hall about 25 miles away. A couple of days into the holiday I got a phone call from her asking me to go to the local chemist and get 10 bottles of Lyclear - they had a major headlice outbreak!

You can imagine the looks I got going into the crowd chemist asking for 10 bottle of lice shampoo

Look on the bright side - headlice prefer clean hair

For our DD's we use an electic lice comb - it zaps the little blighters. It seems to do the trick.

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

SNAP!! Katie brought some of the little devils back from last year's Brownie camp . . . and they took yonks to shift, reckon they were a super race

We used Proderm (I think) to shift the first lot, then we invested in a Boots Electronic zapper comb like the one Tim mentioned - brilliant, wold thoroughly recommend one.

Every two weeks now Katie has to sit and be zapped, but so far . . . .

 

[babybelle]

My little DD brought her own little group back from nursery - Lyclear worked first go!

 

[AngieUK]

My DD 6 is always getting them at her school! I've tried all the chemical stuff but it just doesn't seem to work for us so i too bought one of the electric zappers and they work a treat

 

[babybelle]

I was really annoyed by my SIL reaction. She was wittering on about hoe disgraceful it was that I pay a lot of money for nursery fees and they (the nursery) let 'lousy weans' in. She was also criticising her cousin because her little girl was scratching her head. SIL went on at lengths how she checks her kids regularly and how they would 'never' be scratching their heads..blah blah blah - all this coming from someone who prides themself on being a 'good catholic' (not!)

Being someone who was bullied at school because I had ezcema this attitude really riled me. I pointed out that no amount of cremes, steroid treatments etc have ever been able to resolve both my DD and my dry scalp. We both scratch, on occasion, because something like ezcema is very irritating.

I cant believe that in this day and age we still have people who treat headlice as if it was the plague. Im glad one of my kids have got it because e laughed about it, cleared it up and explained it wasnt dirty or bad...just a bit of a nuisance.

 

[Nick The Cat]

I would suggest asking your local pharmacist for the best treatment for the little blighters as they seem to become immune to some treatments.

Luckily my two haven't had any for a couple of years but I do remember my DD coming home with them every few weeks when she was at first school. One of the mothers refused to believe that her child could possibly hve them, didn't treat her daughter and consequently reinfested everybody else.

 

[Dimplenose]

Thanks for your advice - headlice are an occupational hazard as I work in school and have 2 kids of my own! Still they're not usually a bother as I mentioned before wet combing gets rid of them it just takes a little time. (The lice that is, not the kids!)

I went to Boots and got some full marks mousse. The girl on the counter said not to treat the whole family just me - but I don't believe her! I'm going to treat myself and my daughter. For some reason my son and husband never seem to be affected. (Maybe we've got a Guide related strain of beasties).

By the way Tim your wife must be mad 2 packs at the same time!! I find it takes enough time being an assistant guider at one pack.

Libby

 

[elisebutt]

I always use Tea Tree oil, leave it on and then comb thro with T-Tree Conditioner - i just don't like the idea of those insecrisides on my (and the kids) hair. For some reason t-tree oil always works, just kills the little boogers DEAD!!!

I've been thinking about one of those zappers for a while, but fingers crossed haven't had any HL for over a year now.

 

[snookhams]

I got some really expensive anti lice conditioner from my local health shop as am reluctant to use a lot of chemicals - but the best thing i've found to deter them ( youngest son only child in his class not to get them recently) is geranium oil - again bought from the health shop - I mix a couple of drops in with some leave in conditioner (the kind you don't have to wash out - to make myself clear) and then massage it in and finally comb through after every was, and it smells lemony not at all earthy like geraniums. Hope that this helps - aparantly it deters them as they don't like the smell! rather like gnats not liking lavender......

 

[AlisonB]

My oldest DD got headlice for the first time a couple of months ago (at age 9) no one in the family had had them before.

I used Full Marks mousse on her and then did the wet comb and conditioner method on everyone else in the family - no sign of the little darlings!! Since then I've bought tea tree shampoo and conditioner which we all use ( I just buy Tesco's own - not expensive) and we've not had them since! (Fingers crossed of course!)

The other thing that I was recommended to try was to add a couple of drops of eucalyptus oil to the tea tree shampoo - but I never got round to doing that!

 

[Amazing-grace]

I've just come back from shopping at ASDA, my DD has head lice too and the best treatment yet is mayonnaise HONEST!
I've bought ASDA'S own smartprice range, 47p put it on dry hair, be quite generous.Wrap head in a towel and leave on for at least an hour. Then wash out and comb through with an ordinary head lice comb, they should all be GONNERS It acts like a conditioner too, but I do wash with shampoo after.
My DD cannot have the usual treatments as they affect her breathing
Good Luck...............................

 

[Dimplenose]

Well, I had chemical session last night. I didn't find any more beasties - but the smell!! No wonder they asked if I had asthma before I bought it!

I like the mayonaise idea I can see that working as the lice would stick to it and egg is supposed to make a good conditioner too.

I'm going to look at the electric combs next time I go to a big Boots. Thanks again for your help.

Libby