Chookiehen Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 We've been fighting an on/off battle with headlice for months now - I just get rid of them, and for a month everyone is clear, then they come back from school crawling with them again. Has anyone ever used diatom on nits? I don't want to use horrible chemicals on my childrens heads so regularly, and am resigned to at least another 16 years of daily combing, but I was wondering if diatom would take some of the hard work out of it, by killing the little blighters first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Gosh I dont know about Diatom. Never thought to try it. We had a serious phase of nits. My daughters class seemed riddled with them at one stage. We found the tea tree shampoo and conditioner/nit comb treatment every 3 days worked better than any shop bought chemical treatments. My daughter has got long hair and doing this every 3 days with the nit comb was a right pain in the Problem is not all parents seem to care weather their kids have nits or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I got nits from a friends child who insisted on climbing all over me and infesting me with their beasties! I tried every chemical to shift them but they prevailed and got HUGE! I eventually got some herbal oil from Tescos pharmacy counter which was absolutely amazing and shifted them in one treatment, I am guesisng it did contain tea tree oil because of the smell And yes I am itching now, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Citricidal can be used to treat head lice. **here** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Oooh *shivers* I hate nits. My YD gets them quite often - someone in her class gets them and shares I have tried lots of things, but the best is lots of condition and a special nit comb. Its about £10 from Boots, and has spiral thread running down the teeth. I do still go though and remove the eggs as nothing seems to get rid of them, but it does seem to get out the lice. It would be brillaint if the diatom works an dis safe, as chicken lice look very much like head lice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Oooh *shivers* I hate nits. My YD gets them quite often - someone in her class gets them and shares I have tried lots of things, but the best is lots of condition and a special nit comb. Its about £10 from Boots, and has spiral thread running down the teeth. I do still go though and remove the eggs as nothing seems to get rid of them, but it does seem to get out the lice. It would be brillaint if the diatom works an dis safe, as chicken lice look very much like head lice. I have one of these and it works a treat - it's called a Nitty Gritty comb. It removes most eggs and apparently 'cracks' the rest so they don't hatch - but like you I still pick them out just in case . We haven't had any for ages - not this school year at any rate - but I check every couple of days to be sure. There are always some about somewhere and the odd child with a parent who isn't bothered infests everyone. Grr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I ahve one of those combs too I have to working in a nursery and with two children. I use the conditioner and comb through method and it works for us, even better if you have conditioner with tea tree or put some tea tree oil in your conditioner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Cheers . I'm all itchy now . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 You can make up an aromatherapy mix that will kill the little beggars. I think it was in the Aromatherapy for Women book by Tisserand. Don't have the recipe anymore though as mine are 18 and nearly 17 now. I found conditioner, combing through, pulling eggs out and also spraying the hair with a tea tree oil solution every morning was the only thing that worked at keeping them clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chookiehen Posted February 17, 2009 Author Share Posted February 17, 2009 We have a variety of combs, including a nitty gritty comb. The only problem with the nitty gritty comb is that Caitlin has such long thick hair, and it pulls at the roots when I use it. At the moment I'm using a flea comb on her - because it's designed for a dogs coat, it copes better with her mass of hair, however, it doesn't pick out the eggs. I thought a careful dusting of diatom every Sunday evening before bed, followed by a good wash and comb through on a Monday before school may help us keep on top of things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I must get a bottle of Citricidal - sounds like magic in a bottle!! I use a mix of vinegar & baby oil, which I leave on the child (or me if they've shared ) for as long as they can stand the smell (a least 1/2 an hour, or even overnight if we are very late in our discoveries ) , then comb through with the NG comb & wash. Then comb every other day for a week, it usually works, only worthwhile doing if you see "walkers" though, as it doesn't penetrate the egg. Stinks to high heaven too, but better for their hair etc than a bottle of chemicals, which I've never used. It's quite fun in a kind of way to watch them squirm on the comb (I find the Nitty Gritty very good too) & if you watch long enough they depart the mortal coil too, so satisfying the nasty little creatures. One of God's little jokes no doubt - can't think of any earthly reason for evolving a headlouse! Am off to find the NG now, as my head is itching, thank you very much!! Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Well it wouldn't hurt to try! Not sure it would affect the eggs, but if it works on the carapace of hen lice, it should, in theory, work on human lice. Let us know how you get on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ygerna Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 Hedrin, a nitty gritty comb, some conditioner and tea tree spray. Put hedrin on hair at night, wash hair in morning, slap on a huge dollop of conditioner and comb. Then spray with tea tree spray. Use regularly. The first bit will need to be done a couple of times, but once clear the tea tree should keep it that way. My ED has long think hair too, and the conditioner allows the NG comb to slide that much easier and reduces pulling. You will have to treat EVERYONE in the house though, the little blighters are serious invaders of heads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChirpyChirpyCheepCheep Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I was told that when you wash hair and use a conditioner, leave the conditioner in. The eggs are unable to stick to the hair. Not sure if this is an 'old wives' tale. May be worth a try. Good luck with your mission. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 Whem my DD had nits a few years ago, my MIL said a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water to get all the eggs out. It works but I must admit I got fed up with spraying her very long hair - so I stuck her in the shower and poured it over her head Using the nit comb I got rid of everything, she wasn't too impressed by the smell but luckily it was Easter so she didn't have school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 Nitty gritty comb & Tisserand oily hair stuff (can't remember its proper name) work well. Drench the dry hair in the Tisserand stuff, then comb through. As its clear, unlike conditioner, you can see the critters as the come out. Carry on combing until no more bugs & eggs are removed. Its all aromatherapy based too, so smells wonderful. Tried & trusted method in our house & it never fails Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 We have a variety of combs, including a nitty gritty comb. The only problem with the nitty gritty comb is that Caitlin has such long thick hair, and it pulls at the roots when I use it. the nitty combs I got said to ONLY use with conditioner, never on dry hair and I know why as it reall pulls (Itried on myself to see why I was being told to do something :lol : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I use the comb method on Rosie with BizNiz leave in aromatherapy conditioner - works a treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutmeg Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I used the conditioner and comb method and followed a program I found on the internet which was a 3 week strategy of so many days of combing, then waiting two days, then combing for two more, etc. It was a right pain, but it breaks the nits cycle by catching the eggs that are waiting to hatch; the little baby ones that are just emerging....and the big beasties that are laying! I could dig it out if anyone is interested, it really worked for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 Eeuuughh. Eth has been sent home from school this morning as he has nits This is all new to me. Never experienced the little critters before, unless you count lice on chickens We have got him some Derbac M liquid from the chemist, don't know much about it but we want to get rid asap. I have a bottle of Citracidril in the shed so we'll use that in the conditioner when we wash his hair in the future. We've also got some childrens head lice repellent shampoo to use on him. itch, itch, itch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 We have a variety of combs, including a nitty gritty comb. The only problem with the nitty gritty comb is that Caitlin has such long thick hair, and it pulls at the roots when I use it. the nitty combs I got said to ONLY use with conditioner, never on dry hair and I know why as it reall pulls (Itried on myself to see why I was being told to do something :lol : ) I am pleased that I am not the only one to do something that I am told not to! I don't know why I read this thread. I am scratching like billyo now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 We had our first case this year, they were awful and I tried a Nelsons herbal method but it wouldn't shift them. In the end I tried Hedrin and it got rid in one go, It's horrible but it didn't smell bad, just made their hair very thick (which it is anyway!) but I'd recommend it for stubborn cases BeckyBoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 If you have school age children..Nits are just a fact of life...we kept on top of them with conditioner and comb comb comb, like many of you are doing already (so glad you aren't using the nasty nasty chemicals...).Accepting that many people (most people) suffer from them helps.... so glad mine are all grown up now so apart from the chooks I don't have to think about lice any more!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 I too am glad my kids are grown up long ago - and remember when the dreaded letter came home saying nits on my sons head - we had the dreaded chemicals then and I remember going to watch ET in the cinema with all of us absolutely reeking of this stuff. It must have been awful for those around us too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 Rosie always seems to attract head lice, so I comb through her hair with Bizniz conditoner every time she washes it. A friend uses insecticidal dog shampoo to nuke her children's head lice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
