5 Tricks to Get Rid of Head Lice

Last updated on September 28th, 2021 at 01:44 pm

If you’re reading this one of two things has happened. Either you know me personally and you’re supporting my writing (hi mom) or your child has come home from school with the dreaded note. You know the one. It comes from the school nurse and has a print out from the CDC stapled to it. It talks about how head lice, however revolting, is NOT dangerous and considered a “nuisance”, medically speaking. Yuck! But, here you are. A kid in your child’s class has it and now yours do too because…..kids…..twins.

The first thing I cannot stress enough is don’t panic. That bit about it not being dangerous is true. It doesn’t mean your child is dirty. You don’t have to shave their heads. Oh, and pets can’t catch it. The very first step (if you have long hair yourself) is to put your hair up and take a long, deep breath. Now, go to your children and check their heads. You’ll want to start looking in the back, at the nape of their necks and behind their ears. Look for eggs, called nits. These are attached with a glue-like substance to the base of the hair. You will see them within 1/4 of an inch from the scalp. Obviously, you also want to look for signs of life (ie. live bugs) as well.

So, you’ve now established your twins have it. As a fellow twin mom who has dealt with head lice more than once, allow me to run through some of the treatment options I have personally tried on my own girls and let you know how they worked out for us. Please understand that I am NOT A DOCTOR! If you have any questions, concerns or hesitations PLEASE contact your doctor for further instructions.

Option 1: Over the counter lice shampoo (NIX, etc.)

We tried this the very first time my girls came home with head lice in the first grade. When I saw the lice I freaked out and jumped online. This was the very first option I saw. It is an inexpensive option, but the shampoo is full of chemicals and some argue that those chemicals are harmful, so do your research. This option is also very time-consuming. You put the shampoo on, let it sit per instructions, and rinse. Then, you use a nit comb to remove any remaining lice and nits. That last part…..yeah, two 6-year-olds with long, dark hair. It took us 7 hours to comb through their hair and they still had lice at the end of it.

Option 2: Olive Oil

This is a natural, inexpensive option that most people have heard about. Mayonnaise is another version of the same treatment. You douse the head in oil, put on a shower cap, and send them to bed. In the morning you rinse and use a nit comb. The theory is that the oil will suffocate live bugs and loosen the nits from the hair shaft. While we did see fewer lice and nits following the treatment, they both still had it and the treatment needed to be repeated several times.

Option 3: Heat

Hold your hair dryer on high heat on the head, moving to a different section every 30 seconds. Sound painful? Based on my girls’ reactions it is. We couldn’t get all the way through that one so I’m not sure it works. Maybe your kids could tolerate the heat better. Good luck

Option 4: Hair Dye

This may sound extreme but by now we were pretty desperate. We were just so tired. Tired from lack of sleep, tired of cleaning, and tired of nit picking. We dyed my girls’ beautiful hair as close to their natural color as possible. Some people swear by this method. We applied the dye as instructed and then ran through with a nit comb after. Still bugs and nits. Lots of them!

Option 5: Call in the pros

I like to call this my “ah-ha” moment. This was the third time in two years that we had head lice in our home. I was at my wit’s end. When I saw it this time I literally had to walk away. I went into my bathroom and cried. The frustration I was feeling was absolutely unbelievable. I pulled myself together and finally called in a professional from a mobile service called Nitpicky. I had considered it in the past but the cost can only be described as prohibitive at best. This is the most expensive option by far, at a couple hundred a head. I don’t have to remind you, fellow twin parents, everything is times two! But at that point, what is your sanity worth? (Hint – a couple hundred dollars a head!)

We did all the usual vacuuming, drying, and sealing brushes in bags for 2 weeks as usual. We provided paper towels, a container for water, and a payment. That’s it. In about 3 1/2 hours, both girls were completely bug and about 99% nit free. The very kind woman showed me exactly how to follow up on a schedule to ensure the buggers were gone and left her contact info just in case. We completed her steps and were lice free!!!

I am not (I repeat, NOT) an expert. I have merely done amateur research while looking for solutions for my own family. What works for some may not work for all but these are our outcomes. As stated earlier, if you have any doubts at all contact your doctor. Furthermore, I am not in advertising and have no affiliation with the company Nitpicky beyond the fact that I reached out to them out of desperation and they responded.

The woman that came to our home left us with a kit including their nit comb and the spray for treatment. We also opted to add a preventative spray which includes mint and tea tree oil. We sprayed their heads to keep the lice away and spoke with them about things to do to prevent recurrence. They only wash their hair every other day now. They keep their heads away from everyone, even now at almost 14 years old. They do not share brushes, hair accessories or headwear with anyone, even each other.

If you’re dealing with head lice in your own home you have my deepest sympathies. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. Seriously. I understand the overwhelming frustration, especially with twins. Whatever method you use, remember, you can only do what you can do… and breathe!

Megan Loden is a stay at home mother of twin 13-year-old girls and a 9 year old boy. She lives in Goodyear, Arizona with her children, husband, 2 dogs, and 2 cats. When she is not busy with her kids or pets she can be found working out at home, writing, or, in the cooler months, enjoying the nice weather on walks around the neighborhood. Some of her writing can be found on bluntmoms.com and you can find her on Facebook or on Instagram.