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

[BillSears]

...How could I have done this myself and been as thorough, I keep asking myself. While doing the truck load of laundry we had!

You could have someone come in to do the laundry. It'll be a lot cheaper than the $150 an hour the nit picker charged.

 

[bucket o' butter]

You poor thing!

My daughters and I all ended up with it. I found a home remedy online and it worked perfectly.

Soak hair generously in olive oil, put a shower cap on, go to bed. In the morning, all the lice will be dead and the nits just comb out as easy as can be with a comb. No more picking at them. I swear, just run a comb across the hair once and they come out easy as can be. The only downside is washing the olive oil out of the hair. It may take about 3 times. But it's SO worth it.

I am a teacher and this is what I tell my parents when their child gets sent home with lice. My daughter, who had long think hair, got lice in the second grade. We used the shampoo and did everything we were supposed to do. Obviously, not well enough, because two weeks later, they came back and were ten times worse! I looked online and ready about olive oil and mayonaise. We did them both and they worked like a charm! And the olive oil is a great treatment for the hair! Her hair was so silky and shiny afterward. One thing to note is that olive oil is difficult to get out of hair. We used Dawn dishsoap and that took it right out!

 

[averill94]

Mefordis-

Dont stop what you are doing! I did it for a month...the olive oil treatment (put it on at night or when I new we were in for the day and put a shower cap over it- you can even put a few drops of tea tree oil in). Sometimes I alternated with coconut conditioner. Did it for myself too! ALways washed with Dawn first, it took everything right out.

You DID THE RIGHT THING in hiring those ladies! It is at least a two person job! The only way we got through it was because my DH happened to be on vacation the first week. One person was picking and the other was doing laundry. (I am so crazy that I had her sleep with her head on the opposite side of the bed for a while. ALong with towels down and fresh sheets. Figured it couldnt hurt!)It is mentally and physically exhausting!


I do not think my daughter will ever wear her hair down to school again! We continue to use trader joes tea tree shampoo and conditioner on her.

Deep breath- Keep up the great work!

 

[tlbwriter]

Okay, you experts. I got my daughter home and undid her braid, picked through her hair, pulled out 4 nits, then applied the olive oil solution and combed through some more with a fine toothed comb. Then put it up in a bun for the night.

Do you think this might be it for her or will more appear that I missed?

No. Don't stop. All it takes is ONE missed nit and you have an entire new infestation. Continue to check their hair daily.

 

[Reese]

My kids had it a couple of times and it's been horrible. And being such nice children they shared with me. It is difficult to nit pick yourself (I have waist length hair). I had DH nit pick me the initial time (knowing his attention to detail) I was still concerned. What I did after that was have a bath put conditioner in my hair make sure there were no knots and when I was rinsing I would keep my head in the water and run my fingers through my hair small bits at a time. You can feel the nits if you have any, then I would pull them out. You only have to pay attention the the area close the scalp anything further than an inch won't live. This is made much easier if the kids are in bed and you have a glass of wine with you.

 

[ccgirl]

Okay, you experts. I got my daughter home and undid her braid, picked through her hair, pulled out 4 nits, then applied the olive oil solution and combed through some more with a fine toothed comb. Then put it up in a bun for the night.

Do you think this might be it for her or will more appear that I missed?

I checkd my 2 yr old, who has had the oil solution on her head since yesterday evening and I found none, so I left the oil on her head and will wash it off tonight in the tub with the lice shampoo (natural so we can use it in the tub).

As for me, I will apply the oil for the night, pick through and shampoo tomorrow and repeat.

Am I doing everything right?

Thank you!

First of all, if you are picking nits out after paying $1,000 to someone else to do it I most certainly would call them back and ask them for some money back or tell them to do a recheck for free. No reason you should be finding them after investing so much $$$ to do that.

Secondly, keep doing what you are doing. Did you put a shower cap on once the olive oil was in? Definitely keep doing it, all it takes is 1 missed nit to hatch and the whole cycle starts again. No need to keep using the lice shampoo though, unless you see live lice. That is all it will kill. It doesn't do anything for the nits. You may want to try Dawn dish detergent to wash the oil out. I did it in the kitchen sink. I picked thru/checked my DD8's hair for 10 days (overkill, I know I didn't find any nits after day 2 but I still kept checking.) and then on day 10 I did the second treatment of the Rid. Nobody else in the house got them nor did anyone in her class.

Since then, we have been using the Fairytales shampoo, conditioner and spray. So far she has been lice free even though there have been other episodes in her class.

Keep it up!

 

[delmar411]

No. Don't stop. All it takes is ONE missed nit and you have an entire new infestation. Continue to check their hair daily.

Which is why you flat iron their hair. The flat iron kills the eggs. If you've removed all the live lice then there are none to lay more eggs.

Then you can take your sweet time picking nits or just leave them.

And there is some serious overkill going on with the laundry. And major mis-information on where lice live. They live on human heads ONLY. They don't want to go on your stuffies, your couch, etc. They stay on your head. Doing a quick vacuum(in case one has lost it's way) and running everything non-washable through the dryer on high heat (heat kills them), is sufficient. Water can't 'drown' them or else they'd drown on your head.

So stop wasting water. Pop the stuffies in the dryer on high heat. Same with the pillows/pillowcases.

 

[ccgirl]

Which is why you flat iron their hair. The flat iron kills the eggs. If you've removed all the live lice then there are none to lay more eggs.Then you can take your sweet time picking nits or just leave them.

And there is some serious overkill going on with the laundry. And major mis-information on where lice live. They live on human heads ONLY. They don't want to go on your stuffies, your couch, etc. They stay on your head. Doing a quick vacuum(in case one has lost it's way) and running everything non-washable through the dryer on high heat (heat kills them), is sufficient. Water can't 'drown' them or else they'd drown on your head.

So stop wasting water. Pop the stuffies in the dryer on high heat. Same with the pillows/pillowcases.

Bolding mine. Correct the flat iron may kill the nits. The problem is, they live so close to the scalp that it is impossible to get the flat iron close enough to get them all. While they prefer to live on human heads they may have fallen off and can be transferred. That is one of the ways others can get lice. There was a poster who mentioned that they picked hairs with nits from their DD's head and placed them in a plastic bag. They hatched a few days later. That's enough to get me to keep washing. The gestation period of a nit is 5 - 7 days and it takes another 7 days for them to be able to lay eggs. So, if a hair with a nit falls on a pillow, blanket etc and another person (or the original carrier) gets that hair on their head it is quite possible to start the cycle all over again. I'd much rather do the wash and vacuum every night than take the chance of a reinfestation.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

First of all, if you are picking nits out after paying $1,000 to someone else to do it I most certainly would call them back and ask them for some money back or tell them to do a recheck for free. No reason you should be finding them after investing so much $$$ to do that.

Secondly, keep doing what you are doing. Did you put a shower cap on once the olive oil was in? Definitely keep doing it, all it takes is 1 missed nit to hatch and the whole cycle starts again. No need to keep using the lice shampoo though, unless you see live lice. That is all it will kill. It doesn't do anything for the nits. You may want to try Dawn dish detergent to wash the oil out. I did it in the kitchen sink. I picked thru/checked my DD8's hair for 10 days (overkill, I know I didn't find any nits after day 2 but I still kept checking.) and then on day 10 I did the second treatment of the Rid. Nobody else in the house got them nor did anyone in her class.

Since then, we have been using the Fairytales shampoo, conditioner and spray. So far she has been lice free even though there have been other episodes in her class.

Keep it up!

ITA!! We never found any nits after they left. They were as clean as can be. Get them back out for free.That being said I continued Olive oil & nit combing for a month afterwards. We washed sheets & towels daily for 2 weeks.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

1,000 dollars for lice removal? Im in the wrong business!

 

[mefordis]

I know how to do laundry and where everything goes and how I want it done. However, I don't know how to pick nits and treat lice with special shampoo and oil. Plus I didn't even have the stuff I needed on hand -- it was evening. I was doing mattress pads, linens, sheets, vacuuming, spraying, etc. Not just a few loads of laundry and folding. Also making the beds, etc.

Also, who could I find to come in and do my laundry from 9pm - 1:30 am -- which is when I was doing it while the lice treatment girl was here taking care of our heads.

I know at first look it makes sense but logistically and practically speaking, there really is no one who I could call to do my laundry while I tried to treat the lice myself, knowing nothing about it.

However, now I know what to do myself after all this experience and I'll only need to hire someone to check my own head.

You could have someone come in to do the laundry. It'll be a lot cheaper than the $150 an hour the nit picker charged.

 

[mefordis]

I hear ya about paying the $$ and still finding more nits. I was upset at first but I realize that they got MOST of them and dd's head was crawling with live ones so I really had to get someone out here to help me, and they came here at 9 am and stayed until 1:30 am. It was a psychological thing, too. I was freaking out and I needed some help. I was alone with the kids with no help. Now I feel empowered to do it myself if there is a next time. Also, I realize I'll be doing this process for the rest of the month.

Now, about the shower cap. I drench her scalp in oil that also has a repellant of tea tree oil, rosemary, cinnamon, and other ingredients. HOWEVER she will not wear a shower cap so I just wrap it in a bun. Both kids. Is that okay? Every single night I do the oil then wash it out the next morning. My little one keeps the oil in her hair all day and I wash it out at night in the bath then I put more on overnight, braid her hair and let her sleep in it.

These products they sold me smell GREAT by the way.

First of all, if you are picking nits out after paying $1,000 to someone else to do it I most certainly would call them back and ask them for some money back or tell them to do a recheck for free. No reason you should be finding them after investing so much $$$ to do that.

Secondly, keep doing what you are doing. Did you put a shower cap on once the olive oil was in? Definitely keep doing it, all it takes is 1 missed nit to hatch and the whole cycle starts again. No need to keep using the lice shampoo though, unless you see live lice. That is all it will kill. It doesn't do anything for the nits. You may want to try Dawn dish detergent to wash the oil out. I did it in the kitchen sink. I picked thru/checked my DD8's hair for 10 days (overkill, I know I didn't find any nits after day 2 but I still kept checking.) and then on day 10 I did the second treatment of the Rid. Nobody else in the house got them nor did anyone in her class.

Since then, we have been using the Fairytales shampoo, conditioner and spray. So far she has been lice free even though there have been other episodes in her class.

Keep it up!

 

[ccgirl]

I hear ya about paying the $$ and still finding more nits. I was upset at first but I realize that they got MOST of them and dd's head was crawling with live ones so I really had to get someone out here to help me, and they came here at 9 am and stayed until 1:30 am. It was a psychological thing, too. I was freaking out and I needed some help. I was alone with the kids with no help. Now I feel empowered to do it myself if there is a next time. Also, I realize I'll be doing this process for the rest of the month.

Now, about the shower cap. I drench her scalp in oil that also has a repellant of tea tree oil, rosemary, cinnamon, and other ingredients. HOWEVER she will not wear a shower cap so I just wrap it in a bun. Both kids. Is that okay? Every single night I do the oil then wash it out the next morning. My little one keeps the oil in her hair all day and I wash it out at night in the bath then I put more on overnight, braid her hair and let her sleep in it.

These products they sold me smell GREAT by the way.

As far as is it okay....it probably is. However, I told her that way we wouldn't spread the little buggers! The oil suffocates them so they didn't move but I was freaked out as well! Then, when you pick them out you can swear they are in your hair even if they are not. Ewww...

Plus, I didn't want the oil to stain so I insisted on the shower cap. My DD was such a great sport. She wore it for 7 straight nights. Her reward was a lobster dinner. Don't feel too bad about the $$. Doing it myself and purchasing all the shampoos and everything else I was still probably close to $200 and that was for 1 person. Had I known about the "nit picker" prior to my doing it I probably would have hired someone too. They can be easy to miss. The nurse missed them on my DD. I don't know how since I saw them crawling all around.

 

[robinb]

I hear ya about paying the $$ and still finding more nits. I was upset at first but I realize that they got MOST of them and dd's head was crawling with live ones so I really had to get someone out here to help me, and they came here at 9 am and stayed until 1:30 am. It was a psychological thing, too. I was freaking out and I needed some help. I was alone with the kids with no help. Now I feel empowered to do it myself if there is a next time. Also, I realize I'll be doing this process for the rest of the month.

Now, about the shower cap. I drench her scalp in oil that also has a repellant of tea tree oil, rosemary, cinnamon, and other ingredients. HOWEVER she will not wear a shower cap so I just wrap it in a bun. Both kids. Is that okay? Every single night I do the oil then wash it out the next morning. My little one keeps the oil in her hair all day and I wash it out at night in the bath then I put more on overnight, braid her hair and let her sleep in it.

These products they sold me smell GREAT by the way.

I think you should try to follow the advise of the professionals as closely as you can. They have already removed all the live lice (egg layers) and many of the eggs. Since most of the nasties are gone, I don't think you need to comb every day. I would comb every 3 days for 3 weeks to get any nymphs that were too small and any missed eggs that may hatch.

I think the shower cap is more for keeping your pillowcases clean than anything else. Putting her hair in a bun/braid will be just fine.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

$1000??? I bought the solution for 12 bucks and washed all our blankets and stuff and tied up the stuffies in bags, picked the nits, etc.. - if someone wants to pay me 1000 bucks to come do that at their house - sign me up - 3 boughts of lice and I am going to disneyland! LOL

 

[mefordis]

$1000??? I bought the solution for 12 bucks and washed all our blankets and stuff and tied up the stuffies in bags, picked the nits, etc.. - if someone wants to pay me 1000 bucks to come do that at their house - sign me up - 3 boughts of lice and I am going to disneyland! LOL

No kidding this seems to be a booming business, especially if you live in a fairly affluent area where parents can afford to pay the $$$.

 

[LisaNJ25]

All natural products to treat/prevent lice from Fairytale haircare -google it.
Not cheap but not too expensive.
The foam will remove nits/lice.
The use shampoo/conditioner/spray as barrier against new lice.
The only thing that worked when my daughter picked it up at school.
We used it starting with the new school the next year and avoided the lice.
Good luck. Cathy

I am thinking about buying the leave in spray. my 5yo just got his 3rd letter this year that its been found in his grade.

OP how are you doing today?

 

[ccgirl]

I am thinking about buying the leave in spray. my 5yo just got his 3rd letter this year that its been found in his grade.

OP how are you doing today?

I got the shampoo after going thru a bout of lice with my DD. I also have repellent spray. Two letters have gone home and she has yet to get it again. This last one I was concerned as it was her best friend along with a girl that set next to her. She didn't get it. I don't know if it was luck or the shampoo but the shampoo does smell really nice and her hair is healthier.

 

[delmar411]

Bolding mine. Correct the flat iron may kill the nits. The problem is, they live so close to the scalp that it is impossible to get the flat iron close enough to get them all.

You can flat iron directly next to the scalp. I say this with confidence and from experience. Successfully treated 2 cases of lice (separated by 2yrs) with a single flat iron treatment. Using a 1" flat iron with a high heat boost setting. Clearly this won't work with a squirming toddler but a preschooler knows what 'hot' is and should likely sit very still with the right bribe.

 

[mefordis]

I found 3 on my daughter's head yesterday, and I think one today (it was sooo small I had to dig it out between the teeth of the fine tooth comb). I also combed through when she got home today and didn't find a thing.

My 2 yr old looks clean as well.

I will do the oil tonight, then shampoo tomorrow and oil - basically both through the end of the month to make sure. And I'll go through their heads daily. I guess that is what it takes!

I feel better about spending the money now, but I know how to handle it myself next time. So I will NOT be spending on a service again. That is if we get lice again!

I am thinking about buying the leave in spray. my 5yo just got his 3rd letter this year that its been found in his grade.

OP how are you doing today?