Lice are the small parasites that live on your scalp and your hair shafts. They draw blood from your scalp and hair and that is how they feed themselves. Head lice is common among kids.
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How do lice spread?
You can catch lice by coming in contact with someone who is infected by lice. This can happen while playing, at school, during sports, during sleepovers, and even other gatherings. If and when you wear clothes of a person who has lice, you can get the parasite yourself. Even if you share personal articles like brushes or combs you can get affected since these personal care items are bound to be contaminated by lice eggs. Also, sharing a bed with someone who is infected by the parasite can result in you getting contaminated too.
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What are the symptoms of lice?
The two most common symptoms are,
- Itching on the scalp and hair
- Itching around the ears
- Red bumps on the scalp
Why is it very difficult to get rid of lice?
As lice reproduce super rapidly, it is extremely difficult to eradicate them in just a few days. Combing constantly can help, but that is a time-consuming and exhausting process, right? So why not look into some home remedies that can effectively kill these parasites and lend you a healthy and clean scalp in the process.
Home remedies for lice
1. Garlic
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Garlic is an effective remedy for lice owing to its strong fragrance, which can snuff out lice, and finally, kill them.
Remedies
- Begin by grinding about 9 to 10 garlic cloves until they form a smooth paste.
- Now, mix two tablespoons of lime juice to this blend.
- Apply the mixture onto your scalp. Be thorough in your application.
- Leave it on for 20 minutes.
- Now rinse the hair with lukewarm water.
- On the other hand, you can combine garlic juice (make sure it is fresh) with cooking oil, lemon extract and green tea to form a thicker paste. Now add some shampoo and conditioner to this paste. Cover your hair with the mixture, and cover your scalp with a towel. You can also use a shower cap if you want. Keep the paste on for 30 minutes and then wash with an herbal shampoo.
- Repeat these remedies once a week for a month or two.
2. Baby oil
Another very easy natural cure for lice on your head is baby oil. It is seen that baby oil suffocates the lice and kills them. For this remedy, you will also need laundry detergent and some white vinegar.
Remedies
- Apply the baby oil onto your scalp, and then apply it all over your hair.
- Now comb your hair using a narrow tooth comb. The lice will start dropping from your head.
- Next, wash your hair using washing-up liquid and lukewarm water.
- Before you hit the sack, apply the white vinegar on your hair.
- Cover your head with a towel or use a shower cap for the purpose,
- Leave the vinegar on for the night.
- The next day, wash your hair using your regular shampoo.
- Apply conditioner.
- You can repeat the remedy for no less than four days to get the desired results.
3. Olive oil
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Another very effective home remedy for lice is olive oil, which smothers and then kills them.
Remedies
- You can apply any kind of olive oil onto your scalp. Be generous and thorough in your application.
- Apply the oil before you go off to sleep. You can wrap your head in a towel or put on a shower cap to make sure the hair absorbs the oil and it does not ruin your pillow case.
- After you wake up in the morning, comb your hair with a narrow tooth comb. You will notice that some of the parasites will drop off your hair.
- Now wash your hair using an herbal shampoo. A shampoo with a tea tree oil base works best.
- Alternatively, mix half a cup of olive oil with half a cup of your regular conditioner. Now add some liquid soap to this solution. Apply the mixture onto your scalp and leave it on for at least an hour. Lastly, rinse your hair with lukewarm water, and apply a hair conditioner.
- After washing your hair, comb it thoroughly to get rid of the lice, which will be dead by then.
- You need to repeat this treatment once a week for a month to get the results you want.
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4. Salt
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The reason why salt has made it to this list of home remedies for lice is its desiccating quality.
Remedies
- In one-fourth cup of salt, add a quarter cup of vinegar.
- Mix the solution thoroughly.
- Now, gently spray this combination onto your hair. Once your hair is slightly wet, put on a shower cap. Leave the solution on for two hours.
- Wash your hair with your regular shampoo.
- Apply an herbal conditioner and wash after 2 minutes with lukewarm water.
- Repeat the treatment twice a week for a month for the desired results.
5. Petroleum Jelly
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The stifling effect that petroleum jelly has on roaming lice helps get rid of the parasite.
Remedies
- Begin by applying a layer of petroleum jelly onto your scalp before you hit the sack.
- Now cover your head using a shower cap or towel to make sure you do not mess your pillow case or bed.
- Leave the jelly on for the night.
- The next morning, use baby oil to get rid of the petroleum jelly.
- Comb your hair using a narrow tooth comb and remove the lice.
- Repeat the treatment once a week for a month to get positive results.
6. Tree tea oil
Tree tea oil is used as a remedy for lice because it is a natural insecticide that kills parasites like lice.
Remedies
- Mix half a teaspoon of tea tree oil to an ounce of herbal shampoo.
- Add 6 teaspoons of coconut oil or olive oil to the solution.
- Now apply the solution on your hair. Be thorough in your application. Cover your head using a towel or a shower cap.
- Leave the solution on for 40 minutes. Rinse the hair with lukewarm water.
- Finally, using a narrow tooth comb, comb through your strands while your hair is still wet to get rid of the lice.
Pro tip: DO NOT put the tea tree oil directly to your scalp.
7. Coconut oil
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Coconut oil’s lubricating quality stop lice from moving about freely through your hair. This helps prevention of proliferation of the lice.
- Begin by rinsing your hair methodically using apple cider vinegar.
- Let the vinegar dry in your hair.
- Now apply the coconut oil very generously. Saturate your hair with it!
- Cover your head using a towel or a shower cap.
- Leave the oil for about eight hours. You can apply the oil before going to bed, and keep it on through the night.
- In the morning, use a narrow tooth comb and then cleanse with your usual shampoo.
Repeat the treatment every single day, without fail, for a week, to completely destroy lice in your hair.
Pro tip: To make the remedy more effective, you need to add some drops of anise essential oil to your coconut oil before applying it to your scalp.
8. White vinegar
Using white vinegar to eradicate lice is a safe and inexpensive home remedy like the rest of the cures on this list. White vinegar contains acetic acid that can kill head lice.
Remedies
- Before using the vinegar on your head, you need to dilute it with an equal amount of water.
- Saturate your hair and your scalp with this white vinegar and water solution.
- Wrap the hair with towel or a shower cap for a couple of hours.
- Now, dip a narrow tooth comb in the white vinegar and water solution, and comb your hair. Make sure you focus on one slice of your hair at a time.
Pro tip: You can also rinse your hair using white vinegar solution before and after cleansing with your regular shampoo.
9. Sesame seed oil
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Sesame seed oil is high in its antibacterial and antifungal qualities. Its natural insecticide properties help it in getting rid of head lice.
Remedies
- Mix a quarter of a cup of sesame seed oil with an eighth of a cup of neem oil.
- Add to this solution, half a tablespoon of tea tree oil and half a teaspoon of eucalyptus oil.
- Pour into the mixture, half a teaspoon of rosemary essential oil and 8 drops of lavender essential oil.
- Begin by rinsing your hair with apple cider vinegar.
- Let your hair dry.
- Now apply this solution to your scalp and your hair, generously.
- Leave the solution through the night. Make sure you use a shower cap or towel to protect your sheets.
- Next morning, comb your hair using a narrow tooth comb in order to get rid of the dead lice.
- Cleanse your hair using your regular shampoo.
- Repeat the cure every day for at least a week, if not two.
10. Mayonnaise
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The oil in the mayonnaise has viscosity properties which helps suffocate head lice, finally killing them.
Remedies
- You need full-fat mayonnaise for this remedy.
- Apply the mayonnaise generously all over your scalp. Cover your hair using a towel or a shower cap.
- Leave it on through the night.
- Next morning, wash with an herbal shampoo and comb using a narrow tooth comb to get rid of any remaining lice.
- You need to repeat the treatment every day for a week.
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That’s a wrap from us on home remedies for lice. Was this helpful? Let us know in the comment section below. Also for other home remedies sign up for our daily newsletter.
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