Be GONE With These Essential Oils for Lice

We all know the TV shows where students are sent home with a note to their parents after discovering they have lice.

But did you know it’s not only on TV?

Head lice are unwelcome, wingless flat insects that tend to lay egg and feed on human scalp blood and that infect hair.

These creatures are  2-4mm long and their eggs nits can hatch every week. Children are more prone to a lice infestation and should beware that lice can quickly and easily spreads from one child to another.

Head lice are attracted to human’s distinctive smell and spread to parents from the children. This is why it’s important to work at not only treating head lice infestations but on preventing them too.

The best option, using essential oils.

Essential oils come with a strong aroma that works as a repellant that prevents lice infestations. Its strong fragrance hides the natural human body odor and thus works at keeping lice away. And as lice tend to show some resistance to insecticide treatments, essential oils provide a more effective means of getting rid of the problem once and for all.

Essential oils for lice prevention

1. Lavender oil

Lavendar oil is known as a natural insect repellent, mainly due to its strong, floral scent.

Other essential oils like rosemary, cinnamon, peppermint, thyme and geranium oils are also useful and effective at preventing head lice infestations.

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2. Eucalyptus essential oil 

The eucalyptol in the oil makes it an ideal insect repellent for not only head lice, but many insects.

Beware: It is not recommended to use on children who are less than 5 years of age.

Get the best price on eucalyptus oil here!

3. Tea tree oil

This oil is known for its antiseptic properties, which along with its strong odor make it strong head lice repellent.

Blend: Just pour three to five drops of tea tree oil onto a comb, and run it through your hair to get rid of lice. You can also apply a few drops of the oil in the neck region or ears.

However as the oil has side-effects, its concentrated form is best avoided when used on infants, small children or pregnant women. It is also better to not use the oils every day. As the oil may irritate some people, it’s better to mix it with a carrier oil before using.

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How to safely use essential oils for head lice

1. As most essential oils are powerful, it is recommended not to apply them directly to the skin. They are to be used only after mixing with a carrier oil.
2. Always read each oil’s instructions and use accordingly.
3. Essential oils are known as ‘natural’ products that are not FDA regulated in the USA. This is why you will not find any official guidelines for using the oils in the prevention of head lice, even though they’re very effective.
4. Take extra caution when using certain oils on children. They often have more sensitive skin that could become agitated by certain oils. Here you’ll find a list of the best oils for children.

Other preventive and treatment options

Wet combing is an effective means of removing eggs, and lice from hair. However, it’s not only time consuming but has to be repeated every day to completely clear an infestation. The child needs to be ready to sit still for half to an hour while you run a comb repeatedly through the hair.

If you’re child likes to move around, or you simply don’t have the time to do this everyday, essential oils may be a better option for dealing with head lice, or using in combination.

Shampoo recipe: Mix a drop each of tea tree, chamomile and eucalyptus oils to a golf ball sized mass and use as a normal shampoo.

The best way to prevent recurring head lice infestations is by checking your family’s heads regularly and treating them at the first sign of any infection. It is also worth adding a drop of tea tree oil to your usual shampoo every week as a preventive measure once the head lice infestations are dealt with.

This will not only keep the bugs away, but add shine and lustre to your locks.