How to Get Rid of Head Lice Naturally
Different hair conditions come with different concerns. Having dry hair that breaks constantly can ruin your mood and spoil your day, especially if you have big hair goals. However, this concern and worry is nothing compared to having had lice in your hair. Not only is it a major concern that your hair will suffer from the infestation of the lice, but your health will also be at risk if you have lice in your hair. Why is this so?
Lice live in the hair and feast on the blood. It burrows into the scalp and sucks blood from the scalp daily. Lack of proper means of getting rid of them can leave you anemic and sick. While you scratch your hair and leave painful scratches and bruises on your scalp due to their burrowing into it, you should also be ready to take loads of blood tonic to prevent anemia from their constant blood-sucking activities.
While the internet is filled with different remedies for hair lice, it is still advisable to go for natural remedies or speak with a doctor about your condition rather than use chemical-based products to get rid of your lice. These chemical products can be too harsh, not just for your hair, and may cause them to fall. They might also be dangerous to your scalp and can complicate issues. Thus, adopting a natural remedy is still the best way to get rid of those lice to be safe than sorry.
Best Operations
Experts have suggested that despite being natural, it is best to speak with a doctor about whichever natural remedies you are adopting to discuss the impacts that the remedy can make on your head lice.
It is important to note that seeing one louse in your hair means there are others. Studies have shown that lice lay eggs fast and reproduce quickly. So, before you say “jack”, your hair is infested with lice.
According to experts, it is best not to panic if you see lice in your hair. The first attack to give your hair is combing out your hair with lice comb at least two times every day while also applying natural remedies that can get rid of them.
In the course of getting rid of your lice, ensure that you also make plans to get rid of their eggs. This is because if your remedy can only get rid of the lice, the eggs will hatch later, and you will have to get rid of the newly hatched ones. Thus, it is either you adopt remedies that can get rid of both the lice and the eggs or be ready to carry out the treatment twice to get rid of the old lice and the newly hatched ones.
Symptoms of Head Lice
The classic symptoms of headline include;
- Severe hair itching
- Hair breakage
- Anemia
- Sometimes fever
If you notice any of these symptoms, try to check your hair for lice and begin to attack immediately if you notice that they are in your hair.
This article is packed with reliable and tested natural remedies that can help kill lice and their eggs in your hair. They come with no side effects and are safe for you to use. However, it is still important to speak with your doctor before or while using them to treat your scalp and get rid of lice. Below are natural remedies for getting rid of lice;
Natural Remedies for Getting Rid of Lice
Anise Oil
Anise oil, according to research, is one of the best natural remedies to use if you want to get rid of head lice. This is because it has properties that suffocate them. People who applied anise oil to their hair and steamed their hair in heat dryers experienced an effective elimination of the lice in their hair. You may be wondering if there will be no re-infestation of the lice in your hair after some months of using anise oil therapy. Well, research has ascertained that lice re-infestation will not occur. This is because anise oil can get rid of both living lice and unhatched live eggs.
All you need to do is massage your scalp with anise oil, wear a nylon cap and sit under a heated hair dryer for about 20 minutes. Even when you are out of the dryer, leave the cap on for about 1 hour and go back to the hair dryer for another 20 minutes. Having done this, wash your hair with a mild shampoo and comb out your hair thoroughly. Repeat this about once a week for 3 to 4 weeks.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is an essential oil that is packed with numerous medicinal properties ranging from antimicrobial to antifungal, antibacterial, and insecticidal. The insecticidal property, which is the most effective for getting rid of lice, has been proven to be an effective remedy. To get rid of head lice applying tea tree oil to your hair and massaging it deep into your scalp can help eliminate the lice.
Having applied it, you should allow it to sit in your hair for about 2 hours and sit under a heated hair dryer if you can. Then wash off the oil after 2 hours with water and mild shampoo.
Since tea tree oil is essential, you should dilute it with carrier oils before applying it to your scalp. This will help prevent irritation on your scalp. Also, ensure to conduct a patch test on the part of your skin before you fully use the oil on your head.
Olive Oil
Just like anise oil and tea tree oil, olive oil has also proven to be an effective remedy for killing lice. It has insecticidal properties and other natural properties that can help get rid kill both living lice and unhatched lice eggs. A 2018 study showed that combining or mixing olive oil with anise oil to eliminate head lice is extremely effective. This is because they work hand in hand to suffocate the lice and their eggs on one hand and also ensure that there is no re-infestation of the lice.
Applying olive oil to the scalp to get rid of lice is quite simple. All you have to do is follow the application method of anise oil. You can also mix both oils, anise oil and olive oil, to get better results.
Apart from killing head lice, applying olive oil to your hair can also enrich your hair and help you grow healthier hair. Thus, you are on the one hand, getting rid of lice, while on the other hand, you are growing healthy hair.
Salt and Vinegar
Studies have shown that a mixture of salt and vinegar can dry out and kill both living lice and their eggs. Since the combination of both can irritate your skin as a result of their compounds, it is best to use them in tiny amounts and wash them off immediately if you notice any funny feeling on your scalp that may be extremely uncomfortable. Ensure that you do not apply this natural remedy more than once a week. Also, ensure to comb out your hair with a lice comb after you must have washed the mixture off your hair.
People who had lice in their hair and used salt and vinegar solution for their lice reported an improvement in their condition. However, if you try out this remedy and it does not work for you or does complicate your condition, you should discontinue it immediately and try something else or go and see a doctor for it.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is known for its hair-benefitting properties. Besides keeping the hair oiled and moisturized all day long, it also helps get rid of head lice. Studies showed that applying coconut oil to your lice-infested hair and leaving it for up to 4 hours without sitting under a heat dryer can kill all the lice in your hair. Yes, all the lice in your hair.
Studies also showed that effective medicated shampoos for killing hair lice do the same job under the same condition for the same period of time.
Conclusion
Having head lice is a major concern for people who keep long hair. It reduces the quality of your hair and also sucks your blood. You do not need to panic when you see them in your hair. All you need to do is adopt one of the natural remedies to eliminate them. However, before doing so, speak to your doctor first.