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Lice attack! - May be medical TMI

CBCharlotte's picture

SD15 texted us last night and let us know she has head lice!!! YUCK! She stayed with us all weekend, and her friend slept over Saturday night. She now has head lice as well.

SD15 said her head had been itching her for a week before she realized she had lice.

Meanwhile, on Monday I noticed a small rash behind my left ear, which has spread a bit to under my ear and a small bit of my face. I've been putting benadryl cream on it.

I had DH check all through my hair last night (I have a LOT of hair) and he didn't see anything. However, he doesn't have the best vision and I have dark brown/black hair. I checked DH's hair thoroughly and didn't find anything.

Has anyone had lice before? I can't tell if I'm itchy at the thought of it, or itchy FROM it! My rash is the only truly itchy part. BM1 is letting us borrow her "lice light" that helps you find them on Thursday, and I may do a preemptive treatment just in case. I will also be washing all pillows, blankets, towels, etc today!

Comments

momofbioandstep's picture

If you don't want to wait til tomorrow you can always go to your local health dept. They do free checks(or at least they do in Ohio). Also don't forget to vacuum carpets especially in her room. My oldest had lice 2x in a month about 4 years ago. Hope you don't have them.

Glassslipper's picture

^^^^ agree with Sally ^^^^
I've always used Paul Mitchell tea tree shampoo! DD stopped using it "because it was too minty" and last summer she got LICE! No one else did because we use the tea tree shampoo.
DD now knows better and only uses the tea tree shampoo.

robin333's picture

I'm the kind of person that would have to get treated immediately. The kits at the pharmacy work well. Just a heads up that it makes your hair knotty and you have to comb through all your hair- I get the thick hair.

justanothergurlNJ's picture

Is your hair processed in any way? Dyed, do you flat iron or blow dry or curling iron? My daughter had it many years ago. I didn't get it and believe it was in part that the chemical and heat didn't like it or fried their asses before they could multiply. Best way to see them is direct sunlight. Have DH or a friend go through your head outside. Vacuum every room wash EVERYTHING that can be washed in HOT water. Anything that can't be washed should be put in plastic garbage bags and left outside or in a garage for at least 48 hours. Lice live off YOU. The live off the blood in your head which is why you generally find them closer to the scalp. Once they are off the host they die. Also the y have spray you can by to spray your furniture and carpets. BUT SD must get treated and you can't just kill the lice they lay eggs and most treatments do NOT kill the eggs, they have to literally be picked out with a special comb. Have you ever heard the expression nit picking! If the eggs are not removed they will hatch and re infest. The are a bitch to get rid of, they lay eggs by the scalp and there is this sticky substance that almost glues the eggs to your head. When DD had them I would flat iron her hair close to the scalp to loosen up that substance and then you the special comb. Hope this helps.

ksmom14's picture

I wouldn't worry about it too much honestly. SD 12 and SD10 have both come home with lice 3 times in the last 2 years, and SS13 got it once too. DH and I never got it in all the times the kids had it. Get checked again if you feel your DH could have missed something, but if that comes up clear I'm sure you're fine.

On a side note, after the last time the girls had it DH found an article about how the lice these days are very resistant to the over the counter lice treatments and that basically only the prescription ones work anymore. Possibly why the kids kept coming back with it...maybe it was never fully gone??

CompletelyPuzzled's picture

We dealt with head lice alot in the past because the SDs would get it from BM's house and bring it back to us. In fact, they had it every time we saw them. It is a pain to treat. I never got it, probably because I blow dry and flat iron my hair every morning. However, my DD4 got it really bad. If you think you have it, you should probably treat it. We found that olive oil with a little peppermint oil works the best. You put it on your hair for an hour and then you comb it out with the nit comb. This will help loosen the nits and will catch any bugs. You have to comb through all your hair. If you have it, comb through your hair every day until you stop finding anything. It is time consuming but it works. Also, you can make a spray with water and a few drop of peppermint oil that you spray on that helps to keep you from getting infested. Lice are repelled by peppermint oil. SD's bedding and room need to be treated. Also, treat your couch and cars if she was on them.

notarelative's picture

Here's one more home remedy I have heard used.

Buy a bottle of the original Listerine mouth wash.
Pour it on dry hair. Put on a shower cap.
Wait a half hour and then wash hair.
Then comb out the dead lice.

Supposedly the listerine opens the spiracles and the lice drown when you wash the hair.

Glassslipper's picture

^^^^ yes! ^^^
We also put it in a spray bottle and sprayed down the couches and mattress with Listerine. The brown original stuff.

Another Tip: search "LICE" on pinterest. That was a life saver for me.
No one else got it in the house when DD came home with it, but I took all precautions anyhow.

dirtybiology's picture

This is one of my worst nightmares. I don't even know why because it is very common but UGH it just messes me up thinking about it.
Im so sorry!! Just go get checked if you can't handle waiting it out, I think you'll be glad you did.

CBCharlotte's picture

Thank you all so so so much for all of your helpful tips!!! I've spent the day de-licing the house just in case. SD15 and SD12 are now both confirmed. BM has been treating them and took them to a special pediatric scalp place, and they have another appointment Friday I will take them to. They do free checks for parents as well so I will get checked out when I take them. I'll also be buying some tea tree oil and listerine!!! You ladies (and gents) are the best

CBCharlotte's picture

Thank you all so so so much for all of your helpful tips!!! I've spent the day de-licing the house just in case. SD15 and SD12 are now both confirmed. BM has been treating them and took them to a special pediatric scalp place, and they have another appointment Friday I will take them to. They do free checks for parents as well so I will get checked out when I take them. I'll also be buying some tea tree oil and listerine!!! You ladies (and gents) are the best