Spent $1000 for lice treatment - I feel sick! UPDATE Day 10: I THINK THEY ARE GONE!

[MariDisney]

DD had lice 3 times within a year. We did everything we were supposed to, but either she picked them up again or we missed some and they were back. DD has hair almost to her waist, and it woud take me 5 or so hours to thoroughly comb her out. Anyway, on the third time I was so frustrated I took her to a professional. It was about $400. They used a special heat machine that is supposed to kill everything and then did a thorough combing. They sent me home with an oil to use every 2nd or 3rd day for a few weeks. After this, we've been lice free for 6 months or so now. If she ever gets it again I'll be going right back to this place. The $400 was worth it for me.

 

[mefordis]

I have no relatives who live in the state. My husband works long hours so he wasn't even home, and as a Vice President for an entertainment company cannot leave work to help me pick nits. So, I really have no one to help me. Not that I don't think I got ripped off. I know that $150 per hour to pick nits and shampoo hair is a rip off for sure.

I haven't dealt with this as a mom *my sister and I took lice home from school 20 years ago ~ WOW!!* I would have my DH, mom, sister help me, you are married right???

$1K on hair picking ~ you got scammed honey.

 

[mefordis]

Thank you for your experience! I have read a hot curling iron might work. I wonder if blow drying has the same effect?

DD had lice 3 times within a year. We did everything we were supposed to, but either she picked them up again or we missed some and they were back. DD has hair almost to her waist, and it woud take me 5 or so hours to thoroughly comb her out. Anyway, on the third time I was so frustrated I took her to a professional. It was about $400. They used a special heat machine that is supposed to kill everything and then did a thorough combing. They sent me home with an oil to use every 2nd or 3rd day for a few weeks. After this, we've been lice free for 6 months or so now. If she ever gets it again I'll be going right back to this place. The $400 was worth it for me.

 

[mjkacmom]

I haven't dealt with this as a mom *my sister and I took lice home from school 20 years ago ~ WOW!!* I would have my DH, mom, sister help me, you are married right???

$1K on hair picking ~ you got scammed honey.

I'm from NJ, and this is what it costs for these home treatments. It's a booming industry here. OP, I think there are also lice treatment places where you go to them, and there are others who will do it on the side for less (like a cleaning company vs. private cleaning lady).

So, OP, another company probably would've charged about the same. As for what moms do about checking their own heads is to have their DH's, family, or friends check them out. What you might want to do is search out places where you go to them - probably about half the price.

 

[mefordis]

Yes, thank you! I think next time I'll go to a treatment center myself, and treat my kids on my own. Ugh ! I hope there isn't a next time. I am still not in the clear yet. They say 10 days of diligence and I'm on day 3.

I'm from NJ, and this is what it costs for these home treatments. It's a booming industry here. OP, I think there are also lice treatment places where you go to them, and there are others who will do it on the side for less (like a cleaning company vs. private cleaning lady).

So, OP, another company probably would've charged about the same. As for what moms do about checking their own heads is to have their DH's, family, or friends check them out. What you might want to do is search out places where you go to them - probably about half the price.

 

[tlbwriter]

If you didn't have anyone nearby who could help, then you did what you had to do. Paying the $1,000 is tough to swallow, but what choice did you have?

I agree. It's impossible to check yourself for nits.

I use the comb more as a tool to find them, and I prefer to pick them out myself, and wash them down the sink.

Agree with this too. I don't think combing removes the nits very effectively. I used the comb to find the nits, and then used tweezers to pull the actual hair off DD's head. I put all the hairs in a ziplock bag and then threw it away. Well, actually (this is kind of gross) I saved it to see how many would hatch. The RID shampoo did kill most of them, but some did hatch. Then I threw it away.

My husband & I were at a Church friends house celebrating New Year's Eve with 3 other couples when the babysitter called and told me that she had found a louse in one of their heads. I thought I was gonna faint right there. Everyone looked at me and started asking me what was wrong. I felt so embarrassed but told them anyway. One of the ladies said.....ok.....men you go to Wal-Mart and get some several bottles of lice shampoo as well as lots of laundry detergent. Ladies, we are going home with her and gonna help her pick nits. We did...well into the new year.

Aw, that is so sweet.

 

[mefordis]

Well, actually (this is kind of gross) I saved it to see how many would hatch. The RID shampoo did kill most of them, but some did hatch. Then I threw it away.

OMG that is what I would do! That's what's scary - the nits usually cannot be killed by anything so you have to use the shampoo for 7-10 days (the natural remedy the company sold me) to kill the nits you missed that hatched before they can lay MORE eggs!

I just want to learn all I can about this so i can save myself the $$ next time!

 

[Twinprincesses]

My daughters had lice that would not go away. Finally I got sick of using all the chemicals and looked online. What finally worked for us was the foam shaving cream on their heads for 1 hours with a showercap over it. I cleaned thier bedding and it actually all worked. We probably spent close to $200 in lice stuff before finding out shaving cream worked.

I also mixed in pure tea tree oil with their detangler.

 

[ccgirl]

I agree. It's impossible to check yourself for nits.



Agree with this too. I don't think combing removes the nits very effectively. I used the comb to find the nits, and then used tweezers to pull the actual hair off DD's head. I put all the hairs in a ziplock bag and then threw it away. Well, actually (this is kind of gross) I saved it to see how many would hatch. The RID shampoo did kill most of them, but some did hatch. Then I threw it away.

Aw, that is so sweet.

Very interesting! How long did they take to hatch? I did put the pillows, blankets etc. in trash bags for 10 days but wondered if it was really necessary. So glad I did!

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

I have no relatives who live in the state. My husband works long hours so he wasn't even home, and as a Vice President for an entertainment company cannot leave work to help me pick nits. So, I really have no one to help me. Not that I don't think I got ripped off. I know that $150 per hour to pick nits and shampoo hair is a rip off for sure.

I was quoted anywhere from $150-$375 an hour so you did not get ripped off. One place was min of $600 just to walk in my door. For me the 1k was money well spent. The company I hired was thorough & professional & I was glad to have someone show me what to do. I could have never handled it on my own. Rethinking the cost isn't productive IMO. Do you feel that you could have done it on your own? If so then next time go that route. Me? I'll gladly pay again.

 

[ccgirl]

Thank you for your experience! I have read a hot curling iron might work. I wonder if blow drying has the same effect?

Please don't rely on this. The nits like to live on the hair shaft as close to the scalp as possible. There is noway to get a curling iron that close and the hair dryer does not get hot enough. We were lucky that just my DD had it and I was able to get rid of them all. I still did a metal nit comb thru my hair as well as the olive oil overnight with a shower cap. I wore plastic gloves each time I looked thru her hair and threw out the comb after each time as well. She always wears her hair in either a bun, braid , or ponytail now. She also does not hang up her coat, she keeps it in her backpack. So far, we have been lice free even after several more episodes at her school (including the girl that sits next to her).

 

[mefordis]

Thank you for your input! Honestly, I don't think I could have done it myself. I am rethinking everything through and I didn't know what I was doing, had no help, have a 2 yr old who needs my attention. Plus all the laundry.

I feel like with the $1000 I got an education too and next time I will do the girls myself and go to a lice center or call someone to check me. $150 per hour, I'll just have them check my head, pick nits and I'll do the rest!

I was quoted anywhere from $150-$375 an hour so you did not get ripped off. One place was min of $600 just to walk in my door. For me the 1k was money well spent. The company I hired was thorough & professional & I was glad to have someone show me what to do. I could have never handled it on my own. Rethinking the cost isn't productive IMO. Do you feel that you could have done it on your own? If so then next time go that route. Me? I'll gladly pay again.

 

[mefordis]

The girl sitting next to my daughter had lice, but I'm not sure if my dd had it first and gave it to her! I know about a month ago she borrowed some girl's scrunchy at dance class. So she may have got it then!

Did you comb through the hair while she had oil on it? The center told me to comb through and pick dry hair because it's easier to see them, but with all the oil her hair is super oily still even after washing it!!

Please don't rely on this. The nits like to live on the hair shaft as close to the scalp as possible. There is noway to get a curling iron that close and the hair dryer does not get hot enough. We were lucky that just my DD had it and I was able to get rid of them all. I still did a metal nit comb thru my hair as well as the olive oil overnight with a shower cap. I wore plastic gloves each time I looked thru her hair and threw out the comb after each time as well. She always wears her hair in either a bun, braid , or ponytail now. She also does not hang up her coat, she keeps it in her backpack. So far, we have been lice free even after several more episodes at her school (including the girl that sits next to her).

 

[robinb]

I'm sorry you freaked out so much and spent so much money on trying to get rid of your DD's lice .

I *swear* by "The Lice Program":
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/theliceprogram/index.html

The first time she had lice we did the Rid treatment and the lice laughed at us. OK ... maybe not laughed but it didn't slow them down much. After 2-3 RID treatments and literal nit picking for nearly 2 months we STILL had lice I knew I had to try something else.

The Lice Program works great if your school does not have a "no nit" policy because it doesn't bother with nits. It removes live lice when they are big enough to remove. First the egg layers and then the juveniles as they hatch and grow. I admit that I was originally grossed out by this program because (1) at 21-days it took too long and (2) it left lice (nymphs) in the hair and I wanted those lice out NOW. But ... after my failure at more traditional methods I had nothing to lose in trying it.

After 21 days the lice were gone. I was mad that I wasted 2 months trying to poison them and dousing them in olive oil to no avail. When my DD came home a second time with lice, I went right to this program and they were gone in 3 weeks and she never missed a day of school.

I also have tips on combing ... first off I used one of the narrow teeth combs available at Walgreens with the little magnifier in it. That way I could make sure I was getting a little bugger and not something else. I also would have my DD wash her hair and leave conditioner in it for combing. The lice can't move easily through wet hair and the conditioner made it easy for me to comb. When combing was done she would rinse the conditioner out. ETA: I would section off her hair with metal hair clips (the kind that stylists use) and then everything went into a daily bath of water with a tablespoon of bleach in it.

FWIW, if you are picking nits any "nits" more than an inch from the scalp as really empty egg sacks and you're wasting time and energy unless your school has a no-nit policy.

 

[sookie]

I am actually thinking of opening my own "nit picker" business. I would like to use a lousebuster (its a blow dryer type device) that kills both the eggs and the live lice. It would go a lot faster than 8 hours. Most of the time, people choose to go to a nit picker because: most treatments like rid do not kill the eggs. so you are up a creek if you don't take out those eggs, because in just a few days / weeks you will have new ones again.
1) they want to use all natural treatments. several businesses specialize in this, and if you get them to come in and nit pick, it takes time. But they usually do a great job.
2) convience. EXACTLY what someone else said - you do this so that someone can pick the nits (which is time consuming) while YOU (momma) are washing linens, vaccuming, and basically cleaning everything in sight.

 

[Kellydelly]

As long as your husband didn't mind the fee, it's all good, right ? I would think for that kind of money the ladies would have helped you bag up stuffed animals and linens to wash; sprayed the furniture too! Get some tea tree oil and this will never happen again .

 

[delmar411]

What worked for us and didn't cost anything was:

smother live lice enough to slow them down (oil, mayo, etc)

comb them out with the lice comb and run down drain with hot water

wash out the oils

blow dry hair

flat iron hair on the 'boost' setting

done.

Quick vacuum around the house and changed pillowcases but that's it.

And you likely never even had a nit in your hair but the same procedure would work for you as well. Esp since you can have dead nits in your hair. Some school districts are 'nit-free' so in that case I'd have done all the above then, cut or pluck out each strand with a nit on it. (and I have done that as well for ODD when she had a wicked case)

 

[Cindyrellablue]

Even though 1k is a lot of money, I definitely would have spent the same to handle this problem. I don't know enough about lice and wouldn't trust myself to completely remove them from someone else's head, let alone even deal with mine.

DH tells me all the time, there are reasons there are professionals out there...use them.

 

[robinb]

BTW, picking lice off your own head is NOT impossible and I have a clean head to prove it. My DH travels for business and was not around for when my DD shared her lice with me. My friends were too squeamish to help me (even the bug lover, LOL!) so I had to do it myself. I had no other option and I don't even think to seek "professional" help. I got my hair wet, put in some conditioner and sectioned off my hair and started to comb. It really wasn't all that hard because I was concentrating on the larger live ones and not the nits (eggs or empty egg sacs).

I also didn't go crazy with doing laundry every day. Head lice will not leave their hosts for anything other than another host. For instance, they won't drop off onto a stuffed animal or pillowcase or headrest and wait for someone else to come along. They will hang on the head they were born on until they are forceably removed (by a comb or brush) or another head brushes against the head they are on and they will scurry onto the new one. Yeah ... I washed sheets more often both times. I even bagged her stuffed animals the first time but settled for a hot fluffing in the dryer once I understood more about the life cycle and habits of lice.

 

[tipsytrtle]

next time call me! i will drive to new jersey for half the price!!! LOL

seriously that sounds crazy high....olive oil, mayo all types of things kill lice naturally...as for the house, bag up all toys and put in attic for several months and wash everything you can as hot as you can!!!