Natural Head Lice Treatment
The dreaded letter from day care or school “there’s head-lice in the classroom…check your kids!” No need to fear, and while I hope you don’t need to refer to this any time soon, here are some strategies to get rid of them without the toxic insecticides 👏
ingredients to avoid
Pesticides
Permethrin (Synthetic Pyrethroids): Some lice have developed resistance to it, and it can also cause skin irritation and allergic reactions.
Malathion: chemical insecticide that can cause scalp burns, irritation, and has an unpleasant smell. It’s also flammable.
Alcohol-Based Solutions
Isopropyl Alcohol: can severely dry out the scalp, cause irritation, and lead to other skin issues.
Benzyl Alcohol: While safer than other pesticides, it can still cause irritation, especially for those with sensitive skin or pre-existing skin conditions.
Harsh Sulfates
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES): sulfates can strip the scalp of natural oils and cause irritation
Fragrances and Dyes
Synthetic Fragrances: Used to mask unpleasant chemical smells. These can cause allergic reactions or skin sensitivities and endocrine disfunction
Dyes: Artificial colors in treatments can cause irritation or allergic reactions, especially on sensitive scalps.
Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives
Quaternium-15, Imidazolidinyl Urea: These preservatives can release small amounts of formaldehyde, which can cause skin irritation and is carconogenic.
Petroleum-Based Ingredients
Mineral Oil and Petrolatum: used to suffocate lice, but can be contaminated with 1,4 dioxide, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals.
what works?
Tea Tree Oil: has insecticidal properties and can help kill lice and their eggs. One study (PMC22847279) found that it can kill lice in the nymph and adult stages of life. Tea tree oil treatments also reduced the number of lice eggs that hatched.
Eucalyptus oil is one of the most effective essential oils for treating head lice. Eucalyptus oil is believed to be an ideal treatment because it kills lice as well as their eggs. One study determined that eucalyptus oil kills 100% of lice and their eggs in just one hour. In addition, it was found that only 3% of children treated with eucalyptus oil needed retreatment.
Peppermint oil: This oil has been found to be one of the most effective against head lice by eliminating their sense of smell. It also soothes inflammation and helps prevent secondary skin infections.
Neem Oil: known for its anti-parasitic properties, making it effective against lice, it contains hormone mimics that interfere with the life cycle of parasites. Secondly, Neem inhibits the parasites ability to feed. Finally, Neem prevents louse eggs from hatching and has the added benefit of making the hair strong, silky and shiny.
Coconut Oil and Olive oil: can suffocate lice and make it harder for them to move around and making them easier to comb out.
combing is key!
You MUST comb daily! for up to 2 weeks! This is the key to removing the nits and eggs mechanically. ONLY use a metal tooth comb, the plastic ones don’t work as well.
The Kutu Komb (or lice breaker) is the bestselling lice and egg removal comb. It has micro-grooved teeth to allows for better removal of even the tiniest nit.
Proven 300% more effective than other nit combs (the plastic ones are useless!)
Long, metal teeth with microscopic edges in a tight spiral form
Stainless steel design with anti-slip bands
No need for nasty chemicals
Rounded edges protect the scalp
Easy to clean
my protocol
Treat hair with olive oil, tea tree, eucalyptus and peppermint mix or one of the natural OTC alternatives (from best list next) to kill lice and eggs.
Wash out treatment and condition well.
Part wet hair into sections and comb next to the scalp and gently to the ends of the hair. Be careful to pass through the same section several times and clean the comb after each pass. Repeat until the entire head is complete.
Check hair carefully and make sure you have not missed any lice or nits.
Continue to inspect hair daily for at least two weeks.
Clean comb with warm, soapy water after each session.
better and best options
don’t forget to treat your environment not just the head!
Machine wash all bedding, clothing, and towels that the child has used in the 48 hours prior to treatment. Use a hot water cycle (> 130°F/54°C) to kill the lice and their eggs.
Items that can’t be washed, such as stuffed animals, pillows, or delicate clothing, can be placed in a sealed plastic bag for 2 weeks. Lice and nits cannot survive without a human host for longer than this period.
DIY Lice Treatment and Prevention Recipes for Children
head lice treatment
To 50ml of olive oil (or fractionated coconut oil) add:
10 drops doTERRA Eucalyptus oil
10 drops doTERRA Tea Tree oil
15 drops doTERRA Lavender oil
10 drops doTERRA Rosemary or Peppermint essential oil
Treat scalp and hair (double mixture if long hair) and leave mix in for 1 hour then rinse and comb.
head lice prevention spray
great for spraying on school hats and on girls’ scrunchies, hair ties, etc
In a 250ml spray bottle fill with boiled and cooled water:
add 10 drops doTERRA tea tree oil
5 drops doTERRA lavender oil
5 drops doTERRA rosemary oil
5 drops doTERRA eucalyptus oil
Shake and spray!
