Eucalyptus Oil Generally used as a repellent against parasites and insects, eucalyptus oil is among the most effective essential oils for lice. Apply eucalyptus oil to the hair shafts and then comb your hair gently. You can also mix this essential oil in your shampoo to make it more effective.
Coconut, tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon grass, and peppermint are scents popularly believed to repel lice. Using any coconut scented shampoo and conditioner is an easy way to increase your defense.
What is Eucalyptus Oil. You may be surprised how beneficial eucalyptus oil can be for your hair. From relieving a dry and itchy scalp due to conditions like dandruff or dermatitis and even preventing head lice—this oil may be a great all-natural product to add to your beauty routine.
Add 2-3 drops of eucalyptus oil for hair into it. Apply and massage the mixture to your scalp. Leave it for 20 minutes. Rinse it off with shampoo.
People with asthma, seizures, liver disease, kidney disease, or low blood pressure should not use eucalyptus without first talking to their doctors. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not use eucalyptus. Eucalyptus oil is toxic when taken by mouth.
Olive Oil smothers and kills active head lice, making nit removal easier and moisturizing the hair and scalp. Part hair and apply the oil directly onto the scalp. Massage into the entire scalp making sure to saturate the hair. Apply a shower cap.
Spinosad topical suspension, 0.9%, was approved by the FDA in 2011. Since it kills live lice as well as unhatched eggs, retreatment is usually not needed. Nit combing is not required. Spinosad topical suspension is approved for the treatment of children 6 months of age and older.
Use heat. Wash any items used or worn by the person in hot water, and dry them on high heat. Lice and nits die when exposed to temperatures higher than 130 F for more than 5 minutes. Wash anything that touched the person's skin or scalp, including jackets, hats, scarves, pillowcases, sheets, and headbands.
Eucalyptus oil is believed to be an ideal treatment because it kills lice as well as their eggs. One study determined that eucalyptus oil kills 100% of lice and their eggs in just one hour. In addition, it was found that only 3% of children treated with eucalyptus oil needed retreatment.
Eucalyptus oil has antimicrobial properties that help treat dandruff, eliminate head lice, and improve overall hair shine and texture. However, using concentrated eucalyptus oil can result in side effects such as an allergic reaction, skin inflammation, and nausea.
Vinegar contains properties that kill and get rid of nits and lice. This mixture should be applied directly to the whole scalp. Mix 1 cup of vinegar with 1 cup of warm water. Next, distribute this mixture onto the scalp and cover your hair with a hair cap.
Spinosad (Natroba).
Spinosad is approved for adults and children age 6 months and older. It can be applied to dry hair and rinsed with warm water after 10 minutes. It kills lice and nits and usually doesn't need repeated treatment.
Hairspray makes it harder for the louse to grab hold. The smell of hairspray and the use of solvents (sad but true) in them can also deter creepy crawlies from finding their way in.
Small studies have also shown that tea tree oil in combination with lavender oil can kill lice eggs and reduce the number of live lice. Tea tree oil seems to be relatively safe for use on the skin, although it can cause irritation or swelling for some.
You may be wondering: why won't my lice go away? Head lice keep recurring when eggs are missed and left in the hair. Those missed eggs then hatch and you find head lice again. Removing all the eggs is key to stopping head lie recurring.
Nits may remain after lice have gone. They are empty eggshells and stick strongly to hair. They will eventually fall out. If you prefer, a fine-toothed 'nit comb' can remove them.
Coconut, tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon grass, and peppermint are scents popularly believed to repel lice. Using any coconut scented shampoo and conditioner is an easy way to increase your defense.
Petroleum jelly (Vaseline).
Like olive oil, many moms swear by this (other options: styling gel or mayonnaise). The thick jelly supposedly suffocates lice by clogging their breathing holes. For best results, coat the hair and scalp, cover it overnight with a shower cap, and wash out the next morning.
In actuality, untreated head lice may degrade the scalp and affect its health. It will also affect your hair's health as well. If the hair follicles become blocked, then hair loss may occur. It is hard to have well-conditioned hair if it is covered in head lice, lice eggs, and bacteria.
Adult head lice can survive for 2 days and nits for around 1 week on a hairbrush. Soaking combs or hairbrushes in hot water of at least 130°F (54.4°C) for 5–10 minutes will kill any lice and nits.
Eucalyptus oil can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Eucalyptus poisoning can cause stomach pain, dizziness, muscle weakness, feelings of suffocation, drowsiness, seizures, and coma. When applied to the skin: It's possibly unsafe to use pure eucalyptus oil. It can cause serious problems with the nervous system.
Eucalyptus oil contains tannins, which are compounds that boast astringent properties. While it shouldn't be applied to the skin on its own, in cosmetics, it can help clean the skin and hair and reduce excess oiliness.
As little as 2mL (less than half a teaspoon) of eucalyptus oil can cause significant poisoning in an infant. Symptoms of toxicity include: drowsiness, slow/shallow breathing, coma (after large ingestion) seizures.