What Every Mom NEEDS to Know About Lice!

We had lice, and we survived. I made it through the itching and the oils so that I could be here with you, sharing my story. I have a tale to tell, and it involves what works, what doesn’t work, and everything in between. Believe me, hear me now, this is what every mom NEEDS to know about the dreaded lice!

It started with an email home from our preschool. I had received these general notices in the past, so I shrugged it off a bit. This wasn’t going to happen to us, not to MY kids. Ha! Famous last words. I sat there eating crow the next morning as my daughter complained of her head really, REALLY itching.

I soared into action mode. Google google google. YouTube. Phone calls. What the WHAT did I need to do??! Do I call someone? Do I take her in? Do I go buy some of that chemical stuff at Rite-Aid? AAAAAAH!

As I calmed down to the voice of a seemingly trustworthy mother’s voice playing in my ear from YouTube, I thought to myself, okay, I GOT THIS. You aren’t going to get me down suckers! I’m coming for ya!

I proceeded to follow this lady on YouTube’s instructions and made a up the concoction of oils she described. Mind you, I’m an avid oiler, so I thought to myself, no way are these creepy crawlies going to escape my oils. I’m armed with the best of the best! Let’s just say it’s a bit more involved than just oils, as I would find out later.

Back to the oily concoction. I left it on my daughter’s head for what seemed like hours (because it was!). Then we washed, and rinsed with vinegar and mouthwash. I dried her hair and combed with the nit comb and everything seemed great. Phew! That was easy!

That false sense of security did NOT last long. In the coming weeks (yes WEEKS!), this lice would bounce from one kiddo to the next and the other again, and then to…GASP…me!!!! That was it! I’m tapping out. Time to call the experts at Bug Adieu.

In the wee hours of the very same day I called, Sonia from Bug Adieu came to my home and took care of it all, on all of us…with no harsh chemicals, which is really important to me as a mom.

With a few clever products and know-how, they were able to completely clear those bugs in just a couple hours. And, what I learned about where I went wrong was invaluable.

TIP #1: It’s ALL in the combing…and the comb. This is an absolutely critical tip. The majority of the work with lice and nit removal is all about tedious combing with the *right* comb. Most of the combs you can buy do not work all that well. I only learned about this special comb after calling in the experts. The key is the length of the prongs AND the special grooves spiraled around the prongs. This ensures you get rid of the nits (eggs) which are the most difficult remove. They have a special glue that sticks to the hair shaft which makes them super stubborn. If you leave even one, that’s a potential for re-infestation.

TIP #2: Speaking of that special glue, it’s imperative to use a treatment that breaks it down so you can remove the nit. I learned from Bug Adieu that they use as special plant enzyme in their treatment to break down the glue and digest the nits and lice. The enzymes combined with the special comb are the ticket!

TIP #3: Don’t waste your time on smothering oils like coconut oil, olive oil and mayo. They just get super messy and make the kids restless, sine they have to sit with oily heads for hours to suffocate the lice. And, even at that, sure it gets the lice, but it does nothing to the nits! This is where I went wrong. (GRRR!) I thought it was “one and done” – put the treatment on, comb, and everything would be gone. NOPE! As I mentioned above, leave just one nit can be trouble!

TIP #4: Don’t worry too much about all the inanimate objects. Lice don’t live for very long off their host (up to 24hrs) and they don’t want to be anywhere else but that warm scalp. Just for good measure, go ahead and wash bedding in hot water, tumble the pillows on high heat, and throw the hair brushes in the dishwasher. If your kiddo wears hats, you can leave them out in the sun’s heat. I also gathered up a few stuffed toys they keep in their bed and threw them in a plastic bag for 24 hours just for good measure.

TIP #5: Don’t let up and keep it up! During that first week or so, you’ll need to keep checking daily for nits. You want to check in sunlight, dividing hair in sections, and go through bit by bit. It’s tedious work! If you kiddo has long hair, spray it with an all natural lice prevention spray, and keep it up in a braid. This will prevent any cross infestation. Chances are, if your kiddos got it, they got it at school, and other mamas may not know all these removal secrets like you do!

So, if you are looking at your inbox and you see the dreaded notification – don’t panic! Keep your child’s hair up and make sure to use a lice stay-away spray daily before school. If your child starts scratching their head A LOT, never fear! You are now armed with these crucial removal tips, and you can call Bug Adieu or follow my “After-Trial-and-Error-I-Figured-Out-What-Works” method.