Herb Oil Natural Spray on to Prevent Lice

Head lice is a communicable condition most commonly shared among school-aged children, according to the Mayo Clinic. These wingless creatures, approximately the size of a strawberry seed, feed on the blood from your scalp and move from one habitat to another through personal contact such as sharing hats, scarves, headphones and even towels. Many over-the-counter treatments for head lice contain chemical pesticides such as pyrethrin and permethrin, which may have adverse side affects. Tea tree oil, however, can be used to battle those pests and is gentle to your scalp and skin.

Tea Tree Oil Spray to Prevent Lice

• If you have head lice, you may experience intense itching on your scalp as well as your neck and shoulders. Tea tree oil has a high solvent action that attacks lice and detaches them from your scalp. It also has antiseptic and antifungal properties. Along with treating lice, tea tree oil is also used for treating ringworm, nail fungus, athlete's foot, dandruff, acne and scabies, among others. Tea tree oil is soothing and disinfecting, and is gentle to the scalp and hair. It penetrates into the lower layers of your skin with its inflammatory, analgesic and wound-healing properties..

  To prevent lice using an herbal, natural method, try using a tea tree oil spray. In a plastic spray bottle, mix 8 oz. of water with approximately 12 drops of tea tree oil. You can find the oil in any health food store. For a pleasant smell, add a few drops of rosemary or lavender essential oils. You can also find these in a health food store. Misting this mixture into your hair while combing through will help keep lice away.

  Research shows tea tree oil attacks mature lice and dislodges them from the scalp, resulting in a high mortality rate after the first application (see Reference 2).