Do you have elementary school children? Are you facing the dilemma of head lice? Need to get rid of head lice naturally?
The first time it happens is overwhelming.
“Stop scratching!” I said. “Stop scratching, people will think you have lice!” And then I started to panic. We did have lice.
What will other parents think? I wanted to get rid of those lice so fast, but I refused to use toxic chemicals on my child’s head. If you want to remove lice naturally and prevent them from ever coming back, read on…Using a natural method to remove lice isn’t very hard. And you’ll feel so much better that you didn’t load up your child’s head with toxins.
If you want to avoid putting insecticide (either synthetic or plant-derived) onto your child’s scalp, you can follow the natural method here and also keep lice away for good with preventative measures.
Personally, I don’t want to put insecticide on my kids’ heads. But even if you are prepared to do so, there is a Consumer Reports study* that shows that 95% of lice collected from 48 states were “super lice” and they had built up a resistance to insecticide shampoos.
By using an insecticidal shampoo that doesn’t work you may extend your child’s suffering because it takes a day or two to know if it is working.
Do you know the difference between lice and nits?
Here are some quick facts for you.
The lice are the little insects about 2-3mm long that are brown or grey in color. They can be seen on your child’s head. Lice only live and feed on human scalps. Lice can only survive for 1-2 days while being away from a human scalp. They live on the scalp for about 30 days.
Unfortunately while the lice are on the scalp they lay eggs. The eggs hatch and the cycle starts all over again. This is why you need to remove all the lice and the eggs to be free from head lice.
The nits are the eggs. They are on the head really close to the scalp. They are held in place using a substance from the lice that makes them stick there. Nits are about 1mm in diameter and they are a pale color. They usually look white or yellow.
How to get rid of head lice naturally
Trying to actually see the lice can be difficult.
They move quickly into hidden areas under the hair on the scalp because they don’t like light.
One of the best ways to identify that your child has head lice is to use a nit comb to actually remove some of them to see them.
This is why you should have a nit comb in your home at all times once your children are at elementary school – take a look at one here.
The first time you want to get rid of head lice naturally you need to get all your items together and then it’s easy by just following the steps.
Wet combing is the best and easiest treatment for head lice but you need to know how to do it. Take a look here…
Easy Method to Get Rid of Head Lice Naturally
Need:
1. Shampoo (ordinary kids shampoo)
2. Lice Comb
3. Wide Tooth Comb
4. Any Hair Conditioner
5. Tea Tree Oil (or Neem Oil but Neem Oil smells bad!)
Good to use, but not essential:
6. Vinegar
7. Water
Method:
– Start by washing your child’s hair with shampoo with added tea tree oil
– You need to mix the shampoo and tea tree oil (I just put the shampoo in the palm of my hand and add 5 drops of tea tree oil and then mix it up and apply to the hair)
– Leave the shampoo mixture on the hair for 30 minutes if possible (this helps to kill the lice and nits)
– Wash off the shampoo and then apply lots of conditioner
– Divide the hair into sections using the wide tooth comb
– Wet comb the hair close to the scalp with the nit comb
– Wipe the nit comb on a towel or paper towel after each pass through the hair to remove lice and nits
Also:
– Mix vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio (about 1 cup of each) and use it as a hair rinse to help loosen nits from the hair shaft before combing every other day for the first 2 weeks
Each wet combing session is likely to take 30 minutes, or 60 minutes for long hair.
Most people say you should do the wet combing every other day for 2 weeks until you see no more lice. But personally, when one of my kids gets lice I like to do the wet combing every day for the first few days and then continue with every other day for the remainder of the 2 weeks.
Maybe it’s just me but I want to get rid of those lice so bad! Sure, the second day I don’t do it for as long as the first one, but I still do it.
You really need to focus on the areas behind the ears and the back of the neck because this is where lice like to hide. Whether you’re trying to identify the existence of lice or you’re trying to remove them, focus on those areas.
How to prevent lice ever coming again
In kids the highest risk of getting lice is from head-to-head contact.
There is also a risk from sharing hats, scarves, brushes, hair accessories and pillows. If you child can avoid these at school and at home then the risk is reduced.
But there’s so much more you can do.
I add tea tree oil to my kids’ shampoo. It’s easy and it really works. Since adding it to their regular shampoo we haven’t had any lice or nits again.
I add about 20 drops of tea tree oil to their bottle of shampoo. It needs a bit of a shake to mix it.
If your child doesn’t like the smell of tea tree (because some people don’t!) then you can use lavender oil instead.
The lavender oil won’t kill nits but it will deter lice as well as nits and that’s the whole purpose of it being in the shampoo for regular hair washing.
Easy Steps to Deter Lice Forever
1. Add 20 drops of tea tree oil (or lavender oil) into your child’s shampoo bottle.
2. Shake the bottle to mix thoroughly.
3. Use regularly like any ordinary shampoo.
*This is the link to the Consumer Reports study.
Disclaimer: For educational purposes only. I am not a doctor. This worked on my kids and it is simply my opinion on what we tried, not advice. I make no medical claims about being a doctor or curing anything. We are NOT providing medical advice. Always consult your physician for medical treatment and advice. The opinion shared in this page has not been evaluated by the FDA. The products and methods provided are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease, nor is it intended to replace proper medical help.
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