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Head Lice Home Remedy

Signs and Symptoms of Head Lice

Head lice are wingless insects that live on the human scalp and feed off of human blood. They are different from fleas (which often infect pets) in that they spend their entire life on a host. Related species of lice can also infect other parts of the body. For example, body lice often live on clothing, while pubic lice mainly live on hair in the pubic regions. An infestation of lice is also often referred to as pediculosis.

Head lice develop in the following phases:

Head Lice Eggs (Nits): These are firmly attached to the hair shaft, and are difficult to see (they can easily be mistaken for dandruff). They are oval shaped and usually yellow to white.
Nymphs: After about a week, a nit will hatch into nymphs which are young head lice. At this stage they begin feeding on blood from the scalp.
Adults: After 7 days, a nymph matures into an adult, which is about the size of a sesame seed with a greyish-white color. The adult lifespan is about 30 days.

The most common symptom of lice infestation is frequent itching, which occurs as a result of a lice's saliva entering holes in the scalp when they feed. Note that excessive scratching of the head can result in sores, which may become infected, so it is best to get treatment as quickly as possible. Although a louse bites into the skin to feed, the reaction to the bite is difficult to see between the hairs. However, bites can often be seen on the neck of individuals with long hair.

Causes of Head Lice

Head lice are usually spread through direct head-to-head contact with an infested person, but they can also be spread by sharing combs or towels. Children are often the most affected by head lice, particularly those between the ages of 3 and 10. Additionally, females often get head lice more than males, possibly due to having longer hair. Pets are typically not affected by human head lice.

Home Remedies and Natural Cures for Head Lice Treatment

Use Tea Tree Oil Shampoo to Get Rid of Head Lice

Shampoos containing a small amount (5%) of Tea Tree Oil are often very effective at getting rid of head lice. An excellent shampoo is Nature's Gate - Tea Tree Calming Shampoo.

Head Lice Home Remedy Using Vinegar

A quick home remedy for head lice is to create a rinse using an equal part of water mixed with an equal part of kitchen vinegar. One-half cup usually does the trick. After you've created this mixture, do the following:

Take a shower and leave shampoo in your hair for 5 to 10 minutes. Tea Tree Oil shampoos (described above) work well.
Rinse the shampoo.
Apply the vinegar rinse to your hair and rub it into your whole scalp.
Leave the rinse in your hair for about 2 minutes, then rinse it out.
Repeat this twice per day (morning and evening) until the head lice disappear.

The active ingredients in the shampoo kill head lice as well as penetrate into the eggs that they hatch. The vinegar then helps to dissolve the dead lice and wash their remains away.

Eliminate Head Lice with a Nit Comb

Although shampooing is quite effective at getting rid of head lice, many nits usually remain firmly attached to hair strands. Therefore, after shampooing and drying your hair, it is good to invest in a quality nit comb to remove the pesky nits. A recommended nit-comb is the Nit Free Terminator Lice Comb from NitBusters. A natural peppermint oil repellant such as Nit Free Mint Spray can also help to loosen nits before using the nit comb.

Shaving your Head to Remove Head Lice

One of the easiest and most effective ways to get rid of head lice is to simply shave your head, although many women would prefer alternative methods. Note that a short haircut usually isn't sufficient, since head lice typically cling to hair only a quarter-inch from the scalp.

More Head Lice Home Remedies and Treatments

Reader Comments

Posted by Paula on Nov 06 2009 21:53:51

Green Soap

Posted by maria sajid on Oct 03 2009 16:03:31

remedy 4 head lice Take 1 litre of coconut oil and 200 gram carom(ajwain, mix them in glass bottle and then put in sunshine for 15 to 20 days or heat on fire for 5 to 10 minutes on low heat. Apply this oil on head every night and wash in the morning. This is my own experience that lice is gone permanently.

Posted by Shana on Oct 02 2009 19:09:11

My duaghter had headlice her first year of school and she has never had her hair cut it was down to her bottom and we tried everything and my mother in law saw a lady who works at a hair place and she told her to get a bottle of suave shampoo and reguler pin-sol the brown kind that smells like pine and pour half of the shampoo into anthore container and then fill that bottle up with pin-sol and shake well and use it once a week and she has never gotten it agian ..but before it was all over with she missed 15 days of school

Posted by Millie on Sep 17 2009 04:15:17

There's a new non-toxic benzyl alcohol FDA approved lotion that works. I got rid of them from baby-fine adult hair by using Old Spice After Shave lotion - it contains benzyl alcohol - it kills the lice . Repeat a few times. It was the only thing that worked after 5 months of combing twice a day with every thing listed on every headlice site. Type in benzyl alcohol + head lice and you will see the new product.

Posted by ann on Sep 08 2009 21:38:46

Douse hair with Listerine, (I used the off brand) Wrap hair with a plastic bag(airtight) for 2 hours, then rinse. Rinse hair thouroghly with vinegar, wrap airtight with a different grocery bag, or garbage bag, saran wrap-whatever. Leave on for an hour. Rinse hair, put alot of coconut conditioner (lice hate the smell apparently) And the MAIN THING people need to be aware of is: BUY THE METAL NIT COMB!!! It only cost .99 at Walgreens, it's by the shampoo. I ain't from France but excuse my French.. Those little nix and rid combs aren't worth shet. Comb & comb & comb in the shower with mucho conditioner and bam - they're gone. The moral of the story is: It is not a shame to get lice, it is a shame to keep them & do nothing to get rid of them.

Posted by LACY on Sep 06 2009 21:45:18

I have had lice since december of 2008 and it is now septmeber..... of 2009 I do not know what to do... and i dont want to shave my head....HELP!!!

Posted by Madisyn on Aug 09 2009 16:01:47

Ive tried using a shampoo but it just doesnt work!!I do not know what to do!!!!HELP!!

Posted by Kali12345 on Jun 14 2009 19:01:03

If you have tried everything, and have been suffering for months, then shaving the head is a good option. Great for boys, wigs or hats are a good option for girls and women. I suffered for 15 months before I did this, and I'm sorry I waited so long! I had tried everything, and the stress was unbelievable. I don't like having short hair or wearing a wig, but hair grows back and not having bugs is worth it!

Posted by donna on Jun 11 2009 14:19:52

hi I'm in desperate need of some advice,since my daughter of 4 started nursery I've been battling nits,i feel so bad 4 her because she hates me combing her hair through,I've tried all these nit treatments from the shop and after a while it just works out 2 expensive so then i tried them all vinegar,mayo,even aftershave but i just cant shift the eggs,and they just stay there no matter wot i use please help if you can thanks very much,donna x

Posted by susansmurals on Jun 03 2009 21:42:44

I highly reccomend tea tree oil for Lice. We had this problem one too many times and after spending money on expensive RID, not to mention the awful smell and chemicals on my child,I found it to be not effective. I researched the internet and found Tea tree oil.I bought it at Walmart by the vitamins. After mixing it with my current Shampoo and conditioner about a tablespoon to (bottle of Suave tropical coconut shampo,and cond), I let it sit (conditioner) and combed it out with the nit comb. we were able to get rid of those pesky little buggers. We did this every other day for about 4 times.

Posted by lisa on Jun 02 2009 09:13:01

TREE TEA OIL and Olive OIL .. to get rid of lice .yes it really works.I use 1 bottle of TREE TEA OIL and 1 bottle of OLIVE OIL.mix together in a spray bottle.shake well and spray on the entire head.I put a shower cap on and let on hair for about 30 mins. i take a LICE MISTER COMB and comb the strands of hair one section at a time.the OLIVE OIL helps break down the eggs for easier removal.I then use DAWN DISHSOAP to help remove the olive oil and tree tea oil followed by suave coconut shampoo followed by suave coconut conditoiner.then about 3 times a week I use tree tea oil shampoo.The unused portion of the mixture can be stored under your sink for future use .

Posted by Mary on Apr 05 2009 21:26:08

ok it is not my typing the cost is two dollars and fifty cents at trader joes! 2.50

Posted by Mary on Apr 05 2009 21:25:00

Sorry that is .50 AT Trader Joes.

Posted by Mary on Apr 05 2009 21:23:37

I bought Tea Tree oil at Trader Joes today .50. for anyone interested. It also, works well for dry scalps/dandriff.

Posted by terry on Dec 31 2008 14:28:39

tara can i ask where did you get the tea tree oil and tea tree shampoo thanks

Posted by terry on Dec 31 2008 14:24:46

thank you ladies for all your advise iam going crazy trying to get rid of my daugthers head lice DR. RX work for a while but still having problems plus the smell stays with her for days she gets them often iam going to try all these remedes thank you

Posted by Tara on Dec 30 2008 21:32:59

I have used tea tree shampoo on my children for years. My daughter had an issue with repeated headlice infestations from school. I tryed Rid, Mayo, Viniger, Karosene...Nothing worked. Then a friend told me about tea tree oil. I used it and it got rid of it and then the tea tree shampoo weekly as a normal shampoo and she has not had lice since..even though other children in her class have had it.

Posted by Lisa on Oct 30 2008 23:14:08

When I was young we tried all the above. Vinegar did help with the nits but it burned so bad it really didn't help enough for how bad it burned Mayonaise just left my head super greasy for a couple days and did not kill them the Sargants flea and tick shampoo was the best shampoo but finally what did it was blow drying my hair in the morning and at night.

Posted by Lana on Oct 05 2008 10:39:02

This came from a registered nurse and it really works, my 7 year old daughter was getting lice and we couldn't seem to get rid of it until we tried this, Sargents flea and tick shampoo for CATS only we washed her hair in this and it made the nits almost glow now we was her hair in the shampoo about once every two weeks leave it on for 10 minutes and then condition her hair really well so it won't burn her hair up. using the shampoo every week or everyother week will also repel those critters. we have had alot of success with it, try it it works

Posted by brandii on Sep 02 2008 15:57:41

my 2 year old step son kept getting headlice at 2!! we came up with our own solution which consists of mayo vinegar and dawn dishsoap use 1 cup of each apply to the whole head leave on for approximately 10 minutes and rinse out this has been approved by a pediatrician as well this is 100% safe

Posted by Linda on Aug 10 2008 04:14:20

Get a Jar of Salad Dressing Miracle Whip are any cheap brand will do, put it in your hair real thick and work it in and leave on for 30 min. are so then rinse and comb out with a nit comb, no more head lice..

Posted by Susan on Jul 21 2008 11:30:18

While some of these may work, you forgot to mention the importance of a good nit comb to get all of the eggs out of the hair after using whatever remedy you choose. There are also natural shampoos that are proven to loosen the glue that is holding the nits to the hair shaft and there are mint sprays that help to repel lice. The brand that I prefer for all of these is NitFree that is sold at www.Kleen-Free.com

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