Herbs That Kills Lice

Lice are parasites that live in various parts of your body that are covered in hair. The most common types are head lice, pubic lice--also known as crabs--and body lice. They are grayish brown and can live in your scalp for up to 30 days. They live by feeding on your blood and can usually be found near the ears or base of your hair line near your neck. Not only do you have to worry about the parasite itself but also the eggs that they lay. One louse parasite can lay up to six eggs in a single day. Fortunately, you can easily get rid of lice with over-the-counter medication found at most drug stores. However, if you do not want to use chemicals, there are many natural herb alternatives recommended for getting rid of these pests.

Neem Seed Oil

• At the University of Cairo, Professor Abdel-Gaffar concluded from his study that there is a dramatic reduction and elimination of lice when neem seed oil was used. Neem seed oil is found in the neem tree nut, a tree that is commonly found in India. The oil has anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic properties that, when applied to the scalp, kills the lice is all stages such as the egg state, larva and full grown stages. Neem seed has a very strong odor and needs to be diluted. To do this, mix 1 tbsp. of neem seed oil with 1 1/2 tbsp. of olive oil. Allow it to sit on your scalp for an hour and then rinse off using shampoo. Using a lice comb, remove the dead lice and remaining eggs from the scalp. You can find Neem Seed Oil at natural food stores and vitamin stores.

Rosemary

• Rosemary has many beneficial properties and one of them is that it can act as an anti-parasitic treatment. Bernice Krafchik, a pediatric dermatologist at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, states that anything that drowns and suffocates the parasite can work. While mayonnaise mixtures have never been clinically tested, doctors say it is a viable alternative to using store-bought chemical products. Add about 3 tbsp.s of ground rosemary to 1 cup of mayonnaise. Apply enough of the mixture to thickly coat the scalp. Wrap a shower cap or plastic bag around your scalp and hair and wait an hour. Then rinse with shampoo. Use a lice comb to remove the eggs and dead lice. Another similar natural remedy to use with rosemary is olive oil.

Peppermint

• Pour 3 tsp. of lemon juice, 2 tsp. of ground peppermint and 1 tbsp. of melted butter in a container and mix together. You can increase the measurements proportionally to make enough to coat your scalp and hair. Apply this mixture to your hair and let it sit for 15 minutes. The lemon juice acts as a strong disinfectant and astringent, along with the peppermint, which will kill the lice. The butter coats the scalp to help kill the lice by suffocating them. The butter also helps loosen the grip that your hair follicle can have on the lice, to make it easier to pick them out with a lice comb.