At times, life seems unfair and brings several unpleasant situations. For example, a very annoying thing is when you suddenly come across a person already suffering from infections head lice issues.
It is highly contagious and affects not only a person but also the people around. This troublesome problem becomes severe if left untreated and can cause itching and burning to your scalp.
These small insects are parasites that live and feed on the human scalp. They are resilient and breed easily and therefore require immediate action and proper treatment. Head lice or scientifically called ‘Pediculus humanus
The following guide will provide you with some of the best home remedies for lice, but first, you need to know how they look like.
What is Head Lice?
Head lice are parasites, and their length generally varies from two-three
The more, the severe! It is best to stop their growth at the earliest to avoid further annoying problems. Let us look at the guide on how to remove lice from hair. These ways are tried and tested and will bring instant results.
Home Remedies for Lice
1. Strict and Proper Hygiene
This is the principal thing that you must follow. It is necessary to wash all combs and brushes in hot water frequently and replace towels, pillowcases with newer and cleaner ones.
You must ensure to change your bedding from time to time to stop the spread of head lice. This is the first possible precaution you can take beforehand to combat the head lice problems in your life.
2. Tea Tree Oil
This is a natural repellent for the head louse and is a brilliant way to evade its infections. Tea tree oil carries insecticidal and ovicidal properties, destroying and killing both the lice and their eggs.
This essential oil results in a complete solution, and studies and researches had shown that tea tree oil, when consistently applied for four to seven days or nights, can cause a hundred per cent mortality to head lice.
3. Mayonnaise
Applying mayonnaise to the head will suffocate and smother the head lice. The head lice won’t be able to escape the thick layer of oily mayonnaise and eventually die. After applying the mayonnaise, put on a show cap and leave it for eight hours or overnight.
The next morning, wash your head with shampoo and then comb to get rid of the dead lice bodies. Treat your hair and head with this effective treatment and repeat on alternate days for a week for better results.
4. Listerine
Listerine carries contents of thymol and eucalyptus, which can successfully kill the head lice. Soak your scalp with Listerine, and then cover it with a show cap. Make sure that Listerine does not get into your eyes.
Leave your head in this condition for two to three hours, and then wash it with shampoo. Proper combing is a must to remove the remaining head lice from your scalp.
5. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil also acts like mayonnaise that stops the easy movement of lice on the scalp. Also, it prevents the lice eggs from getting stuck to the hair. Warm-up a generous amount of coconut oil and apply it to your head.
After massaging, cover your head with a shower cap and leave it for at least two hours. Use a shampoo and conditioner to wash it down and comb your hair as it starts to dry up. Once or twice a week treatment will be beneficial for you.
6. Olive Oil
Just like coconut oil, this too acts as an excellent lubricant that hinders the easy crawling of lice on your scalp. Use the same method of application and leave it overnight, covering your head with a shower cap.
The next morning, comb your hair to remove the lice and then apply shampoo and a conditioner for a better result. Herbal products are best for your hair in this regard.
7. Vinegar
The acetic acid of vinegar, when mixed with water and applied to the scalp, helps you lose the bond between the lice and your hair. Wrap a towel or wear a shower cap and leave your head in this state for an hour at least.
You should also wash your comb and immerse the same in an equal proportion of vinegar and water. You can take the help of this method either before or after the application of shampoo. You can also add some salt to the solution as it is a natural antiseptic and can help in killing lice.
8. Neem Oil
Neem oil acts as a lubricant like other oil and stops the air passage in your head, thus affecting the lice and eggs in your scalp. You can mix some neem oil and your shampoo and then apply it to your head.
This is a powerful remedy and will bring good results with a week. Shampoo infused with neem oil should be used almost daily for even better results.
9. Alcohol
Benzyl alcohol is a kind of ‘pediculicide’ and is especially good for treating lice. It works as asphyxiation for the lice and eventually kills them. This approved chemical is recommended to be used by children who are at least six months of age.
Avoid the contact of this solution with your body, and make sure to wash your hands after its application thoroughly. Apply the alcohol solution on the scalp, neck and also behind the ears for wide coverage and better results. Leave it for ten minutes, and then do the usual washing and combing to remove the lice and the eggs.
10. Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum jelly is a versatile and universal product. It comes with many benefits and can be equally good at killing lice. It acts like mayonnaise suffocating the lice in the scalp due to its thick concentration. Cover your head with a shower cap, and the next morning, wash your hair to clean the jelly completely. Combing the hair in a proper partition is very important to remove the remaining parasites.
Other oils like vegetable oil, baby oil, sesame seed oil, and eucalyptus oil can be used interchangeably and effectively to remove lice and eggs from the head. You will be surprised to know that raw garlic too can be used to treat lice infections. The strong rancid taste of garlic is hard to ignore, and even head lice cannot bear the smell of it. You can make a paste of garlic, clove, and oil and apply it to the head.
The points mentioned above are the best answers to how to get rid of lice from hair. These have been proven effective ways to eradicate infectious lice and have been in use for generations. A proper application as per the instructions and the duration required will remove even the remaining parasites so that they do not start attacking your head again.
