Do you often find yourself scratching your head excessively? If the answer is yes, it can be due to head lice infestation.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 6 million to 12 million head lice infestations occur in the United States among children (3 to 11 years of age) in a year.(1)
Head lice are tiny parasites that live on the scalp and hair shafts. These parasites feed on blood. Head lice multiply rapidly, laying small oval-shaped eggs known as nits, which are visible near the base of the hair, close to the scalp.
Although anyone can have head lice, the problem is especially common among children.(2)
It is important to note that lice infestation isn’t always a sign of poor personal hygiene or an unclean living environment.
Causes of Head Lice Infestation
Head lice mainly spread through direct head-to-head contact with an infected person. Children, in particular, are likely to pick up these nasty pests:
- during play sessions
- at school
- engaging in contact sports
- during sleepovers
- at other gatherings.
You can also end up with lice by:
- wearing the clothing of a person with lice
- sharing contaminated personal care items, such as brushes and combs
- lying on the bed used by an infected person.
Signs and Symptoms
Two of the most common signs of lice infestation are itching and red bumps on the scalp. A sensation of something crawling on the scalp is also common.
You can also find opaque nits on the hair shafts.
When to See a Doctor
Consult a doctor if head lice infestation is severe and you cannot stop scratching your head.
It can be quite difficult to eliminate lice parasites within a few days as they reproduce pretty quickly. However, lice only live 24 to 48 hours off the scalp. They need blood from the human scalp to survive.
There are several home remedies that will help solve this problem by getting them off the scalp.
Simple Ways to Deal With Head Lice
Here are the top 10 tips and remedies to get rid of head lice.
1. Use a Louse Comb
Invest in a nit or louse comb to get rid of head lice naturally. The fine-toothed comb is easily available at any drugstore and it helps to keep the hair free of lice. However, it is not effective for nits.
A 1999 study published in Pediatrics Drugs points out that the most effective tool for the prevention and control of lice is the louse comb. It should be used on a regular basis to detect lice at an early stage of infestation and to remove living and dead lice from the head.(3)
Another 2001 study published in Pediatric Dermatology examined the effectiveness of louse comb versus direct visual examination for the diagnosis of head louse infestations and found that using a louse comb is four times more efficient than direct visual examination and twice as fast.(4)
- First, wash your hair.
- When the hair is slightly wet, separate it into small sections.
- Sit under a good light and cover your shoulder and back with a white towel.
- Start combing small sections of the hair using a nit comb.
- Rinse out the comb and towel under running hot water after each use.
- Do it once daily until the lice infestation is treated completely.
2. Coat Your Hair with Mayonnaise
This ingredient contains a lot of oil, which has viscosity properties. Thus, it can help suffocate live head lice. Also, it lubricates the hair and facilitates combing the lice from the scalp.
A 1999 study published in Pediatric Drugs reports that suffocating agents such as mayonnaise can help kill a significant number of lice only if they are applied in liberal amounts for more than 12 hours.(3)
Another 2003 study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases reports that mayonnaise can effectively decrease respiratory exchange in lice and may decrease infestation.(5)
- Coat your hair thoroughly with full-fat mayonnaise.
- Cover it tightly with plastic or a shower cap. You may also wrap a towel over the plastic.
- Leave it overnight.
- The next morning, wash your hair well with your regular shampoo.
- Dry your hair using a hairdryer as the hot air also kills any remaining living lice.
- Use a nit comb to remove the lice and nits.
- Repeat once a week for about two months.
3. Apply Coconut Oil to Your Scalp
Coconut oil is another effective remedy for head lice. The lubricating nature of coconut oil will stop the lice from moving around freely, thus preventing them from multiplying.
In a 2002 study published in the Israel Medical Association Journal, researchers used a natural remedy, which consisted of coconut oil, anise oil, and ylang-ylang oil on the hair of children (aged 6-14 years) thrice at 5-day intervals and found it to be effective for head lice infestation.(6)
Another study published in the European Journal of Pediatrics in 2010 found coconut and anise spray to be an effective alternative treatment for head lice.(7)
- In 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin coconut oil, add 4-5 drops of anise essential oil.
- Completely saturate the hair and scalp with this oil mixture.
- Cover your head with a shower cap or towel and leave it on for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
- In the morning, comb your hair with a nit comb and then shampoo as usual.
- Repeat this every day for a week to eradicate lice.
Along with coconut oil, you can also use olive oil or baby oil.
4. Tree Tea Oil can Help
Tea tree oil is a natural insecticide which offers a lot of health benefits. Being an effective insecticide, it plays a vital role in treatment for head lice.
In a 2010 study published in BMC Dermatology, researchers examined the effectiveness of three different products to treat head lice, including one that contained tea tree oil. It was found that tea tree oil was effective in keeping the head free of lice.(8)
Another 2012 study published in Parasitology Research found tea tree oil to be more effective than nerolidol against head lice.(9)
- Mix together one teaspoon of tea tree oil, one ounce of natural shampoo, and 3 tablespoons of coconut or olive oil.
- Apply the solution gently throughout your hair and cover your head with a shower cap or towel. Leave your head covered for half an hour, and then rinse your hair thoroughly with warm water.
- Finally, comb your hair using a louse comb while it is still wet to remove the dead lice.
5. Trust the Healing Potential of Neem
Neem, also known as Indian lilac, is a good remedy to get rid of head lice. Being a natural insecticide, it can help kill the lice.
In a 2012 study published in Parasitology Research, researchers examined the effectiveness of an anti-louse shampoo based on a neem seed extract on the hair of 12 children and found it to be very effective.(10)
It even soothes the scalp irritation caused by constant scratching of the head due to lice infestation.
- Apply a paste made of neem leaves on your scalp and hair. Allow it to dry, and then rinse your hair. Do this at least twice a week for two months.
- Alternatively, massage some pure neem oil onto your hair and scalp. Allow it to sit for 1 hour. Wash it out with shampoo. Once the hair is dry, use a nit comb to remove the lice and nits. Do this remedy 2-3 times a week for 1 to 2 months.
6. Petroleum Jelly can Give You Relief
Petroleum jelly can have a stifling effect on the lice roaming around in the hair. The Minnesota Department of Health even lists petroleum jelly as an acceptable method for treating head lice.(2)
- Apply a thick layer of petroleum jelly to the scalp before going to bed.
- Cover your head tightly with a shower cap or towel. Leave it on overnight.
- In the morning, use baby oil to remove the petroleum jelly.
- Comb your hair thoroughly with a louse comb to remove the lice.
- Repeat this several nights in a row.
7. White Vinegar can be Helpful
Another safe and inexpensive method to get rid of head lice is white vinegar. White vinegar possesses acetic acid, which can help eliminate lice.
A 1999 study published in Pediatric Drugs reports that formulations containing 5% acetic acid in combination with a louse comb can be helpful in removing nits.(3)
Another 2012 study published in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology reports that vinegar (4% acetic acid) aids in dissolving the cementing substance that attaches nits to the hair shaft.(11)
- Dilute white vinegar with an equal amount of water.
- Saturate the hair and scalp with the solution and then wrap a towel around the hair for approximately 1 to 2 hours.
- Next, dip a comb in white vinegar and comb your hair with it. Focus on one small section of hair at a time.
You can also rinse your hair with white vinegar before and after shampooing.
8. Try Camphor with Coconut Oil
Camphor in coconut oil (also known as camphorated oil) is another excellent remedy for head lice.(12)
Lice find it hard to tolerate the strong smell of camphor, thus making it easier to comb them out of the hair. Moreover, the coconut oil helps suffocate the lice.
- Melt a ½ cup of coconut oil in the microwave.
- Add 1 tablespoon of camphor powder and mix properly.
- Apply the mixture all over your head, and massage it into your scalp.
- Cover your hair with a shower cap and leave it on overnight.
- The next morning, wash your hair with a shampoo. When dry, comb it with a nit comb.
- Use this treatment daily for 5 days to eradicate lice.
9. Apply Benzyl Alcohol Solution to Your Scalp
Benzyl alcohol, a monoaromatic primary alcohol, can effectively kill lice and nits. This powerful disinfectant is safe to use and is even approved by the FDA.
A 2010 study published in Pediatric Dermatology found benzyl alcohol lotion 5% to be a safe and effective topical head lice treatment. It can be used in children as young as 6 months of age.(13)
- Apply a little benzyl alcohol solution on the scalp and hair.
- Leave it on for 10 minutes.
- Then, rinse your hair properly.
- Finally, comb your hair using a nit comb to remove dead lice and nits.
- Do this once a week for 1 month.
10. Hot Air Treatment for Head Lice
Another option to keep your head free of lice is hot air. There are specific machines available in the market that use air with higher flow rate to kill the lice.
The machine works based on the concept of dehydration, which helps to kill head lice and their eggs.
A 2006 study published in Pediatrics analyzed the effectiveness of a custom-built machine called the LouseBuster to kill head lice and found it to be very effective. There were no adverse effects of this treatment.(14)
- Get a machine from the market and use it as directed.
Additional Tips
- Do not share any of your belongings to a person with lice infestation.
- Keep combs and brushes used by an affected person separate from others.
- After treating lice, wash all clothing and bedding used by the person in hot water.
- Seal all the nonwashable items used by the affected person in plastic bags for a week.
- Vacuum all upholstery, mattresses, and carpets.
- Once in a while, comb your hair with a nit comb.
Resources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/epi.html. Published September 24, 2013.
- Head Lice Fact Sheet – Minnesota Dept. of Health. Fact Sheet – Minnesota Dept. of Health. http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/headlice/headlice.html.
- Mumcuoglu KY. Prevention and treatment of head lice in children. Pediatric drugs. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10937452. Published 1999.
- Mumcuoglu KY, Friger M, Ioffe-Uspensky I, Ben-Ishai F, Miller J. Louse comb versus direct visual examination for the diagnosis of head louse infestations. Pediatric Dermatology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11207962. Published 2001.
- Jones, N. K, C. J. Review of Common Therapeutic Options in the United States for the Treatment of Pediculosis Capitis | Clinical Infectious Diseases | Oxford Academic. OUP Academic. https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/36/11/1355/303092. Published June 1, 2003.
- Mumcuoglu KY, Miller J, Zamir C, Zentner G, Helbin V, Ingber A. The in vivo pediculicidal efficacy of a natural remedy. The Israel Medical Association journal: IMAJ. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12389342. Published October 2002.
- Burgess IF, Brunton ER, Burgess NA. Clinical trial showing the superiority of a coconut and anise spray over permethrin 0.43% lotion for head louse infestation, ISRCTN96469780. European journal of pediatrics. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19343362. Published January 2010.
- Barker SC, Altman PM. A randomized, assessor blind, parallel group comparative efficacy trial of three products for the treatment of head lice in children–melaleuca oil and lavender oil, pyrethrins and piperonylbutoxide, and a “suffocation” product. BMC Dermatology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20727129. Published August 20, 2010.
- Di E, Di S, Delli P, et al. Activity of tea tree oil and nerolidol alone or in combination against Pediculus capitis (head lice) and its eggs. Parasitology research. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22847279. Published November 2012.
- Abdel-Ghaffar F, Al-Quraishy S, Al-Rasheid KA, Mehlhorn H. Efficacy of a single treatment of head lice with a neem seed extract: an in vivo and in vitro study on nits and motile stages. Parasitology research. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21667206. Published January 2012.
- Bhushan made, UdayKhopkar. Pediculosis capitis: An update. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology. http://www.ijdvl.com/article.asp?issn=0378-6323;year=2012;volume=78;issue=4;spage=429;epage=438;aulast=Madke. Published 2012.
- European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences. EJBPS | ABSTRACT. http://www.ejbps.com/ejbps/abstract_id/116.
- Meinking TL, Villar ME, Vicaria M, et al. The Clinical Trials Supporting Benzyl Alcohol Lotion 5% (UlesfiaTM): A Safe and Effective Topical Treatment for Head Lice (Pediculosis Humanus Capitis). Pediatric Dermatology. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1525-1470.2009.01059.x/abstract. Published February 23, 2010.
- Goates BM, Atkin JS, Wilding KG, et al. An Effective Nonchemical Treatment for Head Lice: A Lot of Hot Air. Pediatrics. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/118/5/1962?download=true. Published November 1, 2006.
I love the home remedies very helpful. ..thxz so much.
I have found a really simple one step use home remedy to get rid of lice. I buy a bottle of coal tar oil shampoo (selson blue etc) a bottle of cheap conditioner. A bottle of tea tree oil and a bottle of eucalyptus oil. I use a half bottle of conditioner, 1/4 bottle shampoo and 25 drops of each essential oil. Last i add 3/4 cup of vinegar. Shake this mix really well…When you use it just dampen the hair with water. Apply a layer like you are washing your hair normally. Leave it on your hair for 5 – 10 minutes. Then rinse it out really good. Dry the hair with a towel, brush/comb then use a nit comb.
My boys would always bring it home every year. I got worried about using rid, permetherin and all the other chemical based stuff…I started experimenting and this is my one use removal for lice
I just wanted to mention that this remedy is effective 100%. Thank You Curt for sharing! My kids brought lice home from school, so the whole family got treated with this method, not only is it 100% effective but my hair has never felt so good in years. It leaves your hair very clean and very soft feeling. Thanks again!
just use this mix and it seems to be supa doper so far! removed heaps of eggs that seem to be the hardest task usually, I am forever grateful! Thank you!!
THANKYOU CURT! I am grateful for as long as I shall live. This removed HUGE amounts of eggs and lice, it even got rid of the dead skin. And now that I have used this my hair has never looked so beautiful!
Thanks for the recipe for a shorter time lice removal solution. My daughter can’t stand the smell of the store bought stuff much less the wait time for it to work.
curt, this is an amazing recipe and it made combing so easy, plus our hair was soft and smelled good afterwards. it’s my new lice killer. i used peppermint oil instead of eucalyptus as i didn’t have it in my cabinet and selson didnt appear to be a coal tar oil shampoo so i bought another brand but it is lovely.
Dear Curt,
I tried your recipe last night.
It seems to have worked.
I am so grateful to your post!
A mom with two girls, all of us with long hair and lice….
This really works!
thanks curt so glad we found this one,i will never go back to the old chemical stuff that doesn’t even work,would also use it once a week as a hair treatment,our hair has never been so soft & shiny,this is bloody brilliant mate.
Don’t know if you will get this but wondering how large a bottle of shampoo and conditioner you got
Thank you Curt I’m going to try this I did use one of the store-bought products and it didn’t really work so now I’m on week 2 second outbreak she got up from the babysitter I told the sitter come to find out it was the teenage girl friend of her son that had it and my little Ros loves that girl…thanks
I just used your remedy and sure hope it works. Only thing, my husband rinsed out the conditioner bottle into this mix, just hope it didn’t dilute it too much. I did leave it on for about 1 hour. My hair feels wonderful, and so shiny.Don’t think I had a very bad case. Got it from my granddaughter by my using my large tooth comb on her very thick hair and we didn’t know she had lice at the time. I had everything home only needed to get the shampoo. Now washing everything. Thank you so much!
thank you for sharing!!! gonna try it right away! my girls brought it home and we are all full….. 🙁
I just want to THANK YOU so much for this!!! When my daughter and I got Lice earlier this week, I found this web site and your recipe, Curt. Then, the school sent out a list of suggested remedies. Silly me, went with their advice, but nothing was working to help get rid of all the nits. I wish I had listened to my intuition and tried yours FIRST, because after 3 unsuccessful treatments and many hours later, I finally tried yours and I was AMAZED at how good it worked! Phew!! I have now sent it to everyone. And all the accolades from everyone else who commented were correct — not only did it work, but our hair looked amazing afterwards!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Hi there, I hope you get this or someone here can please clarify. I am using this mixture but noticed after mixing 3/4 cups of vinegar, the mixture is extremely runny… is is supposed to be? Many thanks in advance.
My daughter and I have waist long hair. She kept complaining of itch. Upon inspection I found nits. Used medicated stuff first, still complained of itch. Tried curts fix as the tea tree oil worked when my 23 year old was younger. Of course I too started itching. My husband found nothing in my hair but we both did this treatment. Used the nit comb and got all her nits out. No more itch… for either of us 🙂 This stuff stinks but I have to say our hair has never been so shiny and soft. So far……so good. Thank you Sooo much!!!!! No more chemicals!!!!!!!!
Does this also help loosen the nits, cause our schools have a no nit policy, my neice has been out a week already. She only has the nits, we treated her for the lice. Her hair is extremely thick.
Curt, I am battling lice as well as my 2 girls.I am not sure if you will get this but was wondering if you could help me on wich products you bought? Which selsun blue? theor was diffrent ones but I didn’t see one with coAL tar in it. And what conditioner did you use? I am so tired and don’t want to buy any more stuff. Please help me
Use T-gel medicated shampoo it is a coal tar Shampoo.
Please is there any replacement for coal tar oil shampoo I’ve never heard about it in my country and I’m so frustrated
thx i will try this
Curt this is a great recipe love it!
How often do u use this lice receipe
Hi which method did u use???
I read your remedy for head lice and tried it on my granddaughter so far it looks like it worked but when she go’s back home she will get it back because she lives with three other little girls in the home can they be in the mattress too and how do we get rid of them there besides throwing it away.
There is lice spray that you can spray your beds and furniture with to help get rid of them. And wash the blankets and pillows and stuffed animals in strait hot water.
well… you could get the clothes and accessories and put them in a plastic bag and leave them in your garage for 2-3 days. you could also put your mattress in your garage as well.
hope this helped!
Thanks for the advice
Just wash your bed sheets on the highest setting with double the amount of washing powder/gel as usual then dry on about 50 degrees to kill of anything extra.
I recommend do this twice in a row
Just to make sure and check the other children’s hair thoroughly. Even if you can’t see lice use a treatment to be 100% sure.
They actually sell special sprays that will kill all lice,eggs, and nits off of mattresses and other things you can find this in Rid amercias number one lice kit
Use bleach. Bleach any contaminated area. Teddy’s, pillows, quilts, anything
won’t kill nits and will ruin everything it touches.
there’s a spray that’s rosemary. it’s a leave in conditioner spray. the rosemary repels lice. so u may want to have her spray it on her hair everyday so the lice don’t get to her
I am not sure how the olive will work but I have it in my hair right now so hopefully it works
Does white vinegar work?
I’m trying it now hope it works I got them from my grandbabies
Mee to have olive oil and believe it or not I tied a sealed pladtc shopping bag around my head for the night in morning will wash out with hot water at 2 in one and comb well and rinse under straight hot water and clean all clothes and bedding and pillow cases and or put all in sealed bag for a few days
Went to the Dr and he saved us after us spending 100’s of dollars on treatments… Selsan blue… Wash hair with it every night for two wks. Its cured it immediately
Thats what i use too ! It really works !!! But makes my scalp rediculously dry so i apply coconut oil every other day
As a mother of two girls and hair stylist, I’m very educated on the treatment of head lice. First realize that baby oil and petroleum jelly are not natural products(do your homework)..The key to head lice is removal of the nits! Yes, killing the live bugs is important, but unless EVERY egg is removed it will hatch and the problem begins again. Suffocating the live lice is possible with heavy products. Consider coconut oil. Apply to dry hair, cover with plastic cap, let sit for a couple of hours. Shampoo 2 or 3 times to get oil out. It’s great for the hair too. The best thing for removal of eggs is vinegar and your fingers. The vinegar is acidic which counteracts the alkaline goo the eggs are layed in that attaches to the hair. Unfiltered apple cider vinegar would be my choice. Put in spray bottle and generously spray the hair til saturated. Comb hair smooth.Starting at the hair line at neck, pin up all but an 1/8″ of hair keeping the section thin enough to see through. You can use a lice comb at this point. Comb through sectioned hair wiping comb often to remove nits. After combing inspect the hair and using your fingers to pull off any eggs that are still there. Pull the eggs off by starting above the egg on hair and pulling towards the end of hair. This is time consuming but if done correctly you should not have to do again. Inspect hair every day! CVS had a spray at one time that was great for upholstery.. couches, carseats, back packs ..anything you can wash DO IT! pillows, stuffed animals in hot dryer. The high problem times is about 2-4 weeks after school starts because of camps and vacations. Also after the winter holiday vacations. My advice if you have to do this, put your child on short stool in front of you and give them a book or electronic device to play games or watch a movie. Talk about not sharing brushes, head coverings or head gear (batting helmets). Explain that this is nothing to be embarrassed about. Be patient! Take breaks! Treat yourselves to something special. In my opinion, it’s worse than a stomach virus but again if done correctly the first time, it should be your only time! Good luck!
By far the best advice I’ve seen. Knowledgeable and lots of info. Thank you
I have tried this twice and it didn’t work for my daughter.
Definitely best advice…I went through this 4 years ago with my daughter with extremely thick hair…guess who has it again, plus her little sister. She is the cleanest kid I know, and is very particular about sharing hats and brushes. How she got it this time, I just don’t know. We ended up winning the war last time with mayo, but we hated it. It also took 6 weeks of checking her scalp. I am not looking forward to this again, so I was looking for a different way. Going to start with the vinegar…not the way I envisioned we would spend the end of our Spring Break. Grrrr. My poor kiddos…
Hair lice only like to live in very clean and healthy hair so it proofs she is healthy. If she has had any sleepovers recently that could have caused the problems and if she goes to school with he hair down or she takes it out then that may be a problem too.
So not true lice does not discriminate it will live in any hair clean dirty oily all it needs is hair
I’m sorry Dianna but you are wrong. African Americans RARELY if EVER get head lice. Because of the type of hair they have it is almost essential to use products to keep their hair and scalp from becoming too dry. For that reason alone, adults and children, are the least likely to get it. The nits can not hold on to hair that is oily / moisturized.
It’s true my girlfriend has black people hair and she has head lice.
Lice love’s clean thick hair I know this because the love my head. I use to dye my hair every 6 months to keep head lice away. Then they changed hair dye so it no longer works. So sure enough my 3 year old niece gets it and comes to see me and I get it. Her mother doesn’t get it has never had it. They say people with black peoples hair can’t get head lice. All I can think of is because they use hair grease and lice has a hard time with greasy hair.
I always thought that until i notice that my youngest daughter always scratches her hair throughout the day. I thought it was dry scalp until i was talking down her box braids to redo them and notice something in there. I thought it was dandruff, then i noticed something moving. I picked it out and didn’t think of it. Two weeks later, she’s still scratching and the little voice in my head said check. I check and sure enough there’s lice roaming through her hair,mainly in the thicker part of her new growth at the base of the braids. I checked my oldest daughter’s and found one or two, so I take it she was just exposed due to them sleeping together the last few days. I will be removing her braids, using the Lice treatment as well as the apple cider trick this weekend. Hopefully, this rids them. I am kind of embarrassed; although, my kids are fairly clean.
It actually has nothing to do with the type of hair, I for one, have really damaged hair, extremely similar to what people would call black people hair. So I did some research…Lice are actually attracted to the scent of hair. For example, using coconut scented products usually detours them. Its like people being attracted to certain scent. and given the fact that relatives usually have the same traits, it would make sense why they’d get it but also why not all of them would. I actually ending up speaking to a woman who ran a business of lice removal and she brought this up as well.
I have lice now, in Spring break too!
Thank you so much for the helpful advice.
Myself and my husband currently have head lice and would appreciate any and all home remedies that are thrown our way.
Thank you so much Laura. My grandchildren are here and your advice is great. Thank you.
Ive uswd only vineger, edible vineger and IT worked efter One hour. Ive never seen anything like dis.I Just used My Fingers to brush through My søns dreedrocks and THEY ALL CAME OUT
Thank you
Very useful thoughts for Ladies
I have used the mayonnaise remedie and it works great.. it is not only a cheaper way to get rid of head lice but it also works great as a deep conditioner too..
white vinegar does work.Mix water and white vinegar equally (about 5 cups each), mix it well to dilute the vinegar,apply this to hair and scalp COMPLETELY and leave it in for 2 to 3 hours 9 dont forget to wrap it in a shower cap) Take a comb and dip it in white vinegar. Comb it in one part at a time or rinse your hair with it before and after shampooing.
orange juice is easiest.wet your hair then pour it in and leave it for 20 to30 minutes.Comb your hair thoroughly with a lice comb, rinse your hair with warm water,repeat for 2 weeks daily using lice comb and conditioner.
The easiest way to get rid of lice is to comb ur hairs during a shower as it will help u to take out lice easily.
White vinegar and coconut oil!!!!!
I was not sure about the coconut oil. I thought since its sweet it wouldn’t do it any good. I am gonna try all them plus do all the washing and dryingeverything. I have a very stubborn child who will fight me to not go thru her hair. I jus want to bald her. I am very against having this any more.
ATTENTION TO THOSE WHO WANT TO GET RID OF HEAD-LICE …. TRY THIS CRAZY METHOD THAT WORKS !! …
DOG SHAMPOO … IT WORKS !!
THINK ABOUT IT … U GIVE UR DOG A BATH TO GET OF FLEAS n TICKS – RIGHT ?? .. HEAD-LICE is THE SAME SPEICES AS FLEAS n TICKS … TRY IT – IT NEVER FAILS ….
Hello when my daughters were young I used soft butter in there hair for headlice. Just put soft butter throughout the hair use a shower cap, place old towel on pillowcase sleep in it. Then the next morning wash butter out with Dawn dish liquid. It has never came back since. And yes we also used the Dog Shampoo it worked too.
Thank you. I’m so itchy just by the thought poor kids.
Tick and fleas dog shampoo? Or regular dog shampoo?
My 5 year old kept complaining of an itchy scalp. Over the thanksgiving holidays, I didn’t see anything but put listerine (yellow) in the places she kept complaining about. I checked for lice but didn’t see any. At that time, I didn’t know to look for the “nits.” Being a teacher of 12+ years, I looked for “lice” – not “eggs.” So, a week goes by and my 11 year old starts complaining of an itchy scalp. I checked her scalp and to my worst nightmare, I found 2 active lice. I have never stripped sheets, gathered pillows, emptied backpacks and thrown away all hair products like brushes and pony-tail holders away so fast as I did upon finding them. I immediately got on the internet, (CDC) website, and went straight to the local CVS to buy “Nix.” I treated the 11 year old within an hour, bought 2 cans of the room spray, sprayed all the furniture including the car and washed 7 loads of clothes/sheets the remainder of the night. I became a lice “educator” that night and to my double-worst nightmare, found that the 5-year old also had nits. So, I treated her with the 2nd bottle of shampoo in the Nix treatment box. We must have spent 3 hours that first night pulling nits out. The next day, we pulled more nits and continued to pull nits for 7 more days. Although the nit numbers decreased, I was still finding them. On the 7th day, they seemed to increase. On the 8th day, I found another active lice on the 5-year old’s scalp. So, the process of sheet washing, etc. began again but this time and after more reading about home remedies, I tried the listerine (2 hours) with a shower cap, followed by 1 hour of vinegar. Then, we rinsed, washed hair and began to take out the nits that I could find. I went back to the CVS and bought TEA TREE OIL – the real stuff (about $9)! I mixed it with water and hair detangler in a spray bottle. I sprayed the hair follicles and the hair lines. I also sprayed the bedding, the furniture, the backpack and the new brushes. For the next 7 days, I repeated the process of the Tea Tree Oil treatment on the hair and the furniture – brushing the hair, looking for nits and spraying the follicles. On day 4, I didn’t find any nits and since then, I haven’t found any at all! We are now 18 days with no nits. Now that school has started back, we spray the hair line daily. As for the 11 year old, I never retreated her and never found any more active bugs but did find 11 nits on the 10th day. I began the tea tree oil potion and she has been 15 days with no nits.
Now, for my case, the Nix over the counter didn’t work. I will swear by the tea tree oil but I was also very active and proactive in making sure this parasite was NO MORE!
thanks so much for your story very similar to mine I’m trying the oil and vinegar treatment now i have 5 kids and a granddaughter my self my mom my nieces we all have it some other family member too. I’m going crazy because i have no time and this bugs keep reappearing i’m exhausted I pray that some of this remedies work!
You must be very careful with spraying down your home, beds, furniture etc. Because some of those sprays are pesticides and way worse on your child’s health and lungs than the lice. Also those shampoos contain harmful pesticides too. Read up on them
vicks vapo rub, or ANY thick menthol rub. (Dollar Tree menthol rub works great.) apply to scalp ALL OVER. Put in a good movie & let sit for 2 hours. Then wash out several times with V05 coconut shampoo.
(Of course, BE SURE to wash & dry on high HEAT temp: ALL PILLOWS, pillow-cases, and other head-resting surfaces- like hats, hoodies, sweater-jackets, and bedding.)
MENTHOL rub. Spread the word.
i;m going to try out the tree tea oil and the detanger and water to see of it works 4 us,
We have try the tree tea oil. And listerine and it works 4 us.
You can wash all the bedding with the hottest water you can get and dry it on high heat two times and u can try vacuuming it or steam clean it. Also if you have carpet in the house you will want to steam clean all of them to.
I use tea tree oil, olive oil, eucalyptus and any kind of shampoo. Leave in for 30 minutes, rinse well. You will see them come to the surface then use nit comb and comb out. Then you can use a spray bottle add water and some eucalyptus in it and use everyday in hair to keep them away. It has worked for my grandkids.
Dog shampoo works it kills the live lice then I put in oil so eggs become lose
But the best thing is yet to come but trust me it works
I get my vacuum I divide the hair into about 8 pony tails and then use the vacuum and suck each section of hair and you need to put the vacuum so it is on the scalp and vacuum the one piece several times
The vacuum sucks all dead lice out and removes the eggs that have been released from the hair using the oil
Final step run the fine tooth Combe through the hair just to make sure there is nothing left repeat the vacuum and combing until there are no eggs or lice left in the comb this should take about 1hour but for the kids that are hard to treat they think it’s fun as the vacuum sucks their hair
Thanks for this idea Lorraine! My daughter and I both have long hair (hers mid-way down back, mine down to my rear end) and it usually takes up to 2 hours each to get our thick hair done. I am going to try the trick with the vacuum on both of us.
Yes!!!!
Dog shampoo and other animal shampoo works!!
🙂
and vinegar 2
Does it kill the nits also
Hi, I have had many cases of lice growing up but now being a Mom and a Step-Mom everything is all very different. My Step-Daughter has head lice(November 2016) from what I understand it was a bad case. From what I’ve researched versus buying something expensive, killing all of the eggs, larva ect adults can be quite easy and low costing, who would have thought?!! So my question is: if dog shampoo is affective, can cat shampoo work as well, what’s the difference? You can’t use one on the other, cat shampoo on a dog or dog shampoo on a cat but dog shampoo to treat head lice on humans is it safe and can we use cat shampoo too? I researched and found that using laundry detergent and somewhere washing with dawn dish soap can help kill them too. My cats are battling fleas(any advice there would be great) and dawn dish soap kills them, the fleas, but makes it hard to remove them. Getting rid of them for good is a process. I’ve been doing my research but I will try the vinegar trick on my cats, since it’s been stated that the flea and lice are of the same species, which quite interesting.
Tq… 🙂 madm laura 4 u’r tps…. 🙂
THIS WORKS!!! just use a half cup of your regular shampoo, a half cup of any house hold oil and 1/4 cup of salt (the salt is poissons to the lice and nits!) leave in hair for 2 hours. Next get in the shower and wash all of the mixture out, then comb hair with a lice comb to get dead lice and nits out… hope this works for you too!!
To keep it gone u can start using coconut shampoo and conditions it works geat!! I did that for my sister-in-laws
I have a question. I just found lice, active lice and Nits in my 8 yr old daughters hair. fortunately she recently decided to cut her hair short. Being so late at night and she wouldn’t last 5 mins while I go to the store to get anything else. I am trying butter and vinegar mixed together. I wrapped her hair in plastic wrap very tightly and put a shower cap over that. is there anything wrong with her sleeping with it like that tonight?
I am terrified of these critters!!!! I was 12 and I had hair past my feet. I was infested with them for 2 years. My aunt usesd medical turpentine and shampoo on my hair.
Do be too terrified, in actuality lice are harmless they do not spread disease or anything like thst. Just try to be calm and work on getting them out naturally. I would be more terrified of using harmful chemicals on my family.
My LO got lice even though I was using t.tree shampoo and conditioner as a repellant. Im wondering if the premade ones arent strong enough, so will make my own now. 10drops t.tree oil in shampoo leave on for 7-10mins. 5 drops t.tree in conditioner, leave on for 5 mins. This is only a repellant.
To kill lice i used half a bottle of cheap conditioner. Fill up with white vinegar and add a teaspoon of 100% t-tree oil. Work into the scalp and lengths of hair liberally. Put on a shower cap and towel. Leave on for 60-90mins (its itchy but working!). Rinse and wash as normal. Repeat every 4days for 5 treatments to break the hatching cycle. Spray dry hair and pillows daily with a hairdressers spray bottle containing water with 10 drops tea tree and 10 drops olbas oil added to it (acts as a repellant). Also spray hair before sleeping. Lice hate the smell.
This treatment stinks but does the job better than the branded treatments.
Ive also heard cheap vodka (with 15drops of 100% tea tree added is good.
Hi, Head lice do not discriminate between clean or dirty hair or conditions, any hair shaft is good enough. Also Head Lice can not live more than 2 days (48 hours) without human contact so to save throwing things away and laundering and cleaning to the extreme, simply clean and leave items for a couple of days or so.
We have been having a lot of problems with my granddaughters and head lice have bought everything on the market from the cheapest to the most expensive and it only works for a short time then they are back again I always had my hair short and they never seemed to bother me even though my youngest granddaughter stayed with me a lot and always slept in my bed with me I have let my hair grow and voilla guess who got head lice I am going to try some of these home remedies on both us and see if we can come up with one of them to help as we are not rich and these over the counter things are very expensive and my granddaughters mom is a single parent and does not have lots of money and she is finding it very hard to deal with so please wish me luck and I would like to thank everyone for all their input. Going to print out all the remedies and try them till I find one that works. Once again thanks and good luck to all who are fighting this pain in the butt problem.
very good indeed
The quickest, cheapest and easiest method is using Original yellow Listerine mouthwash. Put it all through your hair and scalp. Cover with a plastic bag for thirty minutes to suffocate any lice. Shampoo out with your usual shampoo. Your hair will
come out beautifully clean and shinny. Use a fine metal comb, and comb out hair in sections. The eggs will comb out easily since the Listerine ungluess them and the adult lice are either dead or stunned. Repeat again in 7 days. You might need to continue for two more weeks until you’ve killed the breeding cycle of the lice.
Yes this does work. It’s the only thing I use
Something I do that has worked effectively is just putting a whole bunch of conditioner in the hair and on the scalp. This suffocates the lice, I have resorted to using the whole bottle. It doesn’t matter what kind as every single one will suffocate them. Then after however long you want, at least 2 hours is my suggestion, take a lice comb and comb every section of your hair. Wait like 3-4 days and do it again, then wait another 2 and do it again and you’re done. Doing it almost a week late gives time for eggs that you might have missed to hatch, and then you can get the babies out.
I think going natural is the best idea for getting rid of head lice right now because I don’t want the lice to become mutant and get used to all of the lice treatments.
My two boys got lice from day care , they’re 2 and 3 . I didn’t wanna use anything with chemicals in it because they’re too little . I used warm coconut oil mixed with 1tsp of salt . I soaked their hair in it and put a shower cap on for 2 hours , since they were in the bathtub it worked better since it was steamy ! The lice and some eggs just fell out ! After that I combed their hair with a lice comb and washed their hair with normal shampoo .. It worked great , since it’s coconut oil you can repeat daily just in case or until they’re all gone (:
I have gotten lice all the time as a kid so much that my mom threatened my sister and i that she would shave our heads. Now as an adult i dont get it nearly as much but as a mother its expected. Typically i just wash my hair with tea tree oil shampoo and dont have the problem wash once every two weeks. But i haven’t been able to get it lately and as time would have it i got lice again…I use baby oil till my hair is dripping and then i usually wash it with extremely hot water and as my head starts to tolerate the temp of the water i turn it up more. My brother in law is a hair stylest and he always says to use the tea tree oil to keep from getting it. and to help get rid of them if you do get it
thanks Laura 4 ur tips
1 part coconut oil and 1 part apple cider vinegar mix together then spray/massage into scalp first then hair, wrap plastic wrap or wear a shower cap for 30mins.
wash hair and you’ll see the lice skeletal shells and nits drop into shower tray
Worth reading, thanks! I have applied home remedy when removing head lice and its nits also. We also called experts in removing head lice from licewise.com for assistance and they offer great job.
After years of being lice free, we finally got our first dose of lice and nits. We tried everything natural so we wouldn’t have to go the chemical route and almost gave in but then read an article on NEEM (from The Neem Queen) and how it kills AND prevents lice and nits. We immediately found a neem lice kit on amazon that we bought and started the process. We started with neem oil on the scalp, followed by using a neem shampoo and let it sit under a cap for 10 minutes. The All About Neem lice kit came with a comb and some neem extract spray and like others described, went inch by inch through the hair until we got out all the living lice and nits. We checked daily and washed her hair daily with the neem shampoo.
Needless to say we are LICE FREE and have been continuing using the neem shampoo that they sell separately to prevent lice from coming back. So thankful for finding this little known miracle herb that can get rid of these nasty bugs!
Thanks for advice. I’m going for natural option. Sat here with plastic bag on head with salt, visit gear and oil on. Fed p with being fleeced by chemist. I have waist length this hair and my daughter has this long hair. It’s a cycle someone comes home with them and because we hug alot we all get them., even my little boy with very short hair.
I’ve even co e bak from festivals with them because everyone trying on hats or sharing tent.
Hi Peops, if you can’t find the spray bottles in your local supermarket have a look a the plant section or nip to your local florists/garden centre. They have them. Sme of them come in brightly coloured flower or butterfly shapes which encourages my kids to squirter their own hair with homemade repellent daily.?
i got a best treatment for lice. it is very simple.use olive oil daily massage your head with olive oil once or twice you will definately get some releaf from this treatment.just try one gauranteed remedy
Mayonaise is the only thing that works for my daughter and I. We apply it for a couple of hours during the day. Then we wash our hair. Then we blow dry as hot as we can stand it and then we flat iron our hair.
We do this for two to three days in a row.
The mayo does most of the work due to the processed egg in it. But in case that didn’t do it, we burn he heck out of them with hot air and hot iron!
Oh and we fog the sizzle out of our house!!!
You may say the heat damages our hair, we call it a salon session on a mission to kill!
We cannot stand lice.
Good luck to all!
Tea tree oil and conditioner to comb out everything has really worked for me and my daughter. I also boil our hairbrushes for ten minutes.
dog tick and flee shampoo works just fine
use medicated shampoo perlice once per week, with in 3 weeks lice problem will be solved
My cat had flees & it took more then a bath to get rid of them … they needed a flea treatment with it …. So I’m sure their shampoo will work but not sure it will keep the lice from coming back …. The vinigar should kill the lice & oil is for smothering them & keeping the hair soft for combing …..
I used the good old fashion Rid on my 4 kids 20 years ago… 1 treatment each kid …..a long night of combing …. next day shaved the boys heads & my daughter who was 5 trimmed her hair …. gave myself & husband a treatment & by The Grace of God never had a lice issue after that !!!
Lard/crisco and cornmeal!!!!! Cheap and effective. Mix the 2 well and plaster your head with it. I like to wrap the head with tinfoil and leave on atleast an hour. Comb through hair with fine tooth comb. Wash well with shampoo I mixed together rosemary and tea tree shampoos then combed through hair again.
Thanks for the tips! It works… 🙂 I love it very much!
Be sure to use the metal nit combs they sell at drug stores (not the plastic ones that come with the kits). Some of the kits come with little magnifying glasses that have lights attached to them….VERY helpful for looking for lice. There’s a comb on the market called “the terminator” that’s supposed to be the best lice comb they make. Be sure to check the reviews, because there are knock-offs that will fall apart on you. I ordered one from “Fairy Tales” that has great reviews from Sears. So far, we’re doing good with a combination of white vinegar first, olive oil second and then vigorous combing (only time will tell). We all smell like Greek salads, but that’s okay! Thank you for the article, although the comments afterward are just as helpful, too.
Salt wala method 100%, Right!!!!!!!
oh ma ooness the salt worked just correctly
I have always had long thick hair, even now at 51 my hair is long..just not so thick..lol..My worst nightmare has came true..I have my very first ever case of head lice.. and it’s miserable ..and next to impossible to tend by ones self, my biggest fear is having to cut my hair..I just thought I’d share what my doc told me…Vaseline is the cheapest and most effective home remedy, grease your hair and scalp up real thick and heavy put a shower cap on for overnight ,live lice smother,and the eggs/ nits that have been layed with “super lice glue” metabolize actually starts to break down and gell with the Vaseline..(which I am learning is 98% of the battle) , a nit comb is still recommended for combing. I am about to try it myself. rid, and vinegar help but I am the blood host for a endless supply of microscopic eggs! and a tip my cousin shared with me.. Hair dye..I had never dyed my hair before either but We did. unfortunately it did not have the desired result..but that stuff is not so lethal these days..However It made the eggs and nits so much easier to see! so that is a bit helpful. I also wanted to comment here after reading through the post..Lice are to humans what fleas are to our pets, a nasty parasite that need a blood host to survive,they don’t care about ones hygiene habits, your age, sex, marital status,rich, poor, or color of your skin, or texture of your hair.. the nasty vamps just want to drink our blood.. so yes it’s embarrassing , and painfully irritating. you should not be embarrassed by a strangers ignorance..It is they who should be ashamed ..our problem can be cured with shampoo.Best of luck to all…and any tips on getting that tiny comb through all my hair and still get results would be sooo very much appreciated!
Omg, this stuff WORKS!!! I have had an itchy scalp for a couple of weeks, had my granddaughter check me AND my doctor, neither one found a thing. Saw something moving in my hair, pulled it out and eeewwe it was lice. Went on line and found your formula, got all the ingredients the next day, applied it and no more itch, the nasty little buggers flowed out of my hair, I couldn’t believe that no one saw them. Looking forward to sleeping without itching tonight. THANK YOU, THANK YOU THANK YOU for sharing. I will recommend it to anyone.
Thanks so so much..I must confess this helped me a lot