I am a Lice Lady. AMA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do any of the shampoos that promise to dissolve the glue that holds the nits to the hair shaft (minimizing the need for nitpicking) actually live up to their claims?

Personally, I do not believe in any commercial product, at all.

Vinegar may or may not help dissolve the glue that adheres the nit to the hair shaft. Some lice services use a percentage of vinegar in their lice removal product. But dissolving the glue is unnecessary. Manual removal of the nits through combing, with or without dissolving the glue, is the only cure. This can be accomplished with a good lice comb and dedicated combing. It is the "dedicated combing" part in which a lice lady like me specializes.

DD and I both have thick, long hair, and being naturally both lazy and cheap, I was never able to do a good enough job of "dedicated combing" her hair (and there was no one to do the "monkey favor" for me) but I wasn't ready to pay for it, either. So, over several years when DD was in elementary school, she and I would both get lice, and we would struggle with it for weeks despite toxic shampoos and fancy lice combs. What helped put an end to the infestation each time: washing pillowcases every day, quarantining the stuffed animals, and washing our hair, every few days, with a particular brand of non-toxic lice shampoo (Quit Nits, I think?) which promised to dissolve the nit glue. The nits simply washed out with the shampoo, and there were visibly fewer of them in the hair afterward.

[Anonymous]

In the old days, many African American girls had their hair straightened. Nothing will survive hot grease and a hot comb. Same with chemical straighteners.

There might be a special breed of lice but I have never heard of any AA folks getting it growing up.

[Anonymous]

Try flat ironing you hair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do any of the shampoos that promise to dissolve the glue that holds the nits to the hair shaft (minimizing the need for nitpicking) actually live up to their claims?

Personally, I do not believe in any commercial product, at all.

Vinegar may or may not help dissolve the glue that adheres the nit to the hair shaft. Some lice services use a percentage of vinegar in their lice removal product. But dissolving the glue is unnecessary. Manual removal of the nits through combing, with or without dissolving the glue, is the only cure. This can be accomplished with a good lice comb and dedicated combing. It is the "dedicated combing" part in which a lice lady like me specializes.

DD and I both have thick, long hair, and being naturally both lazy and cheap, I was never able to do a good enough job of "dedicated combing" her hair (and there was no one to do the "monkey favor" for me) but I wasn't ready to pay for it, either. So, over several years when DD was in elementary school, she and I would both get lice, and we would struggle with it for weeks despite toxic shampoos and fancy lice combs. What helped put an end to the infestation each time: washing pillowcases every day, quarantining the stuffed animals, and washing our hair, every few days, with a particular brand of non-toxic lice shampoo (Quit Nits, I think?) which promised to dissolve the nit glue. The nits simply washed out with the shampoo, and there were visibly fewer of them in the hair afterward.

I find "Quit Nits" claims hard to believe, and the Amazon reviews are also mixed. I had never heard of it before however, and will have to look into it more closely.


If you were using a pay-for product every few days for years, I think it might have been more cost effective for you to pay someone - or learn yourself - to effectively lice comb. I have not yet encountered hair so long or so thick that it cannot be done.

The cheapest thing for you both? Keep a good lice comb in the shower and run it through your hair every time you condition. No louse can hold on through that.

[Anonymous]

This thread is making me itchy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is making me itchy.

I always feel itchy during and whilst lice combing others. - OP

[Anonymous]

and *after* lice combing others.... sorry......

[Anonymous]

How often do you visit a client who has been infested (daily, weekly, etc)? How many clients do you see a week? What do you charge?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How often do you visit a client who has been infested (daily, weekly, etc)? How many clients do you see a week? What do you charge?

I know of groups that charge $100 per hour. The group I work with currently charges $80 per hour. Typically it takes me an hour and a half to two hours to do one child with thick, long hair. So $140.

I have not yet had to return to a client who I have treated. Typically I see them once, remove all bugs/nits, and teach them to do the follow up care, so they will not need me again. Honestly, when I was a mom hiring other lice ladies to help me, this was TOTALLY worth it. The problem is, there can be a brand new infestation in a month, or a year, or two years..... better to learn from someone who knows what they are doing about lice today then have to call them back to see you four times over four years.

I don't see very many clients per week since i have a M - F full time gig. I see folks on the weekends. But the demand seems to be ever increasing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do any of the shampoos that promise to dissolve the glue that holds the nits to the hair shaft (minimizing the need for nitpicking) actually live up to their claims?

Personally, I do not believe in any commercial product, at all.

Vinegar may or may not help dissolve the glue that adheres the nit to the hair shaft. Some lice services use a percentage of vinegar in their lice removal product. But dissolving the glue is unnecessary. Manual removal of the nits through combing, with or without dissolving the glue, is the only cure. This can be accomplished with a good lice comb and dedicated combing. It is the "dedicated combing" part in which a lice lady like me specializes.

DD and I both have thick, long hair, and being naturally both lazy and cheap, I was never able to do a good enough job of "dedicated combing" her hair (and there was no one to do the "monkey favor" for me) but I wasn't ready to pay for it, either. So, over several years when DD was in elementary school, she and I would both get lice, and we would struggle with it for weeks despite toxic shampoos and fancy lice combs. What helped put an end to the infestation each time: washing pillowcases every day, quarantining the stuffed animals, and washing our hair, every few days, with a particular brand of non-toxic lice shampoo (Quit Nits, I think?) which promised to dissolve the nit glue. The nits simply washed out with the shampoo, and there were visibly fewer of them in the hair afterward.

I find "Quit Nits" claims hard to believe, and the Amazon reviews are also mixed. I had never heard of it before however, and will have to look into it more closely.


If you were using a pay-for product every few days for years, I think it might have been more cost effective for you to pay someone - or learn yourself - to effectively lice comb. I have not yet encountered hair so long or so thick that it cannot be done.

The cheapest thing for you both? Keep a good lice comb in the shower and run it through your hair every time you condition. No louse can hold on through that.

I see what you are saying, although I am doubtful that I could run a lice comb through mine or DDs hair when wet. I sometimes use a very wide tooth comb to better spread conditioner through my hair, and even that would get stuck if I tried to run it close to the roots. Also, of course I wasn't using lice shampoo every few days for years. We had four or five infestations over the course of four years, and each time it took about two weeks of shampooing and washing pillowcases to get rid of lice until the following year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do any of the shampoos that promise to dissolve the glue that holds the nits to the hair shaft (minimizing the need for nitpicking) actually live up to their claims?

Personally, I do not believe in any commercial product, at all.

Vinegar may or may not help dissolve the glue that adheres the nit to the hair shaft. Some lice services use a percentage of vinegar in their lice removal product. But dissolving the glue is unnecessary. Manual removal of the nits through combing, with or without dissolving the glue, is the only cure. This can be accomplished with a good lice comb and dedicated combing. It is the "dedicated combing" part in which a lice lady like me specializes.

DD and I both have thick, long hair, and being naturally both lazy and cheap, I was never able to do a good enough job of "dedicated combing" her hair (and there was no one to do the "monkey favor" for me) but I wasn't ready to pay for it, either. So, over several years when DD was in elementary school, she and I would both get lice, and we would struggle with it for weeks despite toxic shampoos and fancy lice combs. What helped put an end to the infestation each time: washing pillowcases every day, quarantining the stuffed animals, and washing our hair, every few days, with a particular brand of non-toxic lice shampoo (Quit Nits, I think?) which promised to dissolve the nit glue. The nits simply washed out with the shampoo, and there were visibly fewer of them in the hair afterward.

I find "Quit Nits" claims hard to believe, and the Amazon reviews are also mixed. I had never heard of it before however, and will have to look into it more closely.


If you were using a pay-for product every few days for years, I think it might have been more cost effective for you to pay someone - or learn yourself - to effectively lice comb. I have not yet encountered hair so long or so thick that it cannot be done.

The cheapest thing for you both? Keep a good lice comb in the shower and run it through your hair every time you condition. No louse can hold on through that.

I see what you are saying, although I am doubtful that I could run a lice comb through mine or DDs hair when wet. I sometimes use a very wide tooth comb to better spread conditioner through my hair, and even that would get stuck if I tried to run it close to the roots. Also, of course I wasn't using lice shampoo every few days for years. We had four or five infestations over the course of four years, and each time it took about two weeks of shampooing and washing pillowcases to get rid of lice until the following year.

Honestly, I have yet to meet a person with hair such as yours. May I ask, what is your ethnicity? I would love to meet you to see if hair such as yours could be lice combed by me.

[Anonymous]

I successfully rid my dd of lice with the electronic comb that zaps the lice. I combed her hair with it a couple times a day for a week.

What do you think of these devices?

[Anonymous]

My kids have not yet had lice, but I'm sure it will happen eventually. I had no idea there was such a thing as lice ladies. How would I find such a service?

[Anonymous]

I had lice both as a child and an adult- redhead here. I'm a dirty redhead, almost brown, but used to be redder. We can get it too! Ugh. The memories. I combed my hair out daily for 6 weeks because I was so paranoid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I successfully rid my dd of lice with the electronic comb that zaps the lice. I combed her hair with it a couple times a day for a week.

What do you think of these devices?

I had a Robi Comb once. I own one now but haven't used it (still i n the box). I think if it worked for you successfully, great. I remembered it stopping and starting intermittently...

But if you have nits on your head, they are going to keep hatching for a full gestation period - about ten days. Personally I want all bugs and eggs OFF me as soon as possible, and the best way to do that is a metal comb.