non-chemical treatments for head lice

[damona]

well, the title just about says it all.

my 9yo ds has head lice. i picked out the ones i could find, and i don't think i saw any nits or larvae, but i'm stilll grossed and freaked. his hair is buzzed to about a half inch already. i've been told to slather him with mayo and wrap his head in plastic for a couple hours, then rinse with water, then white vinegar, then water. and to comb and comb after. does anyone know if this will work? should i just shave him completely bald?

what about the sheets and pillows and all? should i just wash in hot water and bleach (i know, that's not exactly non-chemical )? or put everything in bags for awhile?

what about the other boys? 2 of them have very long hair, well past their shoulders. should i slather them up and comb them out, too? also, my dh, our sitter (who has stayed here the last 3 days), and i all have very long hair!

ugh.

i have never dealt with this, and only have vague memories of my sister and i sitting for hours while our mom combed and combed and coated us in nasty smelling, stinging chemical shampoos.

[lil_miss_understood]

I used this protocol with success. Mayo and cetaphil etc didn't do anything and, imo, are just a way to make sure you comb thoroughly.

I also washed all my pillows, sheets and clothes in hot water and then dried them in the dryer (bleach is not necessary), along with clothes and any stuffed animals we had, and vacuumed the furniture, carpets and drapes (I know it's overkill and they say it's unnecessary but... I do it still).

eta: if you have a deep-freeze, you can put things in bags in the freezer for 24 hours to kill lice or alternatively place them in well sealed bags for 2 weeks.

[luv-my-boys]

yikes....your making my head itch I started looking up info. about non pesticide things to do for lice this past school yr after a horrible lice outbreak at one of my son's schools. Luckily we didnt get it but these are a few things I found, havent tried but though i'd pass the info. along.


http://www.liceguard.com/index.aspx (this item was actually recommended at my pedi's office)

http://www.fairytaleshaircare.com/in...tpage&Itemid=1

http://www.mybabysupplystore.com/Hea...Non_Toxic.html

since you guys all pretty much have long hair I would seriously considering pulling it back up in braid pony tails or buns. Might seem a little silly but hopefully keep the hair up and away from picking something up.

I would throw in a capful of bleach for good measure its said its not necessary but I'd feel better. Definately wash sheets/pillows/beding/towels. DONT share any linens with your son that has it, that being said make sure that for now until its cleared everyone dosent share towels and towels are washed daily. PITA but thats the one thing I can think of that could easily pass it around quickly. I would do a comb thru of everyone and use a preventative spray until its cleared up.

[_ktg_]

I was watching a public tv special on this recently. It turns out many lice are now resistant to the chemical treatments (ie. RID) many of us got back in the day.

aside from picking out the nits continuously, other recommended tips from this special were:
Heat - like a blow dryer on the hair & pick the nits out (heat kills 'em)
Keeping your hair unwashed, as it makes it a more difficult surface for the lice & nits to adhere to.


I've heard some touting of rosemary infusions working, but it wasn't mentioned in the special.

[pianojazzgirl]

Unlike a pp I've had great results (lice infestation 100% gone) using the Cetaphil method. Nuvo method

ETA I'd check everyone else REALLY REALLY carefully, and be sure to have everyone's hair pulled back in ponytails or braids. I even did the Cetaphil/Nuvo method on myself as well even though dh didn't find any lice or nits on me just to be on the safe side. It's not harmful to do it unnecessarily, though it is time-consuming.

[damona]

well, by this morning, they all were crawling.

the boys all elected to have their heads shaved. i have to admit, i nearly cried when i buzzed my 5yo. his hair was dark blond, wavy/curly, and to his waist.

i combed and combed and combed, and coated them all in the mayo and put shower caps on, which should keep the heat up and help, too.

i soaked my head in vinegar and braided it as tight as i could, still wet.

my dh panicked and went and got his head shaved, too. his hair was to his waist.

i bought new pillows and those allergen covers to put on them, for after this is done. i also got tea tree oil to spray the furniture with. i'm washing all the bedding in hot, and all stuffed animals are in bags in the basement.

what a lousy day. (pun intended)

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by damona

well, by this morning, they all were crawling.

the boys all elected to have their heads shaved. i have to admit, i nearly cried when i buzzed my 5yo. his hair was dark blond, wavy/curly, and to his waist.

i combed and combed and combed, and coated them all in the mayo and put shower caps on, which should keep the heat up and help, too.

i soaked my head in vinegar and braided it as tight as i could, still wet.

my dh panicked and went and got his head shaved, too. his hair was to his waist.

i bought new pillows and those allergen covers to put on them, for after this is done. i also got tea tree oil to spray the furniture with. i'm washing all the bedding in hot, and all stuffed animals are in bags in the basement.

what a lousy day. (pun intended)

Oh man. That's killer. I would be nearly crying myself.