This episode was really fun! We tackled a bunch of your embarrassing questions, which is one of my favorite episodes so far! True story: not 15 minutes after the producers said they wanted to discuss lice on the show, I got a call that my 10-year-old son had ... you guessed it: LICE! Perfect! I told the producers that I’ve got the perfect “guest” for the show. You saw us both get treated at Hair Fairies, but there a ton of other ways to treat lice.
Like I mentioned on the show, I am a big fan of the pesticide-free treatments out there, some you get at a pharmacy but some are probably already in your refrigerator or pantry. I never get tired of the funny look a parent gives me when I tell them to put mayonnaise in their child’s hair. Yes, you heard me right … Mayo! I’ve also seen olive oil or tea tree oil work well, but there are some other suggested treatments out there that seem a little, well, out there! Listerine mouthwash, guacamole, or butter mixed with lemon? Have any of you tried these? Let me know! I also had a patient try peanut butter — didn’t work.
Now, just in case you’re thinking I took the easy way out with my son by taking him to a lice salon, I have also treated lice at home. In fact, over the summer, I was working at a summer camp near Yosemite, and we had three brothers show up with the worst case of lice I had ever seen! There were hundreds of the critters crawling around their scalp! The two nurses and I each took one of the campers and used an OTC (over the counter)pesticide-free treatment (LiceMD). As we applied the oily treatment, the lice literally dropped out of the hair within minutes of application. It was pretty dramatic!
For more information about Lice treatments, visit my website: AskDrSears.com and search: LICE.
Keep those embarrassing questions coming … makes for a fun day in the studio!
-Dr. Jim
Loading recent content...
Post Comments
Add Your Comment!
Log in to leave a comment or Create an account
It makes my head itch thinking about it! It's great information to have. I have four sons (3 are in school) and I check their heads every week to make sure no one has critters in their hair. As a little girl I had lice several times and I know how hard it was to rid them. We have a large family so I want to be on top of any health issue that comes up! Thanks for the blog! Have a great weekend!
My mom used to comb our hair with vinegar.
ACH! This episode brought back some bad memories! I had thick, dark, long hair growing up and can't even count the number of times I had head lice. Luckily my Mom always found it and I never had the embarassment of the school nurse finding it. As a teen I had a case we just couldn't get rid of. We ended up at the doctor and he told us to try mayonnaise. you just put it in your hair and put a plastic bag on your head. You can either leave it over night or blow dry it for a time (I don't remember how long). After all the chemical treatments this is what worked. I know it sounds gross but it worked and if you prefer not to use chemicals or are on a tight budget it works great.
My daughter had lice last year, we did the mayo treatment...it worked pretty well, just very hard to wash out of thick hair...we also boiled pinecones and let the water cool, then treated her hair with the water, seems like the lice just fell out!
My daughter had lice last year, we did the mayo treatment...it worked pretty well, just very hard to wash out of thick hair...we also boiled pinecones and let the water cool, then treated her hair with the water, seems like the lice just fell out!
I have never had lice, i know what they look like, and i know that they are really itch. but i cannot imange having these ugly bugs crawling in someone's hair.
When I had fosters kids there was a spray that was neon that you would spray onto check for nits.That was wonderful .I would use vinegar on my hair after I'd take care of pt at the hospital and take them to the their room . Yes the would give use the NIX but it made made sores in my head, so so vinegar an then the a cap the next morning spray . and nothing
my oldest was was always getting set home for lice , we the spray worked ,just dry scalp from her nerves habit
a Few years back my children were coming home from school on a regular basis with head lice. My son was easy we shaved his head, but it has to be short enough so the nits are also gone i think it was less than 1/4 inch. My daughter and i used mayo. we put the bag over our heads and left it for 8 hours. To get the greasy feel out of your hair after you can wash it out with dish washer soap. It worked great. Also dont forget the bedding, rugs, couch,stuffed animals and CAR INTERIOR(if u have cloth seats). Most people forget the car!! Dog flea spray worked and is alot cheaper than the spray rid!!!
When i was little my parents just washed my head in the sink (dont worry, we scrubbed that sink so hard it almost fell apart) it was pretty easy nd i got noo sticky hair, im pretty sure that's the only time i had lice.
When i was little my parents just washed my head in the sink (dont worry, we scrubbed that sink so hard it almost fell apart) it was pretty easy nd i got noo sticky hair, im pretty sure that's the only time i had lice.
Dear Dr. Sears,
Boy do I know about LICE. I am a Special Ed. Teacher for Kindergarten Kids-3rd graders. I have had many kids with bad cases of lice. It is good to know different remedies for getting rid of lice. One year one child had it almost every week. Lice treatment was always a monthly thing I bought for my hair because I was so paranoid. How do you get lice from your school kids. I get so freaked out by LICE. How do I avoid it.
i started doing the mayo thing when my daugher first got lice at age 1 yes 1 (few months shy of 2) i will so mad that my baby had head lice and its not that i have never had lice as a child and my oldest got it at age 3, wish i knew about mayo then, but now if my children get it thats what i use and its a heck of alot cheaper to also instead of buying the lice spray for bedding and what not, what cant be wahed i use dollar store brand lysol, and taht too is cheap, and beleive me that helps when you have 3 children and you want to make sure that you get it all, so i will say til im blue in the face mayo ( mirical whip is the best) works greay plus its good for your hair....
» Comments RSS