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November 25, 2009
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Patient Discussions: Head Lice Infestation (Pediculosis) - Describe Your Experience

Head Lice Infestation (Pediculosis) - Describe Your Experience

The MedicineNet physician editors ask:

Please describe your experience with head lice infestation (pediculosis).

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Related Article: Head Lice Infestation (Pediculosis)

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A lot of what I read about lice is false from my experience. My grandchildren came here with lice about 6 months ago. I have been trying to get rid of them ever since. They managed to get rid of them but, I can't. I have tried everything. They say they don't crawl on you and that is bull. I can feel them crawl up my body and eventually get into my hair. I have no nits. As soon as I feel them I brush my hair over the tub. I see one crawling in the bath tub. Yesterday I brushed one off my back and saw it crawling around. I have washed and dried everything, cleaned my carpet, vacuumed, ironed my bed and my couch, have stuff in plastic bags, wrapped my whole couch in plastic, washed my curtains, have my scatter rugs still in bags for 3 months. I unwrapped my couch and got attacked. Rid, or any of the over the counter shampoos do not work, I even had the Dr give me 2 different types of prescription medicine. I follow the directions. I have even put kerosene on my head, and Malathion to the point I had to call 911. I have sprayed my house a million times. The only thing that kills them is vinegar. So, now I have sprayed my couch with pure vinegar and carpet and myself. I have a rash from all the stuff, my head is dry. I have tried home remedies; basil oil, peroxide, alcohol, olive oil, tea tree oil, Eucalyptus oil, peppermint, oregano and other spices made into tea. Some work. People have checked my hair and there are no nits/eggs. Vaselined my hair, baby oil, olive oil and left it on all night. Sleep with my pillow wrapped in plastic. Change my pillow cases nightly; wash my brushes 4 times a day in boiling water and alcohol for 1/2 hr. So the theory that they die within so many days is bull. My couch was covered for months and I did not sit on it. When I unwrapped the plastic, they were still alive in there, the adults and babies. So I think someone should re evaluate their theories. I have had it. I don't even want anyone to come over. I itch at work, but no one else does. I brush the bugs off in the toilet. They have treated with their hospital stuff for lice. I am still itching. I’m lost and fed up. Published: July 02 ::

Comment from: 7times7is49, 25-34 Male (Patient)

My two boys have a knack for getting lice in the early winter every year. We've tried several pesticide-based cleaners (Denorex, Rid, etc.) and old home cures from my mother. My wife has tried tea tree oil on them, but she found peppermint oil works well, especially with the winter season and dry skin. The name brand she picked up was Licenex, and they have sodium borate and enzymes as the other active ingredients. No weird chemicals, and my boys don't complain as much. Published: February 17 ::

Comment from: ddavis, 19-24 Female (Patient)

I am dealing with lice now. I found out Friday night that I had it. My friend (beautician) and I sat at her house for 3 hours combing my hair and getting the nits, nymphs, and adult lice out! We got thousands and thousands out of my head. I had had it about a month. I just thought I had dandruff and then it started itching worse so I called my best fiend also my hairdresser to take a look at my hair and I was defiantly infested. We got the most of them out that night. I went back over there Friday morning and we put mayo on my hair and let it set for about 30 mins. and then we combed thru it again. We got most of the remaining ones out. I'm still doing mayo on my head every night until I know for a fact that they are gone. The first night we treated we used RID then after that we put mayo on my head and let it set for awhile then washed it out and combed again. The second day we just did the mayo. Yesterday we let my hair rest and today (Monday) we are going to do another mayo treatment and leave it on my hair overnight. Then come Friday again I’m going to go get some more RID and do it again just to be on the safe side. I threw my sheets, hairbrushes, ponytail holders, clips, and everything away. I washed all blankets, vacuumed the floor, couch, mattresses repeatedly, swept the floor and moped. Hopefully this coming up weekend I’ll be lice free. Published: September 17 ::

I am also dealing with the head lice situation. I am so sick of this and feel it will never end. I feel on the verge of a nervous breakdown. My normal pediatrician would not prescribe a med for my daughter so I found one that would. While nothing is proven to kill eggs, I hear Ovide is the best at it. I am willing to give it a try. I have only found 2-4 eggs in her hair today which is a large improvement from the 100 I have had recently. I am due for the 2nd treatment of Rid on Saturday. Published: July 16 ::

Comment from: sharplearningcurve, 35-44 Female (Patient)

I unfortunately made several mistakes with the lice treatment. First, I did not anticipate that it would take a few days minimum to be sure that we were lice-free. I thought I would just use the treatment, comb the hair, clean the house in one day, and the kids could go back to school the next day. Well, I missed several nits, and we relapsed, and the school nurse missed the nits. Unfortunately, we exposed the kids at school to lice again. Please plan on taking a few days to comb out nits. Do not send your kids back to school too soon! Also, when your child is first exposed to lice, be sure to check their hair for at least two weeks after exposure. I trusted the school nurse when she said my child was fine and didn't recheck. Get a lice comb and comb your kids’ hair out every few days to make sure they don't have lice. It's easier to treat earlier than later. Also, I found the product LiceMD made combing much easier! I've also heard that vinegar works well to loosen nits and remove them. Published: February 17 ::


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Head Lice Infestation (Pediculosis)

What is an itch?

Itch is an irritation in the skin that elicits an urge to scratch. Itches are a common problem and can be localized (limited to one area of the body) or generalized (occurring all over the body or in several different areas). The medical term for itching is pruritus. Generalized itch, for obvious reasons, is more difficult to treat than localized itch. Itches can also occur with or without skin lesions (for example, bumps or blisters). An itch that is accompanied by visible skin abnormality usually should be evaluated by a physician and, in some cases, by a dermatologist since the problem is likely to be a condition that requires specialized medical treatment (for example, eczema, scabies, etc.).

What causes itching?

Itching can be caused by many conditions. Probably the most common cause of itch is psychological, that is, due to stress, anxiety, etc. Stress also can aggravate itch from other causes. Dry skin is ano...

Read the Itching article »










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