Natural Remedies for Head Lice

Are you the parent of a preschooler or an elementary school aged child? If you are, there will likely come a point in time when your child develops head lice. As frustrating as head lice can be, it is actually a common occurrence for most children between the ages of three to ten. This is because children are often close to each other during daycare or school.

When it comes to treating head lice, many parents head right on down to their local drug stores to stock up on lice killing supplies, such as head lice combs, lice killing shampoo, and other sprays. Unfortunately, some of these products may not only be ineffective for your child, but they may also put them at risk. Parents are always encouraged to avoid exposing their children to unnatural chemicals whenever possible. The good news, however, for parents of children with head lice is that there are a number of natural remedies and home remedies that can prove successful.

One remedy for head lice involves saturating the hair with vinegar. This approach is nice, as most individuals already have vinegar in their homes. Parents who have tried this way to kill and remove head lice recommend leaving the vinegar on the hair for at least an hour before washing it out. To prevent a mess, shower caps or other similar items can be placed over the hair. Of course, be careful doing so, as you do not want to use something, such as a plastic bag, that could endanger your child. It has been reported that vinegar will kill lice in as little as two or three days.

Tea tree oil is another natural and easy to way to kill head lice. There are some individuals who apply tea tree oil directly to the hair in small amounts; however, many parents recommend another approach. This approach involves placing about fifteen drops of tea tree oil in a bottle of shampoo. When doing so, it is best if the shampoo bottle is not completely full, as this allows the tea tree oil to spread evenly when shook. Tea tree oil, when combined with shampoo, should be used on a daily basis for at least five to seven days.

Mayonnaise can also be used to remove head lice. What is nice about this approach is that it should kill all types of head lice, including the eggs and adults. It is also nice, as all that you really have to do is walk right to your refrigerator. Mayonnaise should be applied to the hair and evenly spread. Many recommend leaving it in the hair for about an hours worth of time. As with applying vinegar to the hair, it is a good idea to cover the hair with a shower cap, just be sure to proceed with caution if you use a shopping bag or something else that can pose a risk of suffocation.

Another natural way to remove head lice is to physically do so. Although this approach is natural, it can be extremely frustrating and time consuming. What you will need is a comb, tweezers, and a flashlight. In fact, this approach should be taken even after you use tea tree oil, mayonnaise, or vinegar. These items will help to kill the lice in a child’s head, but you will still need to take steps to remove the dead lice and eggs from your child’s head. The best way to do so is with a comb or tweezers and when your child’s hair is still wet.

What is nice about using the above mentioned natural remedies for head lice is that they can be used even if you don’t have confirmation that you child has head lice. For example, if your notice a few specks on your child’s head that may resemble head lice, you can still use the above mentioned treatment options, without unnecessarily putting your child at risk or exposing them to many of the chemicals that are found in over-the-counter head lice medications.