This article is about the home remedies for lice. Sometimes you might feel itching and red bumps on the scalp, if yes, it means your head is infested by the head lice. This problem is very common among children. Every girl in school, college or day care needs lice prevention. There are a few places from where your child can get lice like in the playground, school, parties or day care.
Head lice or nits are small parasites that live on the scalp and hair where they can feed on blood. You can also get lice by coming in contact with an infected person, by wearing the clothes of someone who has lice and by sharing personal items like combs and brushes that are contaminated. Head lice multiply very quickly and it is quite difficult to remove lice parasites within a few days. A proper hair care and below listed home remedies for lice can help you to get rid of the head lice gradually.
Symptoms of Lice:
- Lice on scalp
- Itching
- Lice eggs on hair shafts
Home Remedies for Lice Treatment:
1.) Almond Oil or Olive Oil to Get Rid of Lice Naturally
Olive oil or almond oil is one of the best home remedies for lice. Both the oils help to suffocate the lice and thus they won’t be able to breathe.
Directions to Use Almond Oil or Olive Oil:
- You can coat your hair or coat the comb both the way are good. Separate your hair into many smaller sections and separate them with clips.
- Apply any of the oil to your scalp before the bed time.
- Wear a shower cap to keep the oil on your hair for the whole night.
- In the next morning, comb out the lice and then wash your hair with herbal shampoo.
- Another method is, mix one and a half cup of conditioner, one and a half cup of olive oil and add some liquid soap to it. Apply it to your hair and scalp and keep it for an hour. Wash your hair and apply the conditioner. Use nit comb to remove the dead lice. Repeat it again after a week to get best results.
2.) Essential Oils to Treat Lice Infestation Naturally and Fast
There are many essentials oils that can be used to eliminate head lice with the help of the comb. The effective essential oils include peppermint oil, cinnamon leaf oil, nutmeg oil, red thyme oil, Indian lilac (neem) oil, clove oil and lavender oil. These oils help to suffocate the lice.
Directions to Use Essential Oils:
- Take 15 to 20 drops of essential oil and add it to 2 ounces of olive oil.
- Apply it on your scalp and let it sit for 12 hours or overnight.
- After that, comb your hair then shampoo twice a day.
- Or, mix the same amount of essential oil with 4 ounces of rubbing alcohol. Now spray it on your hair and leave it on for 12 hours. This will help to remove your head lice.
3.) Garlic to Eliminate Head Lice Fast and Naturally
Garlic is one of the excellent home remedies for lice infestation. The strong fragrance of garlic will help to choke the lice and kill them.
Directions to Use Garlic:
- Take 8 to 10 garlic cloves and grind them into a paste and mix in 2 to 3 tbsp of lime juice.
- Apply this paste onto your scalp. Keep it for 30 minutes and then wash your hair with hot water.
- An alternate method, prepare a thick paste by combining garlic juice with some lemon extract, cooking oil, green tea and some shampoo and conditioner. Coat your hair with this paste and cover your scalp with a shower cap or towel for half an hour. Wash your hair with shampoo and repeat it on a weekly basis for 1 to 2 months.
4.) Petroleum Jelly to Treat Lice Infestation Fast
Petroleum jelly has a stifling effect on roaming lice which help to remove lice and kill them. Since it quite greasy so make sure you remove it thoroughly from the hair.
Directions to Use Petroleum Jelly:
- Apply a thick layer of petroleum jelly to your scalp before bedtime.
- Use shower cap or towel to cover your head tightly. Keep it on overnight.
- In the next morning, remove the petroleum jelly with baby oil.
- Comb your hair to remove the lice.
- Repeat it every night until you get the better results.
5.) Baby Oil and White Vinegar to Prevent Lice Infestation
Baby oil and white vinegar are one of the effective home remedies for lice treatment. It works great by suffocating the lice. White vinegar contains acetic acid which can kill lice.
Directions to Use Baby Oil and White Vinegar:
- Apply baby oil on your hair and scalp.
- Comb your hair slowly to remove the lice.
- Use shampoo and hot water to wash your hair.
- Before bedtime, use white vinegar and apply it to your hair and then cover your head with a shower cap.
- Leave it for the whole night and wash your hair with regular shampoo in the next morning.
6.) Mayonnaise to Get Rid of Head Lice Fast
Mayonnaise has viscosity properties and it contains a lot of oil that suffocates the head lice. It is one of the best home remedies for lice infestation.
Directions to Use Mayonnaise:
- Take some fully fat mayonnaise and apply it over your scalp.
- Use towel or shower cap to cover your head and keep it for 8 hours or overnight.
- Shampoo your hair and then remove the lice out of your hair with a nit comb.
- Repeat it daily for a week.
7.) Sesame Seed Oil for Lice Infestation Fast and Naturally
Sesame seed oil has natural insecticide properties and it also has antifungal and antibacterial properties. Thus, it is used to solve the problem of head lice.
Directions to Use Sesame Seed Oil:
- Mix together a one-eighth cup of lilac oil, 1 tsp of tea tree oil, one-fourth cup of sesame seed oil, one-half tsp of eucalyptus and rosemary essential oil and also add ten drops of lavender essential oil.
- Wash your hair with ACV and let it dry.
- Apply this oil solution to your scalp and hair and cover your hair with a shower cap.
- Keep it for the whole night and in the morning, comb your hair to remove the dead head lice.
- Then shampoo regularly.
8.) Coconut Oil to Get Rid of Lice Naturally and Fast
Coconut oil has lubricating nature that helps to stop lice from moving freely and prevent them from developing. Thus, it is one of the best home remedies for lice.
Directions to Use Coconut Oil:
- First, wash your hair with ACV and let it dry.
- Apply the coconut oil on the scalp and hair.
- Use towel or shower cap to cover your head and leave it for 6 to 8 hours or you can keep it overnight.
- Next day, comb your hair and then shampoo regularly.
9.) Salt to Kill the Lice Fast
Salt and vinegar are among the best remedies for lice. Both the ingredients tend to dehydrate and kill the head lice.
Directions to Use Salt:
- Take ¼ cup of salt and dissolve it to a ¼ cup of warm vinegar.
- Apply it as a spray until your scalp is wet.
- Allow the solution to sit until the hair is dry then coat your scalp and hair completely with olive oil or coconut oil.
- Leave it for 8 hours. This will suffocate the lice and later you can remove the dead lice with the nit comb.
10.) Apple Cider Vinegar to Kill the Lice
ACV is one of the common household ingredients. Apple cider vinegar helps to loosen the glue that helps to hold the lice in place. Therefore, it is an ideal remedy for lice.
Directions to Use Apple Cider Vinegar:
- Apply the apple cider vinegar and allow it to sit until the hair is fully dry.
- Coat your scalp and hair with apple cider vinegar so that it suffocates the lice.
- Wear the shower cap and keep it for 8 hours.
- Then use shampoo to remove the apple cider vinegar.
