Tips on How to Prevent Head Lice
How to Prevent Head Lice
Last week, I received a letter from Gabriella’s school stating that there have been reports of head lice at school.
My heart sank.
My stomach wrenched and as I read through the entire letter, I slowly started to freak out while bile erupted in my throat, okay, maybe not that last part.
Regardless, the pictures I researched after reading the letter definitely caused nausea.
It really gave me a swift kick in the rear end. It was an exact realization that head lice are a part of early school life, and quite frankly, it scares the heck out of me.
How Do I Prevent Them?
Well, I went through my entire school career without it. I remember nervously sitting there while a teacher carefully prodded my hair with a gloved hand that brandied a wooden apparatus.
Thankfully, always getting a clear.
Phew.
Well, I’m a huge advocate for prevention and awareness. Yes, even when it comes to pests, if you missed my post on bedbugs, you can find it here.
I believe prevention can aid in avoiding many a headache. Especially when it comes to illnesses AND parasites.
I’m going to share with you my tips on what I’ve been doing to keep my home head lice free.
1. Do Your Research
The head louse’s scientific term is Pediculus humanus capitis. There are 3 forms of head lice: nits, nymphs and mature adults.
Contrary to popular belief, lice do not fly. They are insects and are spread through close contact. Lice crawl onto clothing and other personal items and move onto a new host.
They then lay eggs, and spread the infestation.
What Do Lice Look Like?
Nits
Nits are essentially lice eggs. You can find them attached to the hair shaft. They can often be confused with dandruff or hair styling product residue. If you see one, you can use your nail to try to remove it. If it’s dandruff, it usually falls off but, if it’s a nit, it sticks.
Nymphs
Nits take about a week to hatch, once they do, they’re known as nymphs. They are usually tan in colour. This is their immature form and they mature in about 9-12 days.
Mature Adults
Once they’ve matured, they are roughly the size of 2 to 3 mm and are often compared to the size of a sesame seed. I’ve seen them a bit larger, to be honest. These lice will move from the head shaft to the scalp to essentially feed to survive.
If they are feeding, they can live for up to a month. If not, they usually die within 2 days.
2. Know How to Detect Head Lice
Once you know what you are looking for be meticulous and persistent in checking your child’s hair at least once a week.
They may not like it but, I’m sure they would like those critters in their hair much less.
I go as far as quickly checking my eldest’s hair every day in the morning as I do her hair. Make sure to check the back of the head and behind the ears. It is said to be a favourite hiding spot for these buggers.
Do Quick Checks
I usually look out for anything out of the norm. During the winter months, the scalp tends to be dryer and may cause flakes. Ensure that those “flakes” really result from a dry scalp by pulling it down the hair’s shaft.
If it is a flake, it will come off but, if it’s a nit–it won’t budge. Know the signs. If you notice that your child is continuously scratching their head or back of the neck, make sure to check for lice.
You can check by using a fine tooth comb and parting the hair in sections.
Look for tell-tale signs of lice, which are an itchy scalp, red spots on scalp or any rash-like bumps on the back of the neck.
If you do find these, it is a sign of infestation and you will have to treat your child’s hair. It is also advised that you quarantine everything your child has had contact with and disinfect it appropriately.
3. Don’t Share Personal Items
Make sure you teach your children to avoid sharing hats, hairbrushes, or sweaters. Teach them that some things just aren’t meant to be shared.
Advise them to store their coats in their own locker/cubby instead of piling them with other kids’ belongings. Lice can live on the belongings of a host for a couple of days.
Lice cannot jump on them but, transfer from direct head to head to contact from your child or with kids who have lice.
Advise them to keep their heads away from other people, simply said.
Kids will be kids, and they shouldn’t live in fear. If you know your child’s school has a lice outbreak, make sure to remind them to steer clear until the school gives a green light.
3. Sterilize Often
Clean all objects that your child uses on a regular basis. This is usually a normal protocol for us moms anyway.
Include sheets, pillowcases, combs, hairbrushes, hats etc. If your child has sleepovers or attends one, make sure he/she has their own sleeping bag and pillow.
When they come home, bag them and wash them at your earliest convenience. As aforementioned, this is what you’d most likely do anyways.
4. Put Tea Tree Oil in Your Shampoo or Buy Lice-Killing Shampoos
I think one of the most inexpensive ways to deter lice is to buy Tea Tree Oil
This is good for the whole family.
It doesn’t smell bad and once you dry your hair the smell is very minimal. There’s something about it that lice really don’t like.
I happily use it hoping that if my kids come home with lice, they may not want to make my head their new home.
Use Natural Options or Lice Repelling Shampoo
If you want to avoid and prevent lice naturally, try using a shampoo
They have fatty acids that break down the exoskeletons of the lice and kill them. You can also try shampoos and conditioners that contain tea tree oil, menthol or eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, lemongrass oil, rosemary oil and citronella.
They don’t like the smell and are less likely to stick around.
There are many shampoos on the market for both children and adults, and there are many to choose from. They also make conditioners, de-tangler sprays and styling gels. I used to use Zippity Doos but, they went out of business.
There are other brands make natural shampoos and conditioners that won’t hurt your kids.
5. Use Lice Preventing Spray
One of the things that I have used to prevent head lice from entering our home is lice preventing spray.
I stockpiled ZippityDoo’s spray that you can spray on backpacks and clothes. This same line also sells hair spray and gel that prevents lice and is all-natural. Unfortunately, ZippityDoos is not on the market anymore.
If you can’t find this brand in particular, I know that there are many brands out there that sell similar products.
Once you choose a brand, you can get the spray to at least protect their bags and coats so that lice doesn’t hitch a ride into your home.
6. Treat Lice
Just know that with school-aged children. This is VERY common, there is a stigma behind head lice since yes, they are gross.
Just know that head lice don’t choose “dirty” people. Lice don’t discriminate and actually prefer clean hair.
If you can’t prevent head lice and your child comes home with it, don’t fret. You can effectively get rid of lice with the proper treatment at home.
Treating head lice requires using lice killing shampoo. Be sure to follow the instructions thoroughly. Apply the treatment over a sink, fully clothes, and avoid getting the treatment anywhere else on your body.
Use a lice comb to remove all the nits. If it’s available in your area, you can hire someone to help you. They use AirAlle and vacuum the little buggers.
Clean Your Home Thoroughly
To clean your home, use hot water and hot heat when laundering anything you or your child have been in contact with. Vacuum rugs, upholstery, and floors to pick up any hair that might have eggs.
Lice and nits die when they’re exposed to temps higher than 130 F for more than 5 minutes. If the item cannot be laundered, bag them and seal them in a bag for two weeks.
Enjoy Your Life
Most importantly, LIVE your life and be happy! It doesn’t take me very long to do quick little checks and they have become a part of our daily routine.
It doesn’t take over our lives. Lice infestations may happen or may never happen. The more you know the better!
Since I received the school newsletter about other kids having lice, I have been using a lice-scaring shampoo that is an all-natural, mild shampoo safe to use every day on children’s hair.
It is made with natural ingredients, including Lemongrass, Rosemary, Geranium Extracts, Tea Tree Oil, Ginger and Lavender, which helps keep those suckers away.
We’ve used the shampoo and it has helped in preventing lice but, I’ve also followed the all these ways to prevent head lice tips as well.
But, I will continue to try to prevent from having to deal with it and you can too!
Lets not even give them the chance.
How do you prevent head lice?
Let me know, til then, cheers m’deres!
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Nancy Polanco is a freelance journalist, lifestyle content creator, and editor of Whispered Inspirations. She is a proud Mom to Gabby and Michaela and partner and best friend to Darasak. Having worked as part of a health care team for almost a decade, Nancy is happy to be back to her passion. She is a contributor to the Huffington Post, TODAY’s Parents, and an Oprah Magazine Brand Ambassador.
Ewwww. Lice. I'm happy to say we haven't had any lice run-ins yet *crosses fingers, knocks wood*
*knocking on wood with you* Me neither, but I really hope everyone would be more vigilant with their kids. I know it's borderline paranoid but, I sure don't want any inhabitants living in my hair or feasting on well, me.
YUCK.
Haha!
thanks for the info
My pleasure. 🙂
OMG, thanks so much for this article.
I hope NEVER ever. I am scared thinking about it.
LOL, I'm with you on that! It's pretty common between the ages of 4-10 I read, oh Lawdy!
no that not true cuz I m 12 with lice most play out or school noting help me
Sorry to hear that!
Haha! The pictures creep me out!
Ewwwwww!
OMG Nancy…I've got shivers…and not the good kind.
Thanks so much for this info and the product recc. I think I'm going to get some too.
I am like you & made it through my school days without an infestation & I don't think I'd handle it very well if Little S came home with Lice!
Yikes. That made me itch just reading it.
Thanks for the info though.
Kevin, I know! The whole time I felt all itchy and squirmy! It's funny how it's psychological! No problem, hope it's useful in some way! Keep those buggers away! 😛
i've got the shivers also from reading it
Oh Kelly, it creeps me out. I really hope she can make it through like we did and not get them. That's why, I'm willing to do anything in my power to avoid them, but I don't want to her hurt in any way by doing so.
I've found you from the Canadian Blog Hop! So glad to have found you–seems like we are 2 peas in a pod, you and me 🙂 I'm a germ-a-phobe too!
I have been using http://www.fairytaleshaircare.com/ in my daughter's hair since she started Kindergarten!
Great post 😉
Germaphobe indeed! That's great, seems like they are similar brands! Anything to keep those suckers away I say!
Was using that product and my son got it twice in less than 2 months
Sorry to hear that, my experience with the shampoo has been really good and as well as the prevention steps that I take to make sure that my girls don\’t get it. I\’m sorry to hear that it didn\’t work for you.
Which product didnt work for your house? My 6 yr olds class has it and wont keep them home if they do so my child has been home because I had it as a pre teen and remember how expensive and hard it was on my mom to get rid of them. I need to put her back in school so need something to put in her hair to keep her from getting it.
Oh and P.S. where can you buy the products you've been using in Canada? I looked on their website, but couldn't find any places in Canada to purchase?
That is odd. I've found them when I shop over in Detroit. I'm literally a bridge away so I can buy it from the American suppliers. I will have a review and giveaway coming soon and will contact them for more information for us Canadians!
Omg brings back memories. When I was a kid I got it three times! I had super long hair and used to spend the night at a friend's house who got it frequently until my mom banned me until her parents took care of business lol. Luckily my boys have super short hair and it's easy to check them. I do checks like at school every two weeks and we use a preventative shampoo from Lice Squad. Great post with great info!
I never had it as a kid, thankfully! But, that was probably luck. I use ZippityDoos for Gabs. I have two girls, if I had boys. I'd bust out the razor!
Ugh. Lice! DD had it when she was 5- and had waist long hair. I swear by tea tree oil. A dot at the base of your neck. She hasn't had it since (thank goodness!)
They're yucky little buggers. I use ZippityDoos and haven't had a problem, this last Friday they had checks and Gabs came home lice-free. It contains tea tree oil too.
Hi I have 7 kids and I’m sacred to death of all bugs
Expecially,the ones that are on my babies but ,I’ve learned
That while u do ur kids hair rub baby oil or lotion in the hair
Every morning befor school I promise it Works . I live in phx
az and ther is a lot of lice problems in school here but
They don’t make it on my kids I swear by baby oil lice hates it .
awesome article and my poor head it itching just reading about it.
All good reminders.
We, unfortunately have had head lice. The first thing I did was coat my daughters hair in olive oil and a shower cap. (Lice breathe through their skin so we smothered live ones.) We left her like that for about half hour, while I ran to buy some tea tree oil (we were out).
We added the tea tree oil to some basic kids shampoo and washed the oil out (that wasn't easy). Then each day for a few days we shampooed her hair again.
We may have caught her early as we never had more bugs, but this method was much nicer than using RIT or NIX.
After that, before she goes to school I either dab her behind the ears with tea tree oil or lavender oil. And we've been advised to pull her hair into braids and to use a small spritz of hairspray.
Yucky times for sure! glad you guys didn't actually have it.
I have had lice 4 times in 14 years. I don't know what I am doing or not doing to get it, but it sucks. I hate the shampoo and comb but it's not as bad as you would think. You only ugly the shampoo twice and you have a 2 week time period in the end. But I HATE getting it.
Just a word to help those who have never seen what hair looks like with lice and or nits: those photos are no doubt accurate but are extreme from my experience. The nits do not always look so obvious. They can be much smaller and rather transparent looking, so check carefully. There may not be an obvious rash or terrible marks like those in the photos. There could be subtle smaller pink spots where biting occurs. Important to be familiar with all the ways they can appear and check vigilantly. Best of luck, and yes, teaching kids prevention habits is a great measure. I had very long hair and was horrified when I had an itch in class (middle school, horror of horrors) and when my fingernail came back there was a tiny critter on it. Longest day of my life. The shuddering and shame. Important to teach kids that they like clean hair and anyone can get them, so it's not shameful. But at certain ages, peer influence and concern over that can still prevail.
I am currently battling this with my 7 year old daughter. She had head lice on Friday. I have to support what Malia said. My daughter had 28 bugs but no signs of those dark red bites. She had no giant nits. Instead, she still has the tiniest coffee colored specks that come out with work and a lice comb. We have used Lice Md. It is not a neurotoxin. We are using tea tree oil in a water bottle diluted with water to shake and spray on furniture and in the car. Each day our bedding goes straight into the dryer on high heat for longer than 20 minutes. I have bagged all of the stuffed animals for two weeks. I am straight ironing my daughter's hair after blow drying it. She is wearing buns and we are drying the backpack and any coats in the dryer as soon as she gets off the bus. Apparently lice can smell if a head has been a good host and they are likely to re-infest. We are using peppermint, rosemary, and tea tree oil product to disguise the scent for the critters. It IS Gross, but really not the worst thing I have been through. I have read over and over Comb, Comb, Comb, Comb!!!
Unfortunately my daughter has had head lice twice….and she came home last week talking about a girl in her class that the kids are saying has head lice….i am terrified and have been picking at her and her hair like a monkey for the last few days! The first time she got it was in 2nd grade, she got it from their field day at school…they had a sponge race where the kids on a team had to hold a sponge together with their heads and carry it across the finish line…2 days later found a single louse in her hair that had laid about 10 eggs at that point. Since I found it early on got rid of it quickly…but that didn't keep me from cleaning everything in the house. She got again in 3rd grade from the locker mate she had…uuugghh!!! Again caught it early on and got rid of quickly!!! I am praying she doesn't get again cuz it is alot of work to clean everything!! We use tea tree shampoo on a regular basis and blow dry her hair after her showers…thanks for the tip on tea tree oil on back of neck will definitely do that especially for awhile since worried about it in her classroom!!! Just one last thing the eggs we found the first time in her hair were brown little seed pod looking things….they were not white or translucent…must be because caught so early on!!!
I am dealing with it now.I have 2 daughters and a son. My girls are older (13 and 16). Its my 13 year old that has it and its frustrating as normally they dont get it at that age. I am using all the tricks and am OCD about it literally. I am going to use more of your ideas about the lavender and rosemary.
Great article! My daughter's class (24 students) has an infestation and I just went to the store to get tea tree oil… 8 kids were sent home between Friday and today… Sent this link to school administration in the hopes parents get educated… Most of the parents of those 8 kids got rid of the bugs but nit the eggs!
Hair dye also kills lice and breaks down the coating of the nits, but I wouldn’t recommend using it on kids! I’ve had it all through out my high school bc of my neighbor, so I’m a veteran. Nits aren’t always white or brown. They can be blonde, red or black. Especially if you dyed your hair but didn’t comb after.I have chest-length hair and its very curly and thick so combing is a pain, and my school has regular break outs.
No it doesn't. Please don't rely on that as a method of lice treatment as you will only contribute to the continued spread.
Hmm, what is that? I am not sure to what method you are referring to. As stated in Step 6, just live and enjoy life. You can do your best to avoid or prevent lice but it is NEVER 100% guaranteed. These are simple methods I have used to keep my daughter lice-free, that have worked for me. 🙂 How do you propose to stop the spread?
Yes hair dye does kill them!
Yes actually hair dye does in fact kill lice.
Thanks foe the help!!
You are very welcome!
Thank you very much… Right now is the season… I'm gonna cross my fingers and hope these tips work..
oh.im very tnkful dat i know how 2 prevent lice.
PREVENTION..I have gone the extra step and when my child comes home from school her jacket and back pack go in the dryer for 30 min. Heat from a dryer or hair drier will also kill lice.I also use the spray to kill lice on my car seats weekly while there is an outbreak in the area. 4 times this year notes from school about lice and we have not got em yet.
This is a great way to prevent lice. I am always checking too and taking preventative measures. 🙂
Thanks for these useful tips try mouthwash mixed with water and spray in hair everyday as a preventative…it works(:
That is interesting! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hi. Few years ago I had lice. I got rid of it and I have never had problems with it up to now. There is a girl in my class and I am sure that she has lice, because she is scraching her head all the time and when she separeted her hair in two in the back, I saw so many nits/eggs.
I am so affraid, that I can get them again…. What should I do??
Stella.
Go to a Walgreen's and buy Licefreee shampoo. Apply as normal shampoo lather and rinse. Then re-apply again and leave on for 3 minutes. Rinse. It is safe to use everyday but you can use once a week and still be okay. Or use when you think you have been in contact with an infected person.
I'd tell her if she is a friend as only way she is going to know she has them x
I have to say..as a parent of all girls and living in an area very prone to lice because of the extreme heat .. we have had our share of lice battles. Currently we are fighting anofher but thankfully we caught it on time before it got worse. I have to tell you..the egg pictures up there are NOT what they look like at all. They camouflage very well with hair..and so do the darned little bugs. They are smaller..much smaller than those in the pic. They are about the size or smaller than a sesame seed. If anything they look like poppy seeds. We use mayo after shampooing with medicated stuff. The medicated shampoo dries the eggs… the mayo suffocates the bugs. Also having short hair is much easier. Sadly I just cut off about 6 inches off of my daughter…she had her hair down to the small of her back it is hard to deal witb but no impossible. For boys…easily taken care off by giving fhem a buzz cut.
Thank-you for sharing! I believe they are much flatter as well. I guess I should find a better picture. Not having taken the picture myself, it\’s hard to find a good one. 🙂 But, thanks for adding your input. It is much appreciated. As a parent it is something we will all face at one point or another. Mayo sounds like a great idea too. My daughter has long hair like that!
My girls had it a few years ago. Both of my girls have very long hair and one is extremely curly. When we went to the drug store to buy the typical treatment the young girl at the counter laughed and said none of this stuff worked on her when she had it. She said that she had to use vasoline and Saran Wrap ( kept it on for 1/2 hour) so of course my husband went back to grab the biggest jar he could find……lets just say vasoline and hair are not a good combo. It took a whole other method to get that out but it did smother the little suckers. My Dr. Later said to use olive oil and Saran Wrap…ugh. We were very diligent about using the combs and going through their hair 2 x a day to get the nits. We also found that you can use vinegar and Saran Wrap to loosen the glue of the nits to get them out easier.
Their schools policy was to keep them out of school until the nurse checked and could see that there were no visible nits. Found them on a Monday and they were back in school by Friday.
My pride at first was a little bruised but I do not want parents to have to go through the same thing. I was not notified by their school, I called them and I also called the parents of a birthday party that they had been to the previous weekend……knowledge and prevention are key.
I use tea tree oil in their shampoo (but it can dry out the skin on their scalp) as you stated in your article and will look for the products you mentioned
Thank you for your article
Beth
We just received notice of lice in several families at my children's small school; they actually cancelled today because of it (so parents will have time to check kids' heads and they have time to clean the environments).
My children have never had lice, and I think that is in large part due to diet — a healthy body is actually a less hospitable host for parasites. I'm in the middle of writing a blog post about this to share what I've learned, so stay tuned.
The BEST prevention is from Licefreee which you can get at almost every Walgreen's. It comes three ways; 1. a spray that smells of licorice and the louse dies instantly. 2. gel treatment and 3. preventive shampoo. I use the shampoo once a week unless I am told my granddaughter has nits…I run for the shower! I made it through 12 years of schooling lice free until I turned 20 and then again at 40(infested). I AM SO DONE! To use the shampoo apply about the same as normal shampoo and lather massaging the scalp. Rinse then apply shampoo again. Leave on for three minutes then rinse. The smell is a bit strong until your hair dries. I swear by this brand and would not use any other. GET THE SHAMPOO! I don't know about other areas but in my area it costs about $12 for a 4 oz. tube but IT IS WELL WORTH IT!
lol … i seriously doubt diet has anything to do with lice. what evidence do you have to support that? i have never had lice but my daughter has and i eat way worse then she does.
Hmm, I don\’t see anywhere in my article where I list that diet has anything to do with lice.
There was somebody that made a comment above stating that diet had something to do with getting lice. I believe that is rediculous, it has nothing to do with diet or hygiene, just bad luck and being around someone that has/had them.
Hmm, I don\’t see anywhere in my article where I list that diet has anything to do with lice.
Great tips, I must admit, just the pictures though were making my head itchy!
in my head there is lot of lice. i don't know how avoid this all then i read this now i got some tips to avoid lice. they are so irritating me from every time. if i keep my hair in new hairstyle the lice will be seeing so i am so ashamed to any where .
Oh no, I hope this helps. Good luck!
Is the prevention shampoo nd spray only available in America ect as in scotland and looking for prevention treatment for my 5 year old this is the 2nd time she had them so trying anything nd everything 🙂 ?
I\’m not sure if it is. I know that it is available in the US and CAN for sure.
You can always order at http://www.walgreens.com
I am not sure Nikki. I know it\’s available in US and Canada.
I am not sure Nikki. I know it\’s available in US and Canada.
I have had to deal with this horrid experience for now 4 years. The last bout was 2 summers ago and it took nearly 8 weeks to get rid of. I laundered till the cows came home, I tried Rid and mayo and olive oil and coconut oil and even listerine. I had saved money to take the kids to Universal Studios and had to use the funds to deal with this problem. I did over 15 loads of laundry which cost a fortune and up and down 2 flights of stairs over 2 days. Sheets towels, cloths, for 3. I spent a fortune on products. My hair was destroyed. and I had no one to help me with the infestation on my own head. Finally I thought I had beat this and school started and 2 weeks later we began the process all over again. This started in 1st grade then 2nd then 3rd and 4th. Yesterday I got an email from school that they were found in students again! I with drew my son from school. I am not made of money and can hardly afford to do laundry on a regular basis much less battle this problem. I work as a model and do commercials now and I would lose my job over this. A lice can jump 9" onto the next person. I have read everything there is to read about this. When my eldest daughter went to school we never had a problem in her first 5 years, this last 5 years has been over whelming. Anyone who says you can deal with this and under estimates the toll it takes makes me think I must be the only one who feels this is a huge problem.
OMG, I am sorry you have had it so rough. 5 years, that is CRAZY. Wish you all the best.
I want to print it but I can't
You made me itchy. Thanks 🙂 I have heard from many that Tea Tree Oil Products are amazing both for lice and not for lice.
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Talking about it always makes me itchy! LOL, sorry! Yes, tea tree oil is great for many things
I didn't know that tea tree oil could help prevent lice! My shampoo has tea tree oil in it!
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That is awesome!
Lice is so gross. I didn't know that you could prevent it with tea tree oil. Good to know!
Lice sure is nasty. :S I think it helps–that is for sure.
These at wall excellent tips! Looking every morning is really smart because by the time they’re scratching, it’s probably spread all over the house!
Stupid spell check! That’s supposed to say are all – not at wall! LOL!
People may think that it is a bit much but, seriously–it takes a few minutes to look at the suspected areas.
I hope the lice stay away! I haven't had to deal with it, but know people who have and it sounds like a lot of work to get rid of lice.
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I know!!! I do not want to deal with it.
I hope the lice stay away! I haven't had to deal with it, but know people who have and it sounds like a lot of work to get rid of lice.
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Same here, ever since Gabby started school, I looked into ways to prevent them. The more natural, the better.
We use shampoos and conditioners with ingredients like tea tree oil to repel live naturally. I love in fear of lice
Yup, we definitely use tea tree oil. I live in fear of it too and I am vigilant. 🙂
UGH I dread that letter! I use a lice prevention spray in my daughters hair and on her belongings and we use a shampoo for it too.
Great tips. The mistake we made the first time those stinking buts showed up in our home was that we had mistaken the symptoms for dandruff (or the kids just not rinsing the shampoo out well.) Itch, itch, itch. It was horrible that first time but we've gotten the hang of it and keep the supplies stocked just in case.
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Well, you never suspect those buggers! I always check her everyday and inconspicuously though, sorry to make you itchy! 😛
Ew. Gross! We had a lice outbreak when I was in elementary. It got so bad that they had the teachers check your head before they let you stay at school! Prevention is way better then treatment! Yikes
WOW, omigoodness. That is nuts!
That letter home always makes me itchy. In fact, I'm itchy right now. Thankfully we've never had to deal with it, but bookmarking this post for some great prevention tips. *scratch scratch*
LOL, same here. Second one this year, thought I would share this. 😛
Wow, thanks for all of this info! We someone skirted by w/o any lice yet.. .thank goodness. This is an awesome go-to guide.. thank you for sharing! I'll pass on to my friends w/ school age kiddos!
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Thank-you! We have avoided it too, so far! 😀
this creeps me out, this has recently gone around in our Bible Study so thankful my kids and I did not get it. I use Fairy Tales products which repels lice.
Thanks! I am always looking for new things to try. 😀
Oh, head lice is a terrible, terrible thing. When I was a teenager, I babysat a girl who had gotten head lice. She had a head full of very long, thick and unruly dark colored hair, and it took FOREVER for her to get rid of the head lice. Her mother had to treat her hair constantly and comb through it. Prevention is definitely key when dealing with head lice!
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It takes only a few minutes and though these tips are not proven, they have worked for me since 2009 when my DD started school.
Ugh. I just got the letter home from school yesterday! Makes me panic every time we get it!
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Me too! This is our second letter this year. :S
So nasty!! I dread this! Going to check out that shampoo now!
My daughter had lice when she was tiny. it was an absolutely HORRIBLE thing to go through!
I can only imagine, we have been lucky and vigilant to not have gotten it yet. But, we still have a ways to go and have a new little one starting in the fall.
ugh, i am not a fan of dealing with lice. I worked at a summer camp in college and had to deal with it almost weekly.
Omigoodness, I would go nuts! I never want to deal with them.
Luckily we haven't dealt with this but this is a great article!! I'm sharing this on pinterest!
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Luckily we haven't dealt with this but this is a great article!! I'm sharing this on pinterest!
My recent post Spotlight Stories App For Android – Let Your Kids Explore The Wild!
Luckily we haven't dealt with this but this is a great article!! I'm sharing this on pinterest!
My recent post Spotlight Stories App For Android – Let Your Kids Explore The Wild!
Thank-you for sharing!
While my children have never had it yet *cough* I do remember getting it once as a child and sitting for what seemed like all night while my father combed through my hair picking out each and everyone. It is a vivid memory that I will not be soon forgetting.
It happens, they do not discriminate. I have read that they prefer clean hair.
i am wondering where to get the zippity doo's products im not sure if they are sold in a store near me i have been dealing with lice for over 2 years on and off with my now 6 year old daughter ive tried the tea tree oil and it doesnt seem to work i have also tried the lice free spray that they sell and that doesnt work either
I\’m not sure if they are sold anymore. I have a link above to an e-store that does. Good luck, sorry I couldn\’t be more help.
Yeah we're going through this now. My 5 year old daughter got it at school and passed onto me. I caught it early and have done the special hot air treatment that is supposed to kill the eggs and any live ones and have been combing a couple of times a day now to get rid of everything. Along with washing laundry and drying in the hot dryer for ages. I have a spray that I use on my kids hair daily though – tea tree oil mostly with a couple of other things in it like lavender, peppermint. I have been using this for years so I have a really hard time with understanding how she still got it 🙁 . I don't usually obsess over things but this has given me a serious case of OCD. Worst part is that now I don't want to get too close to anyone and give hugs and cuddles because I am so freaked out about this all.
Do the best you can but, enjoy your life. It is too short not to, right? 🙂
For those of you who have boys in little league baseball, check your son's hair frequently due to the sharing of batting helmets. I'm not sure what the best way might be to sterilize a batting helmet, perhaps someone has a proven method out there?
Good tip!
Now that kids/teens take those group selfie shots with their phones, head like in middle and high schools are on the rise.
Best treatment I have found is a spray called Lice something or other……Read the label to find out it is scented salt water. Simple add peppermint, tea tree and/or another essential oil to hot water and salt. Apply to hair, saturating everything. Wrap head in a towel for 15 minutes and then let air dry. Repeat the process with vinegar water. The salt water kills the lice and vinegar water helps release the "glue" in the nits.
Prevention – add essential oils to your shampoo or conditioner.
At least your schools notify you…..o always find out from my child that someone in class has it…..we have NEVER been notified….. And in one of my kids classes a few years back, 6 kids had it, but they never let parents know. 🙁
OMG, that is crazy. They should notify!
Great tips for preventing head lice. I recall the times we had when our boys were in elementary and they were sent home with a letter on what to do when lice was discovered in their class. My very first reaction was shock. I couldn't believe this would ever be a problem in this day and age.
It is a scary thing but, it is always good to check. 🙂
Wow thank god u guys wrote this article lots of help if anyone gets lice in our family NO JINX'S
yes lice is quite a nightmare! we enlisted the help of the Lice Squad when our family experienced it!
There was an outbreak at my girls' school recently. Fortunately, they avoided it but I am going to start putting tea tree oil in their shampoo. Great tips.
Thanks, hope they help!
Lots of useful advice and tips here. One of my daughter's (long curly hair!) caught lice at school. It was a real pain going through her hair daily with a nit comb to make sure we got them all. Poor kid, it must have been pretty painful for her, tears were rolling down her cheeks by the time we'd done. It seemed that it was always the same child who brought them into class and no one noticed until someone else caught them.
Thanks for the tips, thankfully it has not been something I have had to deal with yet.
I remember my mom telling me i picked up lice at school in grade one,that was many years ago but it still creeps me out when I hear talk of it.
Me too!
Thanks for the preventative tips,i would much rather prevent than deal with them!
Besides tea tree and rosemary I was told coconut oil isn’t liked either or get coconut essence shampoo and conditioner. Sauve has one cheap. Box dye is the quickest too. Get yours or your kids matching color. It’s not good for hair really but the nix isn’t either. Listerine trick works and hot oil treatment and flat ironing too. Good luck to anyone who gets it.
Wow, thanks for all of the great tips! 🙂
Thank u for the tips now I can be calm and follow your tips
You are very welcome, hope it helps!
I am dealing with this right now. It has been a month now. Not sure what I’m doing different than the people who seem to get rid of it in a few days.(good for them 🙂 But I think it just has to do w how the cookie crumbles sometimes. Lol 🙂 but my advice would be to call you Dr and do what they say. I didn’t know this right away and tried to figure it all out on my own through the internet but became overwhelmed w all the diff ways to try to treat and overcome the darn things. The eggs that I found on my daughters hair were dark. When I was looking before the fact I was looking for white stuff. To let you know apparently they can be all diff colors. But make sure you call your Dr. I didn’t know to do this until I came across it on Google. In my opinion it was the best advice I found. So if you think you have it, call your Dr. !!!!!
My daughter 7yr, just got her first episode of having lice. Uugghh , mommy my head itches I ran over carefully went through her hair and found two louse, ran to the store bought her some stuff to rid it and after combing it found 5 more louse… for some reason no nits/eggs… Thank goodness!!!! But found this article looking for ways to keep her from getting it again…definitely gonna give this a try.. 🙂
Hope it works! Luckily you did not have nits!
Ahhhh…Hi I'm a mom in Ireland….post traumatic stress..just after the Christmas holidays when my 9 year old gorgeous daughter was back to school..came home complaining of itchy scalp…..it was my worst nightmare. I'm the type who could handle a tarantula, but the dreaded almost invisible louse had me running for the hills for years. Yes…it finally hit……..I was so freaked….in fact 3 weeks on I'm still traumatised. I immeditately took her to the chemist…who verified nits (nape of neck)…..immediately treated her and all of us {thankfully it hadn't spread to the rest of us}. However, God love my little angel….she could see my angst! I fine combed her for weeks afterwards…a social problem for sure….thankfully I never saw a creepy crawly….but removed little nitty things…..I have to say though…it totally freaked me out…I pride myself on an uber clean home and bathe my children every night,,,,,,,am totally paranoid now….constantly thinking is there a bug in their homework!!!!! Help!!!!
It can be pretty traumatizing! Glad it was taken care of.
Thanks for this great post,i remember my mom telling my i got lice in grade one to this day just the thought of it makes my skin crawl.
Thanks for the information!
I shared on FB for family and friends,well written post with much information
OMG i would much rather prevent them than deal with them,those photos really creep me out
Totally, they are yucky!
So this weekend my daughter started complaining of an itchy head. She's 7. I looked but didn't see anything. I have bad eye site and have never dealt with lice before. I went to check on her this evening while she was sleeping and sure enough I saw a lice on her check. I'm heartbroken, that my baby has to deal with this. Her school doesn't send he home kids win lice. Help.
Sorry to hear that! Get her a treatment as soon as you can. 🙂
When my children were young, they came home from school with headlice a few times…..once I started putting teatree oil in the shampoo trick, we never had headlice in the house again!
We do that too!
I’m 14 and I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had lice. It started when I was 13 and I don’t know what I’ve been doing wrong. I’ve done all the over the counter meds and none worked. They just kept coming back. I will definitely try these tips. I hope it works because after a month clean, last night I found one again. I already tried tea tree oil in my shampoo but I’ll try everything else. If anyone reads this please help me, I’m tired of not hanging out with my friends because I have this. It would mean so much if people would reply.
Hopefully your parents can help you to get you the treatment you need to kill the lice. After that, you need to remove the nits and eggs. You need to wash everything, sheets, toys etc. If you do not effectively do that, they will continue to hatch and spread. Talk to your parents/adults so they can help you.
We washed everything in hot water each time and sprayed all of my stuff including all the carpets and my mattress. We go through it but maybe the nits don’t come out. Idk but I’m not gonna let this ruin my life, I’m just gonna try and be positive about everything
Hope it clears up for you. Make sure you are removing all nits from the hair after the treatment!
Great Read! I have known a lot of students to get head lice! I will pass this on the the many parents who will benefit from reading this!
Thanks for passing it along. 🙂
I am so creepy out by those bugs
how to keep niits away spay hair daly with perfume as a teen i was allways spaying my hair with perfume and cant recall having one case of nitts scolls shold allow teens to wear perfum e at scoll with the condishon it in the hair my opiniom it wold reduce the case of nitts in school
Unfortunately lice don’t discriminate. It seems the love the thick hair. My oldest had it so many times we moved! Lice free for 9 years then bam! My 8 year old comes home with it. Thankfully it was early enough that mayo on the hair for 2 hours and then coconut oil mixed with lavender and peppermint essential oils for another hour then washed with shampoo with both of the oils in it took care of it. I am a freak about these things due to my oldest getting it so often so we sat outside as I meticulously combed through her hair. Glad to say gone. My youngest and I did not get it but we still use the shampoo to keep them at bay.
Glad you were able to keep it at bay.
We use LiceLogic. They have a lice treatment shampoo that kills lice and nits, and we also use the LiceLogic repel spray, shampoo, and conditioner. Our local lice salon carries them and they work! No lice since!
Glad you found something that works!
I’ve been using a pepppermint spray for prevention and would you believe my kiddo is the ONLY one in her class to have never gotten lice? small mom win for me!
That’s awesome! Any way to prevent those little suckers from getting into your hair is a bonus!
I have not had head lice, but thank you for the tips as you never know.
It’s horrible! Try to prevent them any way you can!
These are great tips to prevent head lice.Although it’s an icky subject to tal about it’s great to read this informative feature and be prepared just in case. I have heard some great things about tea tree oil being added to your shampoo.I was surprised to hear that coconut oil and the others are also good. Thank you for the great post.
You’re welcome Wanda! It is a icky subject but we gotta prevent them any way we can!
I will be buying some tree tea oil before they go back to School this year,these bugs creep me out!
They creep me out too! Yuck!
I worked at a daycare for a few months and one of the toddlers ( a cute little mix boy) had what I thought was lice. I asked a coworker( since I never had lice, my kids never had lice so I was going off of what I thought they looked liked.)about it her response was mix kids don’t get lice. Well that was wrong. and what sucks is I wear a wig due to health issue. Yes lice can cling to wigs. It took me about a month to know I had lice. granted I had very thin real hair. I did a buzz cut ordered a new wig( which I really couldn’t afford). I thought hey this took care of it. Wrong! The buzz wasn’t short enough and I infested the new wig. I couldn’t use rid or medication shampoo on the wig so I tried home methods. I first shaved my head with a razor since I wear a wig I had no issue doing this. Since I had to wait a month or so to get another wig due to budget I used Mayo it kind of worked on the Wig. Vinegar and mouth wash seemed to be the best method. and I combed the wig . I have also been putting saran wrap on my scalp before putting the wig back on my head. It seems to be working.
Wow, I am sorry you have had such a hard time. Hope you are rid of them.
With School just around the corner i wanna give this another read…keeping the tips fresh,you never know!
Haha, you are adorbs. Thanks for reading Kathy.
Thanks for the tips. I do worry with BTS at this time.
You’re welcome! I worry about it too!
granted I had very thin real hair. I did a buzz cut ordered a new wig( which I really couldn’t afford). I thought hey this took care of it. Wrong! The buzz wasn’t short enough and I infested the new wig. I couldn’t use rid or medication shampoo on the wig so I tried home methods. I first shaved my head with a razor since I wear a wig I had no issue doing this. Since I had to wait a month or so to get another wig due to budget I used Mayo it kind of worked on the Wig. Vinegar and mouth wash seemed to be the best method. and I combed the wig . I have also been putting saran wrap on my scalp before putting the wig back on my head. It seems to be working.