An average of about 10 million kids in US get affected with head lice each year. More than embarrassment it is the itch and discomfort that get to the kids as well as the parents. However the major problem is the resistance of the new age bugs to over the counter remedies that may have done the tricks for our parents or even us. So instead of relying on marketed stuff people are now opting for head lice home remedies which are proving to be more effective in removing the lice as well as the eggs.
What causes head lice?
There are no particular causes as such since lice are incapable of jumping or flying. They are fast crawlers and can be transferred easily among kids by prolonged head to head contact.
There are a few factors which facilitate head lice infection among the young and the adults-
- Unclean hair
- Damp hair.
- Improper personal hygiene.
- Sharing of common comb, towels and head gears.
- Resting head on public seats.
- Sharing bed sheets, pillowcases etc.
- Direct head to head contact with infected person.
How do you know for sure that you have head lice?
Although lice do not cause any serious diseases, they are quite the menace. They multiply very fast and thrive on human blood. The persistence of lice can lead to other scalp infections.
Here are a few prominent symptoms of lice-
- Excessive itching.
- Irritation behind the ears
- Localized itching above the neck
- Ticklish feeling on the scalp.
- Dandruff from the incessant itching.
How to get rid of head lice fast?
1. Mayonnaise
We have all known mayonnaise to be a good conditioning agent and a natural hair straightner, but the blissfully heavy concoction can conveniently suffocate the lice to extinction. The treatment involves very few steps.
- Apply mayonnaise thoroughly in your hair and cover it with a shower cap.
- Leave it on for about 6 hours.
- Use your regular shampoo and blow dry your hair (heat kills lice).
- Comb your hair out using a nit comb.
- Repeat once a week for two months.
2. Get rid head lice olive oil
Olive oil is very effective among home remedies for getting rid of lice.
- Apply any kind of olive oil before going to bed and put a shower cap on.
- Wash it off with shampoo containing tea tree oil.
3. Garlic
The strong pungent smell of garlic is ideal for suffocating lice and killing them.
- Separate and grind 8 to 10 garlic cloves in about two spoons of lime juice. Apply on scalp and leave it on for 30 mins. Wash it off with hot water.
- Or you can combine garlic juice with lemon and green tea extract, add some cooking oil before applying it thoroughly to your hair. Cover your hair with a shower cap or a towel. Wash your with a regular shampoo and condition it as usual.
4. Salt
Salt desiccates lice ultimately killing them
- Add a quarter cup of salt to a quarter cup of vinegar and mix.
- Spray this solution on your hair and leave for 2 hours.
- Wash and condition.
5. Tea Tree Oil
One of the most common and useful home remedies for getting rid of lice, tea tree oil is an insecticide without any side effects.
- Add one teaspoon of tea tree oil to an ounce of natural shampoo and three table spoons of coconut oil.
- Apply to your scalp and cover with shower cap.
- Wash off with hot water and comb with a nit comb.
6. Petroleum Jelly
The heavy texture of the jelly is ideal for suffocating the lice population to death.
- Apply a thick layer, leave overnight.
- Use baby oil to remove petroleum jelly in the morning.
- Comb thoroughly.
7. White Vinegar
It is a completely safe and inexpensive method to kill the little blood suckers.
- Mix white vinegar with equal amount of water and saturate you hair with the solution.
- Dip a comb in pure vinegar and comb your hair thoroughly.
8. Coconut Oil
A good natural home remedy for getting rid of lice.
- Wash hair with apple cider vinegar and saturate hair with coconut oil.
- Cover head with shower cap and leave on for 6 to 8 hours, followed by shampooing.
9. Sesame Seed Oil
- One-fourth cup of sesame seed oil should be added to half the quantity of neem oil, half a teaspoon of eucalyptus and rosemary oil and a teaspoon of tea tree oil.
- After rinsing your hair with apple cider vinegar apply the solution to scalp and hair. Leave overnight.
- Comb through and shampoo normally.
10. Hair Dryer
Studies have shown that hair dryers are effective in killing nits which are otherwise resistant to most of the other home remedies for getting rid of lice.
11. Hair Styling Gels
Just like petroleum jelly they work by suffocating the lice by blocking their breathing apparatus.
12. Dishwashing Soap
Follow a mayonnaise or petroleum jelly ritual with a dishwashing soap rinse. Helps clean out the dead lice and nit.
13. Lice Buster Treatment
More like a modified hair dryer which sends out bursts of hot air to the scalp to dry out the lice and nits. One of the more successful home remedies for getting rid of lice.
14. Using Neem Oil
Neem is a natural insecticide which kills lice with proven efficiency while removing other infections from scalp as well.
15. Essential Oils
Essential oils like Lavender, Peppermint and Rosemary oils are very good at removing lice. You can mix it with olive oil and leave on for the entire night, comb with nit comb before shampooing and after.
16. Flat Ironing
Although it might sound very cumbersome and is not advisable for very young kids, the heat from the flat iron is ideal to kill of the stubborn nits.
17. Listerine
This is a proven old school technique which is the cheapest among all home remedies for getting rid of lice. Soak hair completely in it and put a shower cap on for about 3-4 hours minimum. Then shampoo and comb.
18. Neem Leaves
Azadirachta indica leaves can be potent insecticides.
- Boil a handful of neem leaves in a pan for 10 mins till the water is reduced to half and it turns green.
- Use this water to rinse your hair.
19. Orange Juice
- Apply pure orange juice to wet hair and scalp. The acidity repels lice.
- Put a shower cap on and leave for 30-40mins.
- Comb with a nit comb and rinse with warm water followed by shampooing and combing again.
20. Alcohol
Get them drunk, get them out!
- Douse your hair in any cheap liquor with a high alcohol content. Even rubbing alcohol will do.
- Apply hair conditioner and comb out the lice. Shampoo.
21. Combing through hair with a nit comb
Although it is a laborious job this is ideal for kids. Using too many natural head lice treatments or even essential oils is not recommended for the health of children. So separate hair into sections and go through each of them in a certain order with a fine toothed nit comb.
- Finally if nothing works, simply dye your hair in your favourite colour. This is a foolproof method to get rid of lice at one go, permanently. The peroxide and ammonia kill the lice as well as nit and the washing process followed by blow drying completely annihilates the little parasites.
Why seek treatment when you can prevent it in the first place?
Keeping a few simple points can help you to keep the tiny monsters away.
- Do not share your personal items like towels, bed sheets, combs and clothes especially with someone who might have lice.
- Wash clothes and sheets of a person with lice with hot water and enzyme based detergent.
- Maintain good hygiene.
- Keep your hair tied for outdoor activities.
- Avoid head to head contact.
- Use fine comb.
- Blow dry your hair in frequent intervals.