Just the thought of them makes you itch.
Just the sight of them makes you squirm. The wriggly little bodies. The sucky little fangs.
They are crawly and creepy and ready to feed upon your baby.
And coming to a head near you is the new SUPER MUTANT version.
You have been warned.
A new treatment resistant mutated species of "super lice" that cannot be killed by even the most popular over-the-counter remedies have arrived and researchers say that getting rid of them is going to be harder and harder for parents.
A study published recently in the Journal of Medical Entomology, has found that common over-the-counter insecticides such as permethrin used to be up to 100 per cent effective in killing the parasites when it was introduced in 1984.
Listen to Holly Wainwright and Andrew Daddo talk about their most embarrassing head lice moments on Mamamia's family podcast, This Glorious Mess. Post continues after gallery.
But now researchers have found 98.3 per cent of the lice have a mutation meaning the lotions and sprays and shampoos are about as effective as kyrptonite on Lex Luther.
And they've found, these super mutant lice are planning on taking over the world.
Well, our children's scalps at least.
Top Comments
We are not all doomed! For those of you who are distressed about either having lice currently or in the future I've used a technique that has worked effectively for me on two occasions (as I have been unlucky enough to catch it twice in the last ten years). Here are my tips:
1. Vacume technique (yes you read right!). Separate your hair with hair ties into at least four sections and vacume each section using the straight nozzle of a vacume cleaner. The lice are effectively sucked off your head and into the vacume bag. Each vacume session only takes 5-10 mins. Ideally repeat everyday or at least every second day for 2 weeks (or longer if still feeling itchy). Lice can build a resistance to chemicals but not to getting sucked off your head.
2. Change all bed linen, pillows, doona etc every day making sure there is a 3 day break between use. This ensures you don't give it back to yourself from lice left behind after sleeping at night. You're lying there for 8 hours so likely there will be some left behind.
3. The same goes for clothing, keep a 3 day break between wearing jackets, scarfs, any top whatsoever. Also buy disposable shower caps so you don't wear the same one twice.
4. Wash brushes after each use, making sure to remove hair. I just threw them in the shower with me to wash to make it easier.
5. The vacuuming doesn't get rid of the nits (eggs) therefore you still need to remove them by having a someone meticulously go through your hair and pick them out or if no one to help using a combing technique with conditioner (not as effective).
6. You could use a treatment in addition to the above as an extra precaution.
7. Straightening irons/curling wands will help destroy the nits too.
I hope these tips helps someone out there!
I used the straightening iron "trick" on my daughters but I think all it did was hatch the eggs as the next time I combed through there were heaps more!!