Natural Treatment for Lice

Head lice or pediculosis are very tiny bugs found on the human scalp that feed on the blood therein. They can vary in color from light brown to black or gray. Head lice are extremely contagious, in the sense that they are easily transferred through contact with a person that has them, to one who does not. Simple things such as, sharing of combs, brushes, clothes, caps etc could help these little pests to migrate from one person to the other.

Mayonnaise is often used as a treatment for head lice. You will need to spread a liberal coating of mayonnaise all over the scalp and hair. Cover the entire scalp, including the areas behind the ears and the back of the neck. Let the application stay on the hair for about 3-4 hours. After a minimum of three hours, wash your hair off thoroughly as the mayonnaise being oily, may be a bit tough to get out. Mayonnaise is generally used as it acts as a smothering agent. Alternately, one could also use butter or petroleum jelly, which acts in the same manner. Olive oil works well on lice as well. This, too, is a smothering agent and is preferred to the other three oils. Take a teaspoon of ginger paste and add it to a glass of lemon juice. Mix well and apply it on the scalp. Let it stay on overnight and wash off the next morning.

Olive oil mixed with lavender, tea tree and rosemary oil is used to treat lice. Mix 15-20 drops of each oil type, now add twice the amount of vinegar (40 drops if you use 20 drops of each oil), and apply the mixture on to the scalp. Leave it overnight and wash your hair the next morning. Keep repeating this over the course of a week to get rid of lice totally. If you cannot get your hands on any of the other oils, a mixture of olive oil and vinegar should suffice as well. Do not limit the treatment to your hair; make sure that all bedding is soaked in hot water, washed and sun dried. Wash all combs and hairbrushes, as they are likely to be infested as well. Add a few drops of tea tree oil to your shampoo bottle and use this regularly to wash your hair. Although having head lice is not a serious health condition, they can cause a lot of discomfort due to the constant itching sensation.