11 Effective Remedies To Get Rid Of Head Lice

Head lice, unlike fleas, do not spread any diseases but they can cause skin irritation and itching with their bites. These creatures are teeny and wingless. They’re roughly the size of a sesame seed and feed exclusively on human blood – yes gross! They don’t fly and they can’t jump like fleas because their legs are too short and stumpy. Magnify one of these creatures and it resembles something out of a sci-fi movie, with a long body and dramatic looking pincers.

According to Wikipedia, the head lice we experience enjoy feasting on humans and humans alone. Head lice need to spend their entire life cycle attached to and feeding on a human host.

Other animals attract different lice but the 'Pediculus humanus capitis' is for our scalps only. It may feel embarrassing and uncomfortable to deal with head lice but at least you’re not going to catch the plague as a result of getting them.

While head lice are determined to call the top of your head home for the long term, it’s not impossible to serve them with a permanent eviction notice, with the help of some quick and thorough treatment.

# Combing Wet Hair

Any method for removing lice will involve a very fine-toothed comb. The finer the comb teeth the better as these will be more able to catch the lice and their eggs. When hair is wet it’s easier for the comb to move through the hair and harder for lice to cling on, making their removal far easier.

Make sure the hair is wetted thoroughly all over and comb it right from the scalp to the ends of the hair. You should ideally do this three or four times a week over a two week period. This should be enough to remove the lice and any unhatched eggs.

# Mayonnaise

Putting mayonnaise on hair may seem a little odd but it’s a great way to both remove lice and soothe any itching. Ideally, this is best used for head lice as you should really leave it on overnight. Use a shower cap to prevent the mayonnaise from getting all over your pillow. Cover the entire scalp in mayonnaise and cover overnight. Comb it through the next morning with a special lice comb and you’ll remove all the dead lice and their eggs.

The mayonnaise and shower cap combination will suffocate any hatched lice too which will prevent any itching through the night. You might need to repeat this a few times but it will do a great job in removing your lice.

# Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil makes a great home remedy for lice because it has antiseptic qualities. You can use it in much the same way as you would the mayonnaise by covering the hair in a mix of tea tree oil and a carrier oil, leaving it on overnight. You can then use your lice comb to comb the lice and eggs from the hair. Ideally, you should repeat this process a couple of times a week for two to three weeks

# Coconut Oil

One of the many uses of coconut oil is lice removal. Unlike mayonnaise and tea tree oil, it’s a much thicker consistency which makes it a little easier to apply and spread it through the hair. Like mayonnaise and tea tree oil, coconut oil with suffocate the lice and cause them to die, making them far easier to remove. The coconut oil is also sticky and will prevent the lice moving from the hair to another head or bed linen.

# Petroleum Jelly

If you have an allergy to coconut and its oil, this is a great alternative. It’s very sticky however which is great for trapping lice but not so great for your scalp. as it could take several washes to remove all the traces of the oil from your hair.

# A Hot Hair Dryer

Whilst this home remedy won’t physically remove the lice or eggs it will help to kill the lice. The extreme heat from a hot setting on a hair dryer will kill the lice and eggs. This way the eggs won’t hatch which will then make them easier to remove.

# Garlic

Garlic has been used in ancient remedies to remove lice! Grind some garlic cloves with some lime juice to make a paste and spread this over the infested hair. Leave the mixture on your hair for half an hour. Once your half hour is up, wash your hair with regular shampoo and then comb your wet hair with a lice comb. Repeat the remedy a couple of times a week for a couple of weeks and you should be cleared.

# Salt and Vinegar

Not just a popular crisp flavor, salt and vinegar actually make a pretty good home remedy for lice. The salt dehydrates adult lice whilst the vinegar kills the eggs. It’ll also make it harder for the lice to grip your hair and make it easier for you to remove them with your lice comb.

# A Good Clean Up

Lice can cling to the fabric of your furniture so keeping your house clean is a great way to remove them. If you successfully remove them from your soft furnishings you’ll stop them from spreading to other heads. Vacuum where you can and make sure bedding is thoroughly washed. If you can it’s also a great idea to try and wash any stuffed toys.

# Olive Oil

Olive oil is another great way to smother and suffocate lice. Apply a generous amount to the infested hair and then part the hair into sections. Comb it through thoroughly with a lice comb to catch all the lice and eggs. It’s a good idea to rinse the comb with hot water in between uses. Once finished you should wash the hair with regular shampoo to remove any olive oil residue.

# Almond Oil

Like olive oil, almond oil is great for suffocating lice and can be used in the same way as olive oil. Again, it’s a good idea to wash the hair properly afterward to remove the oil.