Head Lice Natural Cures: How Do I Get Rid of Head Lice?

Head liceare among the most troublesome, widespread parasites among humans, especially in children. Most of us have suffered from a head lice infestation at least once during our childhood, so we know that getting rid of these tiny creatures can be quite a daunting task. Unfortunately, in spite of the advances made against most other parasites, head lice remain extremely difficult to get rid of.

It is usually advisable to use an over the counter treatment for head lice, as these tend to be the most effective. This should be combined with use of a nit comb to get rid of any nits (eggs, although the word is often mistakenly used to refer to the lice themselves) or lice that remain in the hair. The treatment usually does not affect the eggs, and if they are not removed, they will hatch and the whole cycle will be repeated. It is also usually advisable to wash your clothes in hot water to destroy any lice or nits that may be in them. Lice are unable to survive away from the human body, so it is not necessary to treat the rest of the home environment, except perhaps the pillow cases. Over the counter treatments for lice are usually shampoos or rinses, and should ideally be used everyday for at least a week. Be sure to leave the shampoo on your head for a few minutes so that it takes effect on the lice. After you have rinsed your hair, spend at least five minutes combing it with the nit comb. Be gentle when combing your hair, because wet hair is very delicate and liable to break.

If the person affected is a very young child, a pregnant woman, or if you simply do not want to use any chemicals on your head, you can try some home remedies for head lice instead. However, remember that these do not always work. One option is suffocating the head lice by using some thick substance such as mayonnaise or petroleum jelly. As you can imagine, this is extremely messy. In order to avoid messing up your entire house, you can apply the mayonnaise or petroleum jelly at night, and go to bed wearing a shower cap. Another alternative is to pick out the lice manually using a nit comb and a pair of tweezers. This is of course a very slow and tiring process, and must be done by someone else.