Do you guys know about nits?

1. 76

   kirstenblogposted 14 years ago

   I think I managed to get nits or fleas or something as my scalp and neck have been itching for about a week now and its getting more and more uncomfortable. I asked hubby if he has been itching and he says no but has a look at my scalp for me and finds nothing. I actually felt very run down yesterday and hubby says it could be down to being bit by nits. I have never heard of that so would love to know if you guys have? Also do you know any chemical free ways of dealing with them aside from shaving my long hair?

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2. 55

   wallabeeposted 14 years ago

   If you have nits, you will probably see them running around your scalp and the eggs. They are very hard to get rid of without using strong chemicals.
   
   If you think you have them...and have for a week, go get some special shampoo or you will infect your husband and other people that come in contact with you.
   
   Tea tree oil is supposed to work (as a chemical-free way), also you can get a special comb to comb them out.
   
   Or...could be that you don't have them at all. Being run down could have led to an itchy scalp. Try an anti-dandruff shampoo that kills off fungal infections (this can also be a cause of an itchy scalp)

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3. 74

   raisingmeposted 14 years ago

   Washing your hair with a shampoo containing coconut keeps them away.  Kids pick them up at school.  They are not fun to get rid of.  If you do have them you will also have to wash your bed linen.  They are pretty easy to spot if you don't have fair hair.

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      Merlin Fraserposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Sorry Raisingme   I mis read your comment I though you said,
      
      "They are pretty easy to spot if you don't have hair...."  Which I thought was a bit insensitive but then I read it again...Sorry !
      
      Reminds me when we were at school getting a visit from the Nit Nurse an erlier form of Socialist Govermental ritual humiliation for kids.  Kinnda says a lot about society today to known that nits are back....!

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      1. 68

         alternate poetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Nits never ever left society - any society at any level - they just are not talked about a lot as people misunderstand and think it is about 'dirty' hair.  Anyone can catch them from someone who has them.

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   2. 76

      kirstenblogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Never head of coconut shampoo being helpful. I do have (somewhere) some tea tree shampoo that dries my scalp and hair out (hence not knowing what I did with it) that I may try to start with. If its not nits and a basic tea tree shampoo works then brill. And of course if coconut shampoo can help keep from picking them up in the first instance I may want to have a look for coconut shampoo, sounds like it would be pleasant to use anyway

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      kirstenblogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I have fair hair, and skin
      Its sometimes a pain to have fair hair and skin

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4. 68

   darksideposted 14 years ago

   You can get a fine toothed 'nit comb' and you can run it through your hair into your bathroom sink and if you have any, you'll soon see them crawling around the sink.
   
   The eggs are more difficult to get out, as they're not easily combed out.
   
   There's plenty of off the shelf treatments, also home remedies. Do a Google search for human head lice (or even do a search on HubPages) to find out more about them.

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5. 67

   Joy56posted 14 years ago

   i cannot believe you have never heard of nits.  They are easier to get rid of now, as the shampoo's are so effective.  The secret is, treat your hair at least 3 times.  There are always eggs left behind, even if it says twice on bottle, give it another go.... they are not easy to get rid of.  You may have redding behind the ears, where they have sucked your blood.  Don't delay treat them today...............

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      sofsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      The shampoos always do the job.  We visit and help at orphanages at weekends, the children there always have nits and we carry bottles of shampoo with us. Now  the problem is almost non existent. I would say use thrice a week for the first week and then once a week until the eggs have all hatched and killed.  Good luck to you, you need to act real fast.

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   2. 76

      kirstenblogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Oh I do know a little about nits, always when I was a kid tho and just was told do this and that by parents. It was always a HUGE chore for them, cleaning EVERYTHING. I have heard a few stories about modern shampoo's that get rid of them for several weeks meaning less cleaning of everything, including anything already clean. I don't know much about that but think if its gotten to that point thats great. What I find strange is that hubby has no itching and in theory should if I actually do have them. He did have a look and could not find anything but it still feels like nits even tho I can't actually find em

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      1. 67

         Joy56posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         if you buy the nit comb, apply shampoo and you have them, you will see plenty come out into the water with the nit comb,  lucky husband, is all i can say.

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6. 70

   Pearldiverposted 14 years ago

   EEWwwwwwwww..... Stay Away From Me.....
   
   Nits were reported to have invaded Mrs. Betty Nuttybutt's public hair region yesterday!!
   
   15 Policemen are working throughout the night in shifts.. combing the area for the offenders.

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   1. 76

      kirstenblogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Ugh! PD, you cheeky thing!

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   2. 77

      Freya Cesareposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Lol. Must be a troublesome.
      
      Wait until those policemen start to have itch on their head too and it will get to you in no time!

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7. 73

   torimariposted 14 years ago

   Nits are eggs of lice, so you might have lice. I had them when I was 10 after sharing hats. They love healthy heads of hair, and you need lice-specific shampoo to get SURELY rid of them. They are tough buggers. I had mine 13 years ago, and from what I remember the shampoo was harsh, but it got rid of them. However, I have follicititus or whatever, since. But, I'm sure it's more gentle now.
   
   Fleas, I doubt, would stay in your hair, but I could be wrong. Place all linens in tightly shut plastic bags to air out and kill lice, and their nits.

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8. 98

   Susana Sposted 14 years ago

   I've had to deal with nits too often as my kids are always catching them at school. Initially wash your hair and then use a load of conditioner (but don't wash it off yet). Comb through with a nit comb and if you have any you'll see them right away. Comb your hair thoroughly, getting right onto your scalp and removing any nits inbetween combings. Rinse. Do this every day for a week and they'll be gone. The nits have trouble gripping highly conditioned hair and the eggs can't stick either.

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   1. 81

      Amanda Severnposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      
      
      This is how I always deal with nits when my kids catch them. It's a pain, but it does work really well. I've never bothered with the chemical treatments, mainly because you can easily spend your money on something that will sort the problem out, only to have the little darlings re-infected the minute they get back to school!

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   2. 78

      Polly Cposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, this is the method I use for my son who gets them sometimes, especially now that he has slightly longer hair. Whatever colour your hair is, the nits show up quite well against the conditioner when you comb them out. I find it the best treatment as is non toxic and you can use it as often as you like.
      
      Some combs are better than others at pulling out the eggs, the most expensive ones are best.
      
      Tea tree does not remove nits from hair, only acts as a deterrent against further infestation.

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9. 98

   Susana Sposted 14 years ago

   Oh yes, and if you do have them, wash your bed linen in 60 degrees plus, especially the pillow cases.

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10. 60

    Joe Badtoeposted 14 years ago

    Nits are tiny microchips scanning your brain for activity. They are a result of years of research from right wing govts who are desperate to get inside as many heads as possible in order to get a feel for what ornery folk think.
    
    The first group of people these spynits were tested on were those raging fiery lefties the Hari Krishnas but of course the nits came back with simple tails (geddit).
    
    The best way to get get rid of them is to recite nursery rhymes over and over again as this is the kind of knowledge and language that the nits to back to the secret lab and once debriefed this information is used to help right wing govts make key economic and military decisions.
    
    Many nits speak from an anus usually attached to a politician.

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11. 76

    Bard of Elyposted 14 years ago

    I have had to deal with headlice in the past and as others have pointed out the shampoos do the job. You can get a nit-comb too to comb them out on to newspaper.

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       Joe Badtoeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       noooooo!
       
       If they land on the newspaper they'll read it and become misnformed.

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12. 76

    kirstenblogposted 14 years ago

    Well even tho I have not found the little buggars yet I think I must have em. The extended family just dealt with them, after our camping holiday
    
    I asked MIL what she knew of modern treatmens and natural ones and she tells me that it might have been from camping as everyone had them when they got back. Might have been nice to know when they found out just in case! Oh well, at least I know that chances are I am right and I need to go get this stuff from the chemist today.
    
    It also seems that the treatment is much better then it was when I was a kid and that this leave in stuff means that you can't get re-infested straight away. That was always the problem when I was a kid, the ease of re-infestation, I was really hoping it wasn't them because of that!

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13. 64

    prettydarkhorseposted 14 years ago

    Hi kirsten, Have you seen one of it already or it maybe just a dandruff -- sorry about asking this. The smaller ones and the eggs are the most itchy ones, I have this when I was a kid and my mother used to do this...
    if you have lice, get a comb for lice, shampoo with your old shampoo and then when it is wet, run the comb lice in your hair. There are shampoo for hair lice and if you prefer to use it, coconut hot oil is good thereafter to replenish it.

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    1. 76

       kirstenblogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I have not been able to spot one yet, been looking at eucalyptus oil and neem oil (thats the main ingredient in a leave in lotion for killing the bugs n eggs that my MIL had to use recently, after our camping trip). I am going to have to go buy some of this stuff I think as I just want them sorted. I am going loopy with scratching

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       1. 60

          pisean282311posted 14 years agoin reply to this

          hey kirsten..how are you doing?..back from vacation?

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       2. 64

          prettydarkhorseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Ok, I hope you sort it soon, as it is itchy really (if you have them), and your hair is long so they thrive on that and multiply very fast...Be gentle with your hair, I know you will anyway..

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14. 60

    Joe Badtoeposted 14 years ago

    just pour neat whisky on your head.
    
    The nits will die but be grateful for the send off you gave them.

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15. 68

    alternate poetposted 14 years ago

    If you don't like the non-veg shampoos and the man-made material combs you could always boil your head for 20 minutes - this always works.

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16. 0

    DoorMattnomoreposted 14 years ago

    I know millions of remedies....my daughters and I all have waist length hair. It's a nightmare. If you use a chemical shampoo follow the directions. Most say to use agian in two weeks. Its really important to not skip that, even if they seem to be gone as they hatch about every two weeks and if you missed an egg, you will have them again. Alot of the shampoos don't work as well as they once did because alot of lice have bcome resitant to teh chemical. One thing that might sound crazy but has worked well for me is saturate your hair with mayo. Leave it on for about half an hour and it will take a bit of work to get it washed out, but it suffocates the lice. No need for expensive harmful chemicals and your hair will feel great. (lots of places say it doenst work, but its worth a try?)You will want a good metal comb specifially for removing lice....
    
    http://www.otcrx4u.com/liceguard-egg-an … -1-ea.html
    
    this link provides soem info for chemicals...
    
    http://www.bing.com/health/article/mayo … p;FORM=FFF

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17. 70

    JillKostowposted 14 years ago

    I would rinse your hair with a chemical to rid your head of the nits.  Also instead of buying an actual tea tree shampoo (which I read someone's post that stated it dried their scalp) I would buy a bottle of pure tea tree oil.  If you add 2 drops to every 4 ounces of your normal everyday shampoo and conditioner bottles it will help in preventing head lice. (Just make sure you shake the shampoo bottle well before each use to mix it up) One bottle is about $20 for 2 ounces but it will last a long time!!!  We started using it when head lice was running rampid through the elementary school.  It was getting expensive to keep having to treat the children's hair and I don't like to keep using harsh chemicals on them either.  Since I add the tea tree oil to their shampoo they have not got lice again.  I also added it to my shampoo and conditioner as a precaution.  Hope this helps.

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