How to Eliminate Head Lice With Herbs

Having head lice is a problem for both the victim and their family, but help is in sight with some simple herbal tricks. Lice are especially prevalent in children, who have many close encounters with other children. This small insect likes to live in dirty places and when it can, it finds a nice head of hair where it can live, happily biting the scalp and sucking small amounts of blood for nourishment. When many lice are present, their numerous bites can cause itching and when the afflicted person scratches those bites too much, infection can result. The trick is to treat an occurrence of head lice as soon as possible to prevent further problems from happening. If you or your child develops a case of head lice, don’t despair—it doesn’t mean that you are a poor housekeeper or parent. This insect is opportunistic and can affect people in all walks of life.

Things You'll Need

• Rosemary tea
• Tea tree oil
• Rosemary oil
• Almond or apricot oil
• Hot water and soap

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Instructions

• 1

  To identify the presence of lice, check your scalp, or that of your child, for their eggs. Eggs are very small and can be various shades ranging from yellow to brown in color. You might think they are dandruff, but they don’t flake off as dandruff does.

• 2

  Wash your hair with a strong tea made from rosemary leaves. To make rosemary tea, simply simmer about ¼ cup of dried or fresh rosemary leaves in four cups of water for 20 minutes.

• 3

  For added effectiveness, combine about 20 drops of tea tree essential oil or rosemary oil with ¼ cup of vegetable oil such as almond or apricot. Apply this mixture to the scalp of the affected person and massage it in. Leave this on the head for one hour, and then shampoo thoroughly. The herbal oil and vegetable oil tend to smother the lice.

• 4

  If you purchase a very fine-toothed comb, you can successfully remove many of the eggs. Destroy them in a jar filled with bleach or isopropyl alcohol. Continue doing this for about two weeks after every shampoo.

• 5

  Wash all of the affected person’s clothes and bed linens in very hot soapy water as soon as you discover lice. Even stuffed animals can harbor lice, so get them dry cleaned or replace them with new ones.

• 6

  Carpets in your home and even your vehicle can house lice, so vacuum thoroughly after you discover an infestation on any member of your family.

• 7

  Do not allow children to share combs or brushes, even barrettes or other items that contact the scalp, such as towels, with other children.