Head lice are small, blood-sucking insects. They tend to live on the head and suck the blood from the scalp. A louse (adult lice) is about the same size as a sesame seed, while a nit (louse egg) looks similar to dandruff. There are some home remedies that prove to be helpful in treating head lice. However, there are a number of things that one needs to keep in mind while dealing with lice. Lice do spread, but they don’t carry any disease. Below are some home remedies that help in removing lice:
Wet-combing
Wet-combing is a popular traditional way of removing lice. This method is quite beneficial in making lice more visible and distinguishing them from dandruff. Additionally, this method is quite affordable. Spraying conditioner on wet strands of hair along with a fine-toothed comb is a part of the wet-combing technique. In some cases, a magnifying glass is also used to examine each and every strand of hair and remove the lice. Even though wet-combing is an effective technique to remove lice, it can be extremely time consuming and requires a lot of patience.
Treating lice with the help of essential oils
Using various essential oils along with combing helps in eliminating head lice efficiently. However, it is important to know that essential oils are never ingested. On the contrary, they are toxic in nature. It is essential to dilute an essential oil with a carrier oil and place a small drop on your hand. If there is no reaction, the essential oil is safe for treating lice. In some rare cases, some people have an allergic reaction to these oils, especially tea tree oil. Some of the oils that are effective in treating lice are lavender oil, tea tree oil, clove oil, eucalyptus oil, cinnamon leaf oil, neem oil, aniseed oil, nutmeg oil, red thyme oil, and peppermint oil. Mix two ounces of olive oil or coconut oil with 15 to 20 drops of the essential oil you want. You can use a cotton ball to apply this mixture directly to your scalp. Leave it overnight on your scalp for around twelve hours. Comb out the lice and shampoo your hair. Combing out the lice is one of the key ways to remove lice and their eggs from your hair.
Smothering lice
There are some natural treatments that have been proven to be helpful in smothering lice. Smothering ensures that the lice become stunned and that makes it easier to catch them on the comb. To smother lice, firstly coat your hair with almond or olive oil. Some people also opt for coating the comb instead of hair. Separate the hair in smaller sections as you work and remove the lice under a bright light. This ensures that you find maximum lice. Also, while removing lice, frequently rinse the comb under running hot water. Once you are done removing all the lice, wash your hair with a regular shampoo. Repeating this procedure for about once a week ensures that all the lice are gone eventually.
