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Has your head been feeling itchy lately? Do you think you may have lice? If so, then you are not alone. It is quite a common problem in the USA with about 6 to 12 million infestations in children a year. Yet, if you are struggling with this problem then, it’s time for you to take a sigh of relief. These sesame seed-size buggers can survive on your scalp for up to 30 days. If not taken very seriously, it can potentially cause some serious skin infections. If you have been scratching your head a lot lately then this is just an article for you. Here are 9 home remedies for lice.
Home Remedies For Lice Removal
Home remedies?
Oil treatment?
Onions!
Stay tuned to understand the best home remedies to tackle lice problems. What just are head lice and what makes them itchy? Lice are parasitic insects that prosper on the human scalp. They have existed as long as humans. The skin of the head gives them perfect conditions to thrive. Although they do not carry any sort of disease they can get incredibly itchy and uncomfortable making it impossible to carry on about your day.
So, what makes them itchy? Whenever lice or a louse, yes that is singular, feeds on your blood through the scalp, it irritates the skin and makes you itchy. Some people are small or too sensitive to these lice bites and can experience severe itching. It is wonderfully gross but that’s just what happens.
How To Avoid Getting Head Lice
Head lice are spread through contact. They cannot hop, jump, or fly. If you come in contact with someone who has this problem, then you will surely get infected. The level of hygiene is not a problem which means that despite living in clean conditions, you may still get lice. If you find out that your college, office colleague, family member, or classmate has lice issues, the best thing you can do is maintain some distance from them. You should also stop using their stuff.
Home Remedies To Get Rid of Head Lice
Home remedies involve day-to-day products and ingredients to create non-toxic solutions for your issues. Eliminating harmful chemicals and taking the natural organic route is always a good idea. It doesn’t matter which way you choose, but one thing that must always do is comb out your hair with a fine-toothed comb that will clean out the head lice and their eggs which breed over time.
Remedies For Lice
1. Oil combing
Lice tend to get slippery when the hair is wet with water and oil. Generously apply the oil of your choice like olive, coconut, or almond oil on your hair. The next stage is to section out your hair carefully. Lastly, use a fine-toothed head lice comb to brush out the lice one by one. You can spread out a towel on a table in front of you and comb over it so the lice that fall off your hair do not get attached to your clothes or furniture.
By far, this is one of the most effective and chemical-free methods of eliminating lice and their eggs. What is the one hair care routine you always do? Does it involve a home remedy? Fire up the comment section!
2. Deep Hair Oil Smother
Deep hair oil smothering treatment is a great way of relaxing and releasing stress. It is also handy in getting rid of the parasites living on your scalp and hair. All you have to do is mix half a cup of tea tree and eucalyptus essential oil and rub the mixture into your scalp before going to bed at night. Pop on your shower cap so that your pillow doesn’t get ruined and leave it on overnight or for 12 hours.
Repeat this process once a week and just sit back and wait 3 weeks to see some visible results This works because these oils, especially eucalyptus oil, have antifungal and antiseptic properties which help treat dandruff. Apart from being dandruff-free, your hair will even smell like a dream!
3. Garlic
As gross as this sounds smearing 10 cloves of peeled and crushed garlic bulbs along with some lemon juice will work wonders. You can also substitute the lemon juice with olive oil which helps the hair regain its sheen. Leave it on for around 30 minutes before rinsing it off in warm water. No one likes the smell of garlic and that is precisely the reason that kills the head lice.
The strong stink of the garlic chokes and suffocates them. Then washing them off with warm water will smoothly clear out your hair. Other than the horrible stink Garlic is also known for its antibacterial properties that have helped in getting rid of diseases like salmonella.
4. Deep conditioning and combing
The conditioner does wonders for your hair. Other than giving it volume and making it shine, did you understand that over the years conditioners have been developed and recognized as an effective measure against head lice infestation? Start by detangling your hair using a louse comb followed by lathering a generous amount of hair conditioner.
Once your hair is completely covered in conditioner, section it out by using normal toothed hair. The last step is to comb out the lice on a paper towel using the same lice comb. A conditioner is not a medicine that kills the lice it simply stuns them for 20 minutes giving you a window to eliminate them fast.
5. Onion Juice
Onions are a kitchen staple and help in promoting heart health along with improving gut health. Other than that, onion juice works as an elixir in promoting thick and healthful hair growth. Throw in some chunks of onions in a food processor to extract all the juice. You will then have to directly apply this juice on your scalp, tie up your hair firmly, and cover it for four hours in a shower cap.
The last and final step is to comb out the lice using a fine-toothed comb or a nit comb and shampoo off the hair to eliminate the strong odor. Doing this will also decrease the chances of re-infestation.
6. Baking Soda with Conditioner
We already told you all about the goodness of using conditioners to get rid of these pesky small buggers. Mixed baking soda with a conditioner of your choice to create the anti-lice paste. Apply it all over your hair and scalp and leave it on for thirty minutes. Then you will have to section out each part of your hair one by one using a nit comb to get out any dead or alive lice or nit eggs.
These ingredients serve typical purposes where the baking soda acts as an itching reliever caused due to the presence of lice. The conditioner chokes up the lice and stuns them for twenty minutes or until they are combed out. For best results use this paste for 7 days.
7. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has been utilized for various home remedies over centuries. They are known for lowering blood sugar in diabetic patients and also improving digestion by reducing inflammation in your gut. Apple cider also has a host of antifungal and antibacterial properties. Start by flushing your hair with apple cider vinegar and do not rinse them out. Leave it on and permit it to dry on your scalp in natural air.
The properties present inside apple cider dissolve the lice. Once your hair is dried out, massage coconut oil into your hair using your hand. Make sure you massage all your hair generously for the best results. Wrap your hair up in a shower cap and let time do its thing for 60 minutes. When done, wash out your hair like you naturally do! Time-consuming but promising results!
8. Peppermint Oil
Peppermint has some incredible properties that have always solved issues like headaches, digestion issues, nausea, and muscle pain among others. They have also been utilized widely as flavoring agents in food and desserts. These decadent-smelling oils have rejuvenating properties that work wonders in curing the persistent head lice issue.
Lice hate peppermint. You can add peppermint essential oil to your everyday shampoo or coconut oil. Since they particularly get suffocated by the strong and piercing stench of it, you should add it to your everyday hair care routine one way or another.
9. Petroleum Jelly
Using petroleum jelly is a suitable option to get rid of hair lice. All you need to do is apply a thick layer of petroleum jelly to the scalp and leave it overnight. Wrap your head with a towel or a shower cap. In the morning use some oil to remove the petroleum jelly. Comb your hair thoroughly to clean the lice. Wash your hair thereafter. You can use this method for several nights to tackle this issue.
Conclusion:
These home remedies for lice can be an effective alternative to chemical treatments. However, consistency and thoroughness are key to successfully eliminating lice. Remember to wash bedding, combs, and personal items to prevent reinfection. If the problem persists, consult a healthcare professional for additional guidance.
