Natural Essential Oils For Head Lice Infestation

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Head lice are 3mm in length when fully grown with a tan or grey color. They get to the hair roots on the head and suck blood from the human scalp. Lice cannot survive more than 24 hours without blood.

Scratching these bumps makes them sore and can lead to an infection. An infected bump will be red, tender, and you may have a scab on the scalp from head lice. Seek medical advice if you notice such bumps.

Head lice infestation

Head lice spread through head contact or sharing of personal effects used to groom hair. Note that pets like cats and dogs do not spread lice since lice cannot fly. 

They are not an indication of poor hygiene. Kids mostly contract them from daycare or school and adults get it from friends or family members who share personal effects.

Black people are less prone to attacks by head lice as compared to other races because of their hair shaft shape that makes it difficult for head lice to grab onto. However, this does not mean that they cannot get them

Severe infestation

Some infestation may never itch. Itching occurs when the lice inject antigenic components from their saliva into your scalp when they feed. The itching can last for a period of 6 weeks on first infestation.

Severe head lice infestation involves more than 10 live lice on the head. This condition is called pediculosis.

If you neglect a head lice infestation it may lead to secondary infection on the scalp. However, head lice do not spread other diseases

Head lice eggs

Their eggs look like dandruff flakes and they are also known as nits. A female louse produces a sticky substance that makes nits stick on hair shafts. Lice bites are itchy red bumps on the scalp or neck.

Nits are tiny with brown, tan, white, or yellow shade. They look like dandruff and they can’t easily move even if you brush your hair or shake them off. The female louse produces a sticky substance that adheres to the hair shaft and scalp. They are easier to spot more than lice unless you have a chronic infestation.

Symptoms of lice infestation

It is not easy to spot head lice, the following symptoms can help in diagnosing head lice infestation:

  1. A feeling that something is moving around in your hair or scalp
  2. Notice dandruff-like flakes that cannot fall off
  3. Itchy scalp that makes you irritable
  4. Difficulty in getting a good night’s sleep.
  5. Red swollen bumps on your scalp or back of your neck

Causes of head lice infestation

Head lice infestation is contagious. Lice can be introduced to your hair or your kid’s hair in the following ways:

  1. Head contact with an infected person at home, school, work, parties, camps, or any other event.
  2. Sharing infected clothes such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, or hair ribbons
  3. Using infested combs, brushes, or towels and other  hair grooming tools
  4. Lying on a bed, couch, pillow, carpet, or stuffed animal that has been infected by someone who is already suffering from head lice infestation.
Head Lice Infestation
Natural Essential Oils For Head Lice Infestation

Essential oils to kill lice + Natural Treatment

Head lice infestation can be very irritating and uncomfortable. These home remedies will help you to naturally get rid of head lice infestation, kill nits, and even prevent future contamination.

1. Vinegar

Vinegar contains acetic acid that can effectively kill lice. The acetic acid also dissolves nits hence making vinegar an ideal remedy for head lice infestation. You will need the following:

  1. White Vinegar
  2. Water
  3. Mineral oil
  4. Clean Towel
  5. Shower cap

How to use vinegar to get rid of head lice at home:

  1. Mix equal parts vinegar and mineral oil
  2. Apply the mixture to your scalp at night before going to bed
  3. Cover your head with a shower cap overnight
  4. Wash your hair with regular shampoo in the morning
  5. Dilute vinegar with water and use it to rinse your hair after shampooing
  6. Let it settle for 10 minutes
  7. Do a final rinse with fresh water
  8. Comb your hair using a nit comb
  9. Do this 3 times a week for 2 months

2. Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is a powerful disinfectant solvent that is made of 70 percent isopropyl or absolute alcohol. You will gather the following:

  1. Rubbing Alcohol
  2. Water
  3. Long toothed comb
  4. Hair conditioner

How to use rubbing alcohol to manage head lice:

  1. Pour rubbing alcohol onto your hair
  2. Gently spread over your scalp using your fingers
  3. Let it settle for 5 minutes
  4. Apply hair conditioner on your scalp
  5. Using a nit comb or a long toothed comb to comb out the lice
  6. Wash your hair using shampoo
  7. And rinse it clean
  8. Pat dry with a clean towel
  9. Repeat this process once a week for two months

3. Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is capable of suffocating lice until they die. Here is what you will need if you want to use it:

  1. Mayonnaise
  2. Water
  3. Clean Towel
  4. Shower cap
  5. Regular Shampoo

Steps to follow when using mayonnaise to remove head lice:

  1. Apply mayonnaise onto your scalp at night before going to bed
  2. Cover your head with a shower cap overnight. You may even wrap a towel over the shower cap.
  3. When you wake up, apply baby oil on your hair and scalp in order to remove the petroleum jelly
  4. Wash your hair with regular shampoo in the morning
  5. Do a final rinse with fresh water
  6. Dry your hair using a clean towel
  7. Comb your hair using a nit comb
  8. Do this 2 times a week for 2 months

4. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil soothes the itching effect caused by head lice infestation and suffocates the lice till they die. Requirements:

  1. Coconut oil
  2. Camphor
  3. Regular Shampoo
  4. Water
  5. Clean towel
  6. Nit comb
  7. A cup

How to get rid of head lice with coconut essential oil:

  1. Pour 4 table spoons of coconut oil in a cup
  2. Warm it in the microwave
  3. Add a little camphor to it and mix
  4. Apply the coconut oil mixture on your head and gently massage it with your fingers onto your scalp.
  5. Cover your head with a shower cap and leave it on overnight
  6. When you wake up in the morning, wash your hair with regular shampoo
  7. Dry it with a clean towel
  8. Then comb it out using a nit comb in order to remove any eggs
  9. Repeat this process every day for a week

5. Olive oil

Olive oil soothes the itching effect caused by head lice infestation and suffocates the lice to death. Below is waht you will need:

  1. Olive oil
  2. Shampoo
  3. Water
  4. Clean towel
  5. Nit comb
  6. A cup

Here are the steps to follow when using olive esential oil for head lice:

  1. Pour 5 table spoons of olive oil in a cup
  2. Warm it in the microwave
  3. Apply the olive oil on your head and gently massage it with your fingers onto your scalp.
  4. Cover your head with a shower cap and leave it on overnight
  5. When you wake up in the morning, wash the olive oil off your hair with shampoo
  6. Dry it with a clean towel
  7. Then comb it out using a nit comb in order to remove any eggs
  8. Repeat this process every day for a week until the itching on your scalp goes away.

6. Onions

Onions are rich in sulfur that is capable of fighting head lice infestation. The sulfur kills lice. Requirements:

  1. 5 Onions
  2. A Knife
  3. A Clean piece of cloth
  4. Water
  5. Blender
  6. Regular shampoo
  7. Nit comb
  8. A clean towel

How to use onions to get rid of head lice:

  1. Peel off the back cover of 5 onion
  2. Dice the onions
  3. Use a blender to grind them into a paste
  4. Sieve the paste while pressing a spoon against it in order to obtain the juice
  5. Pour the juice on your head and massage it on your scalp
  6. Wear a shower cap over your head for 3 hours
  7. Wash your hair and scalp with regular shampoo
  8. Dry up using a clean towel
  9. Comb it out using a nit comb to remove the lice
  10. Repeat the process once a day for 3 days straight, then do it twice a week for two month

 7. Neem

Neem acts as an insecticide and a moisturizer. It kills lice and prevents your scalp from drying up. It is also preventing the itchy feeling on the scalp that comes with head lice infestation dry out the scalp. get the following:

  1. Neem leaves
  2. A Pestle & a mortar
  3. A knife
  4. A clean towel
  5. Shampoo
  6. Water
  7. Clean towel
  8. Nit comb

How to naturally use neem to treat head lice

  1. Wash the neem leaves to get rid of any dirt on them
  2. Cut them into big chunks with a knife
  3. Place them in the mortar
  4. Pound with a pestle to form a paste
  5. Gently smear the paste onto your scalp using your finger 
  6. Let it settle for one hour
  7. Wash it off using shampoo
  8. Rinse it off with warm water
  9. Pat dry your scalp and hair using a clean towel
  10. Use a nit comb to remove the lice
  11. Repeat this procedure 3 times a week for 2 months

8. Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is a natural insecticide and also soothes the scalp and prevents the itching effect. First, you need to collect the following:

  1. Tea tree oil
  2. Shampoo
  3. Water
  4. Clean towel
  5. Nit comb

How to use tea tree oil to kill head lice:

  1. Add a few drops of tea tree oil to your shampoo in the ration of 1drop of tea tree oil to 39 ml of shampoo.
  2. Wet your hair with warm water
  3. Apply the mixture of tea tree oil and shampoo on it
  4. Wash your hair with it, while gently massaging your scalp with your fingers
  5. Rinse off the mixture with plenty of water
  6. Pat your hair dry with a clean towel
  7. Comb your hair with a nit comb to remove the lice
  8. Repeat this process 2 times a week for two months

9. Lemon Juice & Garlic

Lemon juice has got acidic property. The acid can kill lice and even prevent infection from other people. Requirements:

  1. Lemons
  2. A Sieve
  3. A Cup
  4. A sharp knife
  5. Water
  6. A clean towel
  7. Garlic
  8. Pestle and mortar
  9. Shower cap

How to get rid of head lice with lemon juice and garlic:

  1. Apply pressure on the lemon by kneading it on the kitchen counter.
  2. Use the knife to cut the lemon into two halves.
  3. Place the sieve over the cup and squeeze out the lemon juice into the cup through the sieve.
  4. Peel off the back cover of garlic cloves
  5. Dice them into cubes using a knife
  6. Place them in the mortar
  7. Pound with a pestle to form a paste
  8. Mix the lemon juice with garlic
  9. Apply the mixture onto the scalp while gently massaging it with your fingers
  10. Cover your head with a shower cap
  11. Let it settle on your scalp for 1 hour and dry
  12. Wash it off using shampoo
  13. Rinse it off with warm water
  14. Pat dry your scalp and hair using a clean towel
  15. Use a nit comb to remove the lice
  16. Repeat this procedure once a day for 5 consecutive days the repeat it twice a week for a month

10. Peppermint oil

Peppermint oil will suffocate the breathing pores of the lice and kill them. It also suffocates incubating eggs. What you need:

  1. Peppermint oil
  2. Shampoo
  3. Water
  4. Clean towel
  5. Nit comb
  6. A cup

How to use peppermint esential oil for headlce control:

  1. Pour 5 table spoons of peppermint in a cup
  2. Warm it in the microwave
  3. Apply the peppermint oil on your head and gently massage it with your fingers onto your scalp.
  4. Cover your head with a shower cap and leave it on overnight
  5. When you wake up in the morning, wash your hair with shampoo
  6. Dry it with a clean towel
  7. Then comb it out using a fine-toothed nit comb in order to remove any eggs
  8. Repeat this process every day for a week until the itching on your scalp goes away.

11. Petroleum Jelly

Petroleum jelly will clog the breathing pores of lice and suffocate them to death. Requirements:

  1. Petroleum jelly
  2. Water
  3. Clean Towel
  4. Shower cap
  5. Shampoo

What to do:

  1. Apply petroleum jelly onto your scalp at night before going to bed
  2. Cover your head with a shower cap overnight
  3. When you wake up, apply baby oil on your hair and scalp in order to remove the petroleum jelly
  4. Wash your hair with regular shampoo in the morning
  5. Do a final rinse with fresh water
  6. Dry your hair using a clean towel
  7. Comb your hair using a nit comb
  8. Do this 2 times a week for 2 months

12. Almonds

Since almonds contain natural insecticide properties, They can be effective when treating head lice infestation. here is what you need:

  1. Almonds
  2. A Pestle & a mortar
  3. A clean towel
  4. Shampoo
  5. Water
  6. Clean towel
  7. Nit comb

Here is how to remove head lice with almonds:

  1. Soak almond seeds in water overnight
  2. In the morning, peel off the cover of the almonds and place them in the mortar
  3. Pound with a pestle to form a paste
  4. Mix the paste with some lemon juice
  5. Gently smear the paste onto your scalp using your finger 
  6. Let it settle for two hours
  7. Wash it off using shampoo
  8. Rinse it off with cold water
  9. Pat dry your scalp and hair using a clean towel
  10. Use a nit comb to remove the lice
  11. Repeat this procedure once a week for 2 months

13. Apple Cider Vinegar

Organic Apple Cider Vinegar works the same way as white vinegar but it has stronger anti-microbial properties as compared to regular white vinegar.

It detaches the eggs by dissolving the sticky substance produced by female lice that make them stick onto the hair shaft and make their removal easy. Only use it when you are certain that you are not allergic to it. You will collect the following:

  1. Organic Apple cider vinegar (brown in color)
  2. Water
  3. Clean Towel
  4. Shower cap
  5. Regular shampoo

How to use apple vinegar to kill head lice at home:

  1. Apply the organic apple cider vinegar to your scalp at night before going to bed
  2. Cover your head with a shower cap overnight
  3. Wash your hair with regular shampoo in the morning
  4. Dilute the organic apple cider vinegar with water and use it too rinse your hair after shampooing
  5. Let it settle for 10 minutes
  6. Do a final rinse with fresh water
  7. Dry your hair using a clean towel
  8. Comb your hair using a nit comb to remove the nits and lice that have been dislodged by the vinegar
  9. Do this 3 times a week for 2 months

14. Lavender oil

Lavender oil is an effective essential oil for getting rid of head lice infestation. It soothes the itching effect caused by head lice infestation and suffocates the lice until they die. Requirements:

  1. Lavender oil
  2. Regular Shampoo
  3. Water
  4. Clean towel
  5. Nit comb
  6. A cup

What to do:

  1. Take half a cup of lavender oil 
  2. Warm it in the microwave
  3. Apply the lavender oil on your head and gently massage it with your fingers onto your scalp.
  4. Cover your head with a shower cap and leave it on overnight
  5. When you wake up in the morning, wash the oil off your hair with shampoo
  6. Dry your hair with a clean towel
  7. Then comb it out using a nit comb in order to remove lice and nits.
  8. Repeat this process every day for a week until the itching on your scalp goes away

How to get rid of lice eggs in the hair

Some of the above home remedies are effective in not only removing head lice but also getting rid of their eggs. They include:

  1. Essential oils
  2. Vinegar –that is able to dislodge the eggs by dissolving the sticky substance that binds them to the hair shaft
  3. Smothering agents like mayonnaise and petroleum jelly that suffocate the incubating eggs
  4. Combing your hair while still wet using a fine-toothed nit comb is able to get rid of the dislodged eggs fast. Comb out your hair in potions.
  5. Boiling the nit comb in hot water to kill eggs that stick on it to prevent spreading of lice.
  6. You may also use Listerine in place of rubbing alcohol as described above. But take care not to let Listerine get into your eyes because its content can burn your eyes.
  7. Wash your towels, clothes and linen and combs with very hot water
  8. Spray Listerine on your furniture and bed.

How to get rid of head lice in the house and beddings

You need to wash your clothes and beddings using hot water (54.4 C) and dry them under high heat. You should also iron your bedding before spreading them.

Dry clean beddings and keep them in a sealed plastic bag for a few weeks to suffocate any lice. Vacuum clean your home, furniture, and car thoroughly.

Wash your hair grooming items by dipping them in very hot soapy water in order to kill any lice or nit on them. Lice cannot survive in a temperature range that is not in the range of the scalp temperature.

How to check yourself for lice

You may wake up one day and suspect that you could be having lice on your head when you feel like something is moving on your head or experience a very itchy scalp with dandruff like flakes on it.

It is not easy to spot lice or their eggs since they are firmly attached to the hair shaft. What to do:

  1. Stand in front of a huge mirror
  2. Ensure that you are in a room with adequate lighting or stand outside during the day. You can also use a torch while standing in front of a big mirror.
  3. Lice and nits prefer hiding in warmer parts of the head, so begin checking from bottom section of the neck and behind your ears as you work your way up.
  4. Divide your hair into four sections and slowly inspect each section for lice while combing out your hair until you cover the entire head.
  5. To distinguish between nits and dandruffs try and shake them off or pull them out. If they are stick and do not get off easily then they are nits. If they fall off effortlessly then they are definitely dandruff.
  6. When you are done with your head stretch the front part of your neck to see if you can spot any dandruff like flakes or head lice.
  7. It is not easy to do the above process on your own so if possible get a loved one to check out lice for you.

Head lice infestation Shampoo

There is a dedicated form of head lice shampoo that is used to wash the scalp and hair. Since it may have extreme side effects, it should not be used by the following people:

  1. Children and infants
  2. Adults who weigh below 50 kgs
  3. Pregnant women
  4. Breast feeding women
  5. People who have a history of seizures
  6. People who are infected with HIV

These shampoo may fail under the following circumstances:

  1. misdiagnosis and over diagnosis
  2. Not following the instructions on how to use the hair shampoo
  3. Lack of secondary application
  4. Reapplication too soon after first application
  5. New infestation acquired after treatment
  6. If you keep swimming after applying the head lice shampoo

Factor to consider while using these types of shampoo include:

  1. Ensure you rinse your hair thoroughly with plenty of water after using any medicated shampoos
  2. Application of these products may cause rashes, itching, and burning sensation on the scalp
  3. Itching that occurs after treatment should not be assumed as a re-infestation. You should consult a professional instead.
  4. Do not go near the open fire because most of these products are flammable
  5. Avoid using more than one shampoo at a time
  6. Do not use the same shampoo repeatedly after re-infestation
  7. Avoid hair conditioners before applying these head lice shampoo
  8. After using them, avoid swimming for a while

Difference between head lice and dandruff

Dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis is a scalp condition that is caused by an extremely dry scalp that scales off. While head lice are insect parasites that live on your hair and feed on your blood through the scalp.

However, the eggs of head lice look like dandruff the only difference is that the eggs do not fall off easily like dandruff.

Dandruff only itches when the scalp is super dry while head-lice infestation itch when the saliva of the lice irritates your scalp.

Head lice are contagious and can spread from one person’s head to another when they share personal hair grooming material. However, dandruff is not contagious.

Head lice are associated with red swollen bumps on the scalp while dandruff does not cause any inflammation. Dandruff mostly affects adolescents and young adults while head lice can infect anyone.

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