Parent Hack for Head Lice

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What Everyone Must Know About Treating Head Lice
By EK Wills

Kids are like cats.
When the warm season hits, they need to be checked for ‘crawlies’.
Cats get monthy prophylactic flea treatments so should your child have the same for head lice?
And what should you use when there are so many products on the market and many of them toxic?

Our family had a recent scare when a hairdresser told me that the girls had eggs so therefore were infested. I immediately went home and checked with a fine-toothed comb and conditioner to paralyse the mites.
I found nothing but it sparked a conversation online about whether eggs exist without a parent host to be found and how to treat head lice.

We have traditionally used conditioner and combing (so called wet-combing) to deal with infestations. Initially, we do this on a daily basis and follow up weekly for a few times to make sure newly hatched lice do not spread their evil. We also have a water spritzer (spray bottle) filled with water, a few drops of tea tree oil and a squirt of conditioner to use between treatments.

How to check for nits
The best way to check for nits is to use hair conditioner and a special head lice comb, combing out in sections and checking especially around the ears, at back of the neck, on parts and the crown as well as under fringes. Wipe the comb on a tissue or paper towel and check for lice or nits after each pass.
Check eyebrows and eyelashes as well as hair.

Chemical Treatments
Effective treatment for head lice is a legal requirement under the South Australian Public and Environmental Health Act 1987. There are several different types of chemicals, and generally need repeat treatment in 7-10 days. Chemical treatments for head lice include maldison, pyrethrins and permethrin. Make sure you use gloves when treating and look for scalp irritation side effect.
Head lice can become resistant so if it stops working, try another one.

Alternative Treatments
Wet combing: using conditioner on wet hair and combing using a fine-toothed nit comb, purchased from pharmacy or supermarket.
This can be time consuming as multiple passes are necessary on each section of hair and the eggs are not killed. It requires repeat treatment, weekly up to 3 weeks.
Testimonial 1: I don't "treat" anymore - just get some cheap, thick conditioner and leave it on for 15mins then nit-comb it all out (you can see the eggs when you wipe the comb on tissue). I do this monthly as a preventative. Have not had a re-infestation for years.

Warm vinegar helps to unstick the lice from the hair in the combing out stage.
Testimonial 2: Nits love clean hair . Also you suffocate with cheap conditioner then comb out with vinegar

Blow drying:
This requires drying on high setting for 30 minutes by working through in sections.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/pediatrics/generalpediatrics/4452
Testimonial 3: Hot, dry air is the best new method of eradication. Blow drying for everyone!

Robi Comb: this battery operated comb is used on dry hair and zaps the lice with a small shock. It needs to be used every day for 2 weeks to break the cycle then requires maintenance checks.

Hair gel: to interfere with nit movement

Hair cutting: to help manage/reduce contamination
Testimonial 4: I used too get them as a kid. I hated it the stuff Mum used stung me so bad can only imagine what home remedy she used on me
Testimonial 5: I make up a solution of water, silicone (from hairdressing supplier), tea tree oil, and lavender oil (just to counteract the smell of tea tree) in a spay bottle. in Northern NSW, so have dealt with lice frequently! Conditioner plus nit comb to avoid expensive chemicals, repeat. Can also try coconut oil in your hair and keep hair braided and tied back

Full Marks
The Derm review reports the active ingredient is a silicone and is used in many skin care and conditioner products. It can produce mild skin irritation for sensitive skin
http://www.thedermreview.com/cyclomethicone/
Testimonial 6: My favourite treatment is full marks, you know it’s worked because it is just a clear fluid, so you can see everything, it dehydrates the little buggers, so hair must be completely dry, use the comb it comes with it has very fine teeth, and you even get some of the eggs out, still need to repeat twice at weekly intervals though, to break to cycle
Testimonial 7: I like Full Marks too - same principle as conditioner (no insecticides) but not as sudsy and messy.

What’s your favourite treatment or remedy for these persistent critters?

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