Hitchhikers from DragonCon

[KiaKat]

Yup. I got lice. And I'm pretty sure I got it at DragonCon. Only place I've been where I was snuggly with so many random people (Yay kilt-blowing!) and there were certainly enough hugs and encounters with total strangers, not to mention the dancing in close quarters.

ARGH.

So today is spent medicating, picking, cleaning, doing laundry, and NOT going to work...even though I can't afford to lose today's salary.

I am Not Happy. I NEVER got lice ONCE as a kid. Ever. And now? Now my hair is longer, heavier, thicker, and a lot more difficult to work with.

If anyone recommends cutting my hair or shaving my head, I will rain doom upon you. That is Not An Option. I would blow up at my own mother for suggesting that right now. I've put too much effort and time into my hair to just cut it off.

ETA: The infestation seems to be too light for me to have gotten it at D*C. Looks like it was probably a more recent event. Which means I'm even MORE baffled at where the hell the little fuckers came from.

[Midnight12]

If I may suggest, boil the hairbrushes and if its available there are some lice treatment kits with a bed sheet/linen spray that kills them off.
the name escapes me but its available it most pharmacies.
If I recall correctly when it starts burning let it burn for a minute or two before rinsing. (only had to have this done once as a kid)

And lice are primarily found in kids, any clean head will do.

[KiaKat]

*nods*

Actually used Nix this morning. It was always the one recommended when we were kids (although this was my first experience) and my Other Half combed through my hair this afternoon. Looks like we caught it very early, as there were next-to-none in the way of nits and nymphs. We'll do another comb-through tomorrow morning, then check again next Saturday. If that comes up clear, we'll call it a day and assume we got it all.

According to the CDC site, as long as we wash all linens and the clothes I wore over the last two days in 130F + water plus high-heat dry (I included my scrunchies in that too), and toss any hairbrushes, clips, etc in water that is at least that temp for 10 minutes, we should be ok. I vacuumed the carpet and couches earlier, and now I just have to wipe down a few surfaces with a bleach solution and that should do it.

Now I really wanna know where the buggers came from. I can't think of *anywhere* I've been that would qualify as close enough quarters for them to get on me.

[trailerparkmedic]

Have you borrowed hats/scrunchies/hairbrushes from anyone lately? Lice jump between people really quick, if I remember correctly.

[Green_Fairy]

i heard that even leaning your head against something that someone with lice leaned against can pass it. dunno how true that is tho...

[KiaKat]

That's the thing...I have eczema and insanely curly hair, so I'm incredibly careful with what I wear. Generally, unless it's one of my scarves, I don't wear anything on my head. And even then it's probably something I've just pulled off a hanger.

I'm not around kids. I manage a wine store that doesn't even have an area rug, ffs. It hasn't been cold enough that I'd be wearing my winter coat yet, so that hasn't been hanging with other people's outerwear, and my normal wool wrap stays either on me or in the closet! I haven't been to a club. I haven't been to a bar. I've been out to dinner twice, but sat against the wall, away from pretty much anyone. I was at an orchard and a buffalo farm last weekend, but didn't really come in physical contact with anyone beyond passing money to the cashiers. I haven't had anyone over to the house. I haven't been over to anyone else's house. I have no idea where I could have gotten them.

>.<

Oh, and for reference, this is what had to be combed through (and this photo is from last month, so my hair is longer now).

That was not terribly fun.

[Green_Fairy]

omg i love your hair. i'm so jealous!

and omg critters must suck in hair like that >.<

[Amina516]

Ohhh Kia. I feel for you. My hair is almost identical to yours. I keep it straightened though for ease purposes.

I had lice in kindergarten and my dad (who is NOT a barber), chopped my hair off and I looked like a little boy til 2nd grade. It was horrible.

[Shpepper]

What beautiful hair you have. I have finally come to terms with my own curls. I can't help you get rid of the little buggers. But I can give a tip to keep them from coming back.

When my kids were in school, We had one incidence of head lice at home. My son had super thick very long(almost to his butt) hair. He was in Kindergarten. We fine combed that for hours to get it out since he didn't want to cut it. Once we got it all out, I went to the co-op and got rosemary oil. I put some in the shampoo and we all used that. They hate something in the rosemary oil. We never had a problem again and the school sent home notices all the time. Might be something to think about.

[iradney]

Someone told me the same thing about rosemary oil - just get some carrier oil, put a few drops of rosemary in, massage thoroughly into your hair. Wear a showercap and leave it on for a few hours. Wash it out, and voila! Nits are gone, and you have the added advantage of super smooth, silky hair - and rosemary gives it great shine too.

[Shpepper]

Someone told me the same thing about rosemary oil - just get some carrier oil, put a few drops of rosemary in, massage thoroughly into your hair. Wear a showercap and leave it on for a few hours. Wash it out, and voila! Nits are gone, and you have the added advantage of super smooth, silky hair - and rosemary gives it great shine too.

And IMHO, it smells YUMMY ! ! ! ! ! !

[KiaKat]

*jaw drops*

REALLY?!

*runs to store to find Rosemary oil*

Thank you!

[Shpepper]

Yuppers Really. Hope it helps.

[MaggieTheCat]

Your hair is really nice, Kia! I hope the rosemary helps you get rid of the lice fast!

[Antisocial_Worker]

I feel your pain. I just dealt with a three-week ordeal of mystery scabies about a month back. No idea where they came from, but it took repeated trips to the doctor and finally sitting around for 9-plus hours naked and smeared with a neurotoxic insecticide lotion to get rid of the goddamned things.