Lice Question: Is this normal? What if can't see nits?!

[Anonymous]

DC was itching and I found a live louse. We used Rid and combed out the hair. I didn't see any nits at all. The next day I saw another louse that was significantly smaller, and the day after that another tiny louse. I just can't find any nits! How did we get baby lice if we didn't have nits? It's been almost two days since we've seen anything. We've been combing for hours a day. DC likes it because we've been giving the iPad to keep DC steady. Is this a normal lice progression, or am I missing something? If I can't see any nits, is the comb still getting them out? We are using a metal lice comb, combing multiple times a day (sunshine, bright bathroom). The comb goes through pretty easily and nothing comes out on the teeth of it.

[RedTailHawk]

IMHO:Teeth in metal comb are not near fine enough for most kid hair. You need to go over it with your thumb nail a small section at a time. If you are looking for evidence, look behind the ears - that seemed to be a "hot" spot for DC's infestations.

[Anonymous]

A lot of the combs are not good enough to get the nits. Order the Terminator comb from Amazon, if you can. I think the nits are also basically impossible to see. The easiest way is to wipe the comb on a white cloth after each wipe -- the nits are tan or grey and will show up as little specks on the cloth.
It may be that you got the lice before they laid nits -- they need to be a couple of days old before they can lay eggs -- or it was a male or a not-pregnant female.
If you can go 8 or 9 days without getting any lice, you are probably safe, because they eggs hatch within 6 to 8 days (although you can still find nits after that, they are dead egg sacks that aren't going to hatch).

[Anonymous]

Nits are really hard to see. They looked like a shiny small piece of something stuck to DC's hair. I would comb an entire section, then change her position to shift the light and find more. I agree with PPs that I had to use my thumbnail to get them off.

You may want to call your pediatrician and get a prescription shampoo. It's basically alcohol and does a much better job of killing the lice than Rid or Nix. DCs lice survived the Nix treatment. The prescription shampoo is pricey, but the company does have coupons online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nits are really hard to see. They looked like a shiny small piece of something stuck to DC's hair. I would comb an entire section, then change her position to shift the light and find more. I agree with PPs that I had to use my thumbnail to get them off.

You may want to call your pediatrician and get a prescription shampoo. It's basically alcohol and does a much better job of killing the lice than Rid or Nix. DCs lice survived the Nix treatment. The prescription shampoo is pricey, but the company does have coupons online.

Yup-we've basically bred lice that can resist the chemicals in the standard lice shampoos.

[Anonymous]

Make sure you are combing very close to the head -- the nits are very close to the scalp. And do a section at a time, methodically. They especially plant nits behind the ears and at the nape of the neck. Comb in multiple directions.

[Anonymous]

At this point it might be worth calling in a professional like lice happens, they have super magnifying glasses, bright lamps, etc. good luck. I've been there, and it sucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of the combs are not good enough to get the nits. Order the Terminator comb from Amazon, if you can. I think the nits are also basically impossible to see. The easiest way is to wipe the comb on a white cloth after each wipe -- the nits are tan or grey and will show up as little specks on the cloth.
It may be that you got the lice before they laid nits -- they need to be a couple of days old before they can lay eggs -- or it was a male or a not-pregnant female.
If you can go 8 or 9 days without getting any lice, you are probably safe, because they eggs hatch within 6 to 8 days (although you can still find nits after that, they are dead egg sacks that aren't going to hatch).

Yes this, I used Rid twice, and it didn't work. You need the terminator comb. I never saw nits other than when I combed them out with the terminator and wiped on a white paper towel even though I saw a louse on my forehead while I was at work. Gross.

[Anonymous]

As others have said, the nits are super hard to see and you might need a better metal comb. If all else fails, there are lice removal services you could try. Lice Treatment Center is the best I know of and they use all-natural, organic products. They can come to you 24/7, so you don't have to go to a salon. They will also check the whole family and help you with the overall process of totally getting rid of those little critters. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

OP here. Definitely methodical in combing. Definitely close to the scalp. DC has thick hair, so I'd been reluctant to invest in more combs figuring it might not be needed. Is it? Nothing is wiping off on white towels. Magnifying glass to the head isn't showing anything. I've been hoping since it's been a couple days since we've spotted a louse that hopefully we're clear (though I will still comb for quite a while to be sure). School nurse looked and didn't find anything.

[Anonymous]

What kind of comb are you using? If you are using the one that came in the box of Rid, then it won't work. You need the terminator. I know because I kept using Rid or Nix and the comb that came in the box, and we all still had lice. I had to get the terminator comb before we got rid of the lice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What kind of comb are you using? If you are using the one that came in the box of Rid, then it won't work. You need the terminator. I know because I kept using Rid or Nix and the comb that came in the box, and we all still had lice. I had to get the terminator comb before we got rid of the lice.

i's stop using the chemicals most live these days are resistant. Get a good live comb like the live muster or terminator online. Lather hair with conditioner. If you can get tea tree oil put one tiny drop with conditioner and keep away from eyes. Comb hair with conditioner in. Make sure you start at scalp and go section by section. Comb a few times a day then 1x a day for a week. Spray hair with Fairy Tales conditioning spray everyday before school. If child has long hair keep it up and braided.

[Anonymous]

Stupid auto correct! Live= LICE