Itchy topic!

[Harley]

Having washed the children's hair this evening I noticed that they have the dreaded headlice.  This is the first time any of them have had them so I would appreciate some advice as to the best treatment here in France.  Will go to the chemist first thing in the morning. Yuk[+o(]

[Suze01]

My kids never had them in the UK but they seem to be constantly affected here.  There is no effective chemical treatment - the dreaded things have become immune to everything available.  Just use normal shampoo then conditioner (do not rinse out at this stage) and using a fine toothed comb thoroughly go over the head section by section then rinse out the conditioner.  Do this every two or three days and you'll soon be rid of them (the lice not the kids). The only problem is that I don't think that other parents are so scrupulous hence the repeated infestations.  It is also a good idea to treat all the family at the same time and wash all towels and bedding.  If they have been wearing hats, and if they can't be washed, seal them in a plastic bag for a couple of weeks by which time any lice will be dead.

I have an electric lice comb but it's a bit of a faff and the above method is better. Just get a good fine toothed comb - not necessarily a 'nit-comb'.

I've heard that covering the head in Tea Tree Oil overnight works but I've never found any.

Good luck - I'm doing my two in the morning [:'(]

[opas]

I always buy a supply of tee tree shampoo and conditioner when I visit the UK (or rather I give mr O orders to go to ASDA and stock up)  The smell aparently repels lice, it must work as ours have never had them (now 13 and 8 years old)

But I was also told when mine were young and nits were in school that to wash the hair and comb through the conditioner did the trick(according to my friend whose daughter was always being infested)

[suzy]

Take comfort in the knowledge that they prefer clean hair !  I can remember my two having them years ago and sitting as a family going through each other's hair - we must have looked like a family of chimps !!

 

Sue

[Val_2]

Vinegar gets rid of them,but you smell like a chip shop. I found swimming in the sea every day for a week the best way of getting rid of them but if you live inland,perhaps lots of rinsing in very strong salty water.

[Suze01]

I've tried the vinegar on the kids - it works well but they don't like it because it stings too much.  I've just this minute 'done' my daughter.  I bought a very fine toothed gentlemans comb and it gets out the really tiny ones that have just hatched. 

The lifecycle from being an egg (nit) to a breeding lice is one week so it is important to repeat every few days before the hatchlings have time to lay eggs themselves.