Nits or Head Lice Prevention

Just talking about headlice starts to make my head itcy.  Our community come togther to share their suggestions for preventing headlice in your children.  For more detailed information check out the factsheets at The Better Health Channel and NPS MedicineWise.

Tips from other parents:

• NIT FREE FOR ME is an all natural preventative daily spray to prevent nits… head on over and get an all natural treatment plan and buy some NFFM!! Allison

Homemade headlice prevention

• I get an atomiser and put lavender oil, eucalyptus oil and tea tree oil mixed with water and a small amount of equilibrium (approx $30 from hairdressers it’s BRILLIANT!! Get it and thank me later! I use it on my daughters hair for every second wash instead of conditioner, and her hair went from course with fly always to soft and silky and PERFECT!! (Thank me later hehe) spray it on each morning before school. Erin

• One of the best ways to prevent headlice is essential tea tree oil in cheap conditioner then topped with water. Spray on every morning round the ears and any scalp that can be seen. Works wonders. Also the tie back my god the amount of parents that don’t bother is disgraceful. I can also say I have never washed anything in hot water simple wash and pillows placed in direct sun for 2 hours is more than enough. People need to remember most is they like clean hair not dirty honestly its rare you need to go to the extreme of most of the above. Kristy

• Another tip would be only use tea tree shampoo on your kids! The lice hate it and can’t stick to it Kara

• The hairspray hard hat. Tie the hair up and put so much hairspray in it that it’s impenetrable. My daughter has long, thick, curly hair. It’s a nightmare. Jill

• Water, tea tree, eucalyptus oil and lavender in the spray bottle. EVERY MORNING!!! No nits. Katie

• I have been using tea tree shampoo and conditioner on my oldest girls and my boys hair for ages plus daily spray. water bottle with tea tree, eucalyptus and lavender oil daily and they haven’t had nits in a long time it’s about $20 to get the above ingredients but they last months and months! Well worth the outlay for the daily spray! Kara

• Use teatree oil in a water bottle, lots of hair spray, platted pig tails if possible and try nit to wash their hair during the week its harder for them to cling to dirty hair. Zara

• I do approx 2mls of tea tree oil 50mils conditioner and the rest is water I dont use lavender as I can’t stand the smell myself. I said earlier I couldn’t use hairspray personally I think its got to damage the hair eventually. Mix all the above in a spray bottle spray round the ears across the scalp behind the fringe line any part lines and underneath near the neck then brush through Kristy

• I use vinegar spray with tea tree oil and water on my kids hair- I lost it after a bout of lice last term. Being pregnant there isn’t much you can use to treat your own hair so once I got rid of the kids ones and mine with the few products available at the chemist deemed safe for use while pregnant I now do a daily preventative comb and spray and I haven’t seen them back. I also don’t like the idea of hair sprays and mousses in my kids hair- makes my hair brittle and cracks and feel like straw and I don’t want that for my kids. My mum used vinegar and teatree oil on my four siblings and my hair whenTheres also an easy preventer. Add tea tree oil to some water in a spray bottle. Every morning before school spray it in your kids hair. I told this to my sister in law when her children got nits and since she started using it hasnt had a single problem. My 1st starts yr 1 today and I used the spray all last yr with no nits so ill be sticking to it this yr. Hailey in school when there was an outbreak- was cheap and done the job. Bec

• I use Moov headlice prevention spray on my daughter with butt length hair, she has not had them since I started spraying her head two years ago. I swear by it.. Samantha

• Hairspray and a defence spray around hair line when tying back hair too Annalisa

• I’ve always had really long hair as a little kid and mum always rinsed my hair in vinegar when I washed it. I never ever had headlice Tiffany

• Tea tree oil (in spray bottle with water), hairspray & hair up ALWAYS!!! Allison

• Theres also an easy preventer. Add tea tree oil to some water in a spray bottle. Every morning before school spray it in your kids hair. I told this to my sister in law when her children got nits and since she started using it hasnt had a single problem. My 1st starts yr 1 today and I used the spray all last yr with no nits so ill be sticking to it this yr. Hailey

Headlice treatment suggestions

• I’ve used the nit comb two diff brands bought new pillows and countless toxic nit creams she has thick curly hair which doesn’t help I’ve just straightened it and now have tweezers picking the eggs out only have eggs at the moment I did tell her I would shave her head but you can imagine how that went down Vesna

• I bought a robicomb as my son and daughter start kinder and prep this year. Its an electronic comb that detects and kills lice instantly. Bek

• If you do find them try using the conditioner combing Method before racing out to the shops and spending $70 or more as its just as effective in our house as long as you do a follow up check – then use tea tree oil based products to prevent Jayleen

• There is a comb called Nit Free Terminator comb, it is so much better than any other comb. You can get it at some chemists… http://www.amazon.com/Nit-Free-Terminator…/dp/B000HIBPV8 Sarah

• Tea tree oil and other lice treatments would never kill the eggs so you have to comb them out Just get a really fine nit comb. My mum bought one when I was in primary it was the best fine toothed comb she had ever got. The teeth of the comb are metal and after spending 10 minutes combing all the lice out I was nit free. Got rid of the eggs as well. No other comb worked so well. HL7 brand Aileen

• My mum always used olive oil in my hair and went threw my hair with a fine tooth comb Arija

• Its not true about them not liking dirty hair. My daughter has curly hair and hates having it washed. I used dry shampoo (once every couple of days) and spray conditioner, which I top up with lavender oil and tree tea oil. She still get lice almost like a woman gets her monthly. Shauna

• I found treating my daughter with solution and comb the ‘big’ guys out lol rinse, dry then I experimented oneday with vinegar it is amazing there is something in vinegar that ‘un sticks’ the eggs! I spray my daughters hair and they comb out by the hundreds!! I’ve never looked back! and the best part its non toxic, you don’t need much its so gentle on their little heads AND… its only 2 bucks for 2 litres Sarah

• Hair Straightner works fantastic pops the eggs so no retreat Naomi

Treat your whole family for headlice

• Do you treat yourself? Bit rude to ask I know but all household members should be treated and washing in any way every few days is to often your stripping natural oils from the scalp. Don’t use spray condition make your own in a thicker version and skip the lavender oil its not needed. The best treatment stuff I have found that works is Ban lice my nieces are always crawling every visit none of the natural stuff works. And biggest thing is remember the 7 day retreat rule for any missed eggs. Sorry but I could never bring myself to use hairspray on my kids hair how do you get rid of the horrible feeling it leaves? Also don’t treat randomly only when you have evidence of lice except for the 7 day retreat that is over use leads to acclimatisation Kristy

• I treat everyone in my family. I only used the store bought conditioner once and now just use the bottle as its the only “spray” my 4 year old will let me use. I use a mix of conditioner, tree tea, water and lavender (more for nice smell). It works well on everyone in our house as a preventive except for my youngest Shauna

 What are your best head lice prevention tips?