{"id":942,"date":"2017-06-27T06:59:04","date_gmt":"2017-06-27T06:59:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=942"},"modified":"2021-03-12T15:54:33","modified_gmt":"2021-03-12T15:54:33","slug":"13-home-remedies-lice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/13-home-remedies-lice\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Home Remedies for Lice"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"There aren\u2019t many things in life that are more unpleasant than head lice. If you have lice, that means that you literally have tiny little creatures crawling around in your hair and biting into your scalp.<\/p>\n

This can be very itchy and painful in some cases and it can make you feel rather unclean. But what adds insult to injury is the fact that they are so contagious. This means you\u2019ll be unable to hug your family and you might have to live with the guilt of knowing you just ruined a friend\u2019s week.<\/p>\n

Of course, lice are the banes of parents who will occasionally get a lice scare notice from their school. Suddenly, the itching makes sense and the purging begins\u2026<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the over-the-counter treatments for head lice tend to be really rather extreme. Many lice have evolved to become naturally resistant to these types of treatment but what isn\u2019t resistant is your scalp. Using powerfully astringent products on your hair can dry out your scalp and damage your natural balance of oils. This can end up leaving you with dandruff, with damaged hair, or with an impaired \u2018skin barrier\u2019. The latter is like leaving your door open and expecting not to be robbed: it leaves you wide open to attacks from bacteria and other issues.<\/p>\n

The good news is that there are other ways you can treat lice from home. In fact, in this post we are going to examine 13 different methods that you can use. One of these is sure to do the trick!<\/p>\n

1. \u00a0Tea Tree Oil<\/h3>\n

Tea tree oil<\/a> is a highly effective treatment for lice and one of the most effective. That\u2019s because of two key ingredients. These are 1,8-cineole and terpinen 4-ol. Sound technical, right?<\/p>\n

Both these ingredients are natural insecticides. That means they can kill of insects and bugs of all kinds and those include head lice.<\/p>\n

Another benefit of tea tree oil is the consistency. As well as killing off the lice with insecticidal properties, it will also simply smother them and kill them off. Finally, it acts like a lubricant and makes it hard for the lice to attach to the shafts of the hair using their typical gummy adhesive.<\/p>\n

\"\"2. \u00a0Fine Comb<\/h3>\n

Using a fine comb is a great way to get rid of lice<\/a> and this is something you will need to do several times in order to be sure that the problem is solved. In fact, it is much better if you allow someone else to do this for you. Get them to go through your hair combing it as they go and checking for signs of eggs.<\/p>\n

Using a fine lice comb on its own won\u2019t do the trick though. As mentioned, lice can create a sticky adhesive substance that they use in order to attach to your hair and to your scalp. By applying an oil first and then going through it with the comb however, you can find it much easier to slide them down and off the ends of your hair!<\/p>\n

\"\"3. \u00a0Coconut Oil<\/h3>\n

Coconut oil<\/a> is a similarly popular choice for getting rid of lice. This is once again a substance that is antibacterial and antiseptic and can help to kill off the live. Of course, it is also another viscous substance that is ideal for smothering and suffocating those pesky lice.<\/p>\n

As an added bonus, coconut oil is also actually highly nutritious and beneficial for the scalp and it will help to moisturise your hair and undo some of the damage that has been caused. For the best effect, try combing coconut oil with the tea tree oil and you should find that it is even more effective.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t leave this mixture on for more than 30 minutes at a time and repeat 2-3 times a week.<\/p>\n

\"\"4. \u00a0Lavender Oil<\/h3>\n

Want another oil to add to your mixture?<\/p>\n

One of the most popular choices is lavender oil<\/a>. Add lavender oil to your mixture and it will once gain act like an insecticide and kill off bugs. What\u2019s more, it also has a relaxing and calming smell and can actually help to ease discomfort \u2013 if you are feeling itchy or painful on your scalp then this can combat those symptoms.<\/p>\n

Again, you can add this ingredient in order to create the ultimate insecticidal super-concoction!<\/p>\n

\"\"5. \u00a0Vodka<\/h3>\n

Looking for something else to add to this mega mix? Then how about we try for something completely different and use a little vodka<\/a>? As you might be aware, alcohol is a powerful antiseptic and in fact it has been used traditionally to help treat and disinfect wounds.<\/p>\n

Vodka is a strong smelling substance that won\u2019t feel particularly nice, but it will kill off the bacteria effectively and provide you with a mult0pronged attack.<\/p>\n

\"\"6. \u00a0Garlic<\/h3>\n

Garlic<\/a> is antimicrobial, antibacterial and antifungal. This can once again help you to kill off the lice and it is also generally shown to be one of the most effective options for treating mult-drug resistant bacteria.<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t need to go that far \u2013 but it means it will make short work of lice. Just keep in mind that of course garlic is not the greatest smelling product in the world. At least you\u2019ll be safe from vampires as well!<\/p>\n

\"\"7. \u00a0Pyrethrins<\/h3>\n

Pyrethrins<\/a> is an ingredient found in a number of over-the-counter counter-lice products.<\/p>\n

The good news is that this is an option that works rather well. It comes from the chrysanthemum flower, which means you can always go the natural route and do it yourself if you prefer.<\/p>\n

This flower contains natural insecticides (as you probably already guessed) known as pyrethrins. Pyrethrins work by attacking the nervous systems of lice. It sounds brutal, but they\u2019re perfectly safe for humans!<\/p>\n

Note that some lice have become immune to this toxin. So, if this doesn\u2019t work, move on to other options.<\/p>\n

\"\"8. \u00a0Olive Oil<\/h3>\n

We\u2019ve discussed a few oils that contain specific insecticidal properties and thus can be especially effective in killing off lice.<\/p>\n

But if you spot lice in your children\u2019s hair and you don\u2019t have any of these specialist products to hand, then any old oil will do \u2013 including kitchen-favorite olive oil<\/a>!<\/p>\n

This works simply by smothering the lice and by plugging their breathing holes. Apply liberally and leave on for a while.<\/p>\n

\"\"9. \u00a0Permethrin Lotion<\/h3>\n

This is another ingredient found in some over-the-counter treatments which once again may work in some cases.<\/p>\n

This is a synthetic<\/a> version of pyrethrins and it once again works by attacking the nervous system. If the lice in question haven\u2019t become resistant, then it will do its job swiftly and with extreme prejudice.<\/p>\n

If they have, then it\u2019s back to the drawing board to try another of these solutions!<\/p>\n

\"\"10. \u00a0Hair Dryers<\/h3>\n

Guess what? Often just using a hair dryer can have a big positive impact on head lice! It turns out that a hair dryer will kill nearly 89% of nits<\/a> but only 10% of lice (nits being the eggs). The reason this works is that the hair dryer is hot, so turn up the heat.<\/p>\n

This will kill off the eggs but it\u2019s important not to use this at the same time as any of the products we\u2019ve suggested \u2013 some of which may be flammable! I mean, that would do the trick but it\u2019s a little extreme\u2026<\/p>\n

\"\"11. \u00a0Straighteners<\/h3>\n

Hair straighteners can actually also help to remove lice in much the same way as hair dryers. The same goes for curlers! It\u2019s not terribly good for your hair<\/a> and once again, it\u2019s not going to be 100% effective.<\/p>\n

But if you want to add an extra angle to your attack on lice and especially if this is something you do anyway\u2026 then go for it!<\/p>\n

\"\"12. \u00a0Shave<\/h3>\n

Boys probably won\u2019t want to straighten their hair though, so what can they do?<\/p>\n

Well, a good option is to shave their heads \u2013 if that\u2019s a look they\u2019re open to! While this won\u2019t immediately eradicate the problem, it will make finding and killing the lice a lot easier and it will give them far fewer places to hide.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t want to go for a buzz cut, then another option is simply to cut the hair short. Ultimately, the shorter the hair is, the easier it will be to get rid of the lice. This also makes re-infestation<\/a> (what a horrible word) less likely, seeing as there is less for the lice to cling onto.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s like a warped, horrible version of Rapunzel\u2026<\/p>\n

\"\"13. \u00a0Change the Bedclothes<\/h3>\n

Finally, it is very important to make sure you are regularly changing bedclothes and other clothes \u2013 even washing your furniture.<\/p>\n

Head lice will survive on a human host<\/a> for 30 days but they will live off a host for around 24 hours. This means that if you sleep on a bed regularly, you can actually re-infest yourself with the lice from the night before.<\/p>\n

This is also a common way for partners to spread the lice between them.<\/p>\n\r\n

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