If you find yourself or any other person scratching their head a lot, be alert as it can be a sign of a lice infestation. Lice are minuscule, blood-sucking insects without wings that attach themselves to human hair and feed like parasites on human blood. A full-grown louse is usually the size of a sesame seed and thus can be extremely hard to spot. Plus, the fact that these parasites can be any color, ranging from white to tan to brown, further adds to their ability to camouflage themselves amidst dense hair or between the fine fibers of your clothing and bedding.
Contrary to popular belief, a lice infestation is not necessarily indicative of poor hygiene or typical of people belonging to the lower socioeconomic strata. In fact, schoolchildren are believed to be at the highest risk of a lice infestation and among the prime transmitters of head lice.Head lice can be treated using a variety of methods, including both prescribed and over-the-counter medicines. Head lice feed off the blood from the human scalp to thrive, which is why they do not survive for long after they fall off a person’s head.
* Apple Cider Vinegar and Water- Pour 1 cup of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar in a bowl.
- Add 1 cup of plain water to dilute it.
- Apply this apple cider vinegar and water mixture to your hair, generously spreading it on the scalp, behind the ears, and on the nape of the neck.
- Let it sit for 15–20 minutes.
- Rinse the hair with plain water.
- Comb the nits out using a nit comb.
- Repeat this process for two days and then repeat again after a week.
* Apple Cider Vinegar and Mineral Oil- In a bowl, mix equal amounts of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and mineral oil.
- Apply this mixture to your scalp and hair before going to bed.
- Cover your head and hair with a shower cap.
- Allow it to sit overnight.
- The next morning, wash your hair with your regular shampoo.
- Comb your hair with a nit comb to pick the lice out.
- Repeat the process after a week to get rid of lice completely.
* Apple Cider Vinegar and Olive Oil- Add 5–10 drops of tea tree oil into ¼ cup of lukewarm olive oil, and then apply the mixture generously to the hair and scalp.
- Put a shower cap over the head for an hour.
- After an hour, comb out the hair using a very fine-tooth comb and pick out any lice and eggs.
- Rinse the hair with warm water and a little shampoo.
- Then, soak the hair with the apple cider vinegar.
- Again, place a shower cap over the head.
- Leave it for an hour.
- Comb the hair out very carefully to get rid of any lice eggs.
- Then, rinse the hair again using a nice-smelling shampoo to wash away the vinegar smell.
- Repeat the process after a week to get rid of lice completely.
* Apple Cider Vinegar, Salt, and Oil- Gently warm ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar.
- Add ¼ cup of salt in it and stir properly so that the salt dissolves completely.
- Pour the content into a spray bottle.
- Spray it on your hair until the scalp and hair are wet.
- Allow the mixture to sit until the hair is fully dry.
- Coat the scalp and hair completely with warm coconut or olive oil.
- Leave it on overnight or at least for an hour to suffocate any remnant living lice.
- Comb out the lice using a nit comb.
- Shampoo your hair.
- Repeat the process after a week.