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Home Remedies For Head Lice

Head lice are common amoung school aged children in the age groups of 3-11 years old. It is important to control the spread of lice immediately through treatment.. There are several ways to begin eliminating head lice. The best choice will vary upon several factors that will weigh in on what decision is best suited for you.

Questions To Consider:

• How bad is the infestation?
• Do I have time to treat each family member?
• Do I want to use an insecticide on my child or self?
• Will natural alternatives work?
• How do I prevent this from coming back?
• What are my options?

Prescription/Over The Counter Medicated Shampoo:

Involves the use of over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medications. Insecticide or chemical based shampoos used to kill lice and their nits. OTC medications that are approved by FDA for lice treatment contain one of the following active ingredients:

Pyrethrins combined with piperonyl butoxide

Permethrin lotion 1%

Further, the FDA approves the following medications for lice treatment, albeit they are obtainable only by prescription.

Malathion lotion 0.5%

Benzly alcohol Lotion 5%

Lindane shampoo 1%

Pros: Easily available in most stores or by prescription, kills head lice typically in 10 minutes

Cons: Insecticde or chemical based, lice have developed a resistance, does not kill all of the eggs, requires time consuming combing with a fine tooth lice comb.

Mayonaisse/Vasoline Lice Treatment:

Involves smothering the hair in mayonnaise or vassoline to kill lice.

Pros: Easy to do at home, kills live bugs if left on long enough.

Cons: Spoilage, diffuclt to shampoo out of hair, nits will need to be removed from the hair with a fine tooth comb.

Tea Tree Oil Lice Treatment: Lice are not killed by using tea tree oils alone. Tea tree oils repel lice but it does not kill them if an infestation is currently active. Best used as a preventative.

Pros: Prevents Head Lice

Cons: Does not kill head lice

Olive Oil/ Coconut Oil Lice Treatment:

Involves smothering hair with oils. Leave on for a minimum of 8 hours to kill head lice. Wash out of the hair and comb the nits out with a fine tooth lice comb.

Pros: Kills live head lice, natural, organic.

Cons: Nits must be combed out with a fine toothed lice comb.

There are many other home remedies that you can find searching on the internet. Hiring a professional service is the most affordable and effective way to treat head lice. If you choose to use a home remedy, we recommend the Olive OIl Treatment and Tea Tree Preventative. 

If you have further questions or need advise, please call us at 877-888-2820