Natural Cures for Body Lice

Body lice are parasites that primarily live on the clothing and bedding of an infected person. They will crawl onto the body to feed on blood. The adults lay tiny eggs, called nits, in the seams of clothing and bedding. These tiny bugs cause severe itching and discomfort. Body lice infections are usually a result of unclean living conditions or coming into contact with an infected person. Humans cannot get body lice from pets.

Washable Items

• The majority of body lice are found on bed linens and clothing during an infection. These items should be machine washed with hot water that is at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Machine dry the items using high heat for at least 20 minutes. Iron each item, paying extra attention to the seams and folds of the fabric. Items should then be placed in airtight bags for two to four weeks.

Nonwashable Items

• Bedding and clothing that cannot be machine washed should be dry cleaned. Or store these items in airtight containers for two to four weeks. Stuffed animals and other soft things should also be placed in bags to kill any lice or nits. All upholstered furniture, carpets and rugs should be vacuumed to kill and remove lice hiding between the fibers.

Personal Hygiene

• Take a hot shower or bath and be sure to use plenty of body wash. Showering regularly will treat and prevent body lice. These parasites thrive in unhygienic conditions.

  Oils work by making it difficult for the lice to breathe. While oils will kill mature lice, nits can still hatch. To kill lice, these oils are applied to the entire body and left on for an hour. Multiple treatments may be necessary if signs of body lice remain. Hyssop is a type of herb that originates in the Central Asia area. To treat body lice, equal amounts of hyssop oil and another oil, such as olive oil, are combined. Or, 2 to 3 tsp. of dried hyssop can be brewed into a tea that is applied to the skin. Dried hyssop leaves can also be directly added to bathwater. Tea tree oil is extracted from Australian tea tree leaves. It must be diluted with another oil, such as oil olive. The final mixture should contain no more than 10 percent tea tree oil. Coconut oil can naturally kill body lice. It can be used by itself or combined with camphor powder or margosa leaves. Peppermint oil kills lice and soothes itching. Peppermint oil can be applied directly to the skin or poured into a hot bath. Other natural oils that can treat body lice infestations include aniseed oil, neem oil and olive oil.