Preventing Head Lice

Now that kids are heading back to school, head lice is a major concern for parents and school officials. There are numerous articles with information on getting rid of head lice. How about preventing head lice before it infests your kid’s hair and disrupts your life? Preventing the spread of head lice is a wise alternative to the painstaking task of getting rid of head lice. Take the necessary steps in preventing head lice so you don’t have to search for ways to get rid of those nasty egg-laying creatures. An ounce of prevention is still always worth a pound of cure, and preventing lice before they invade your kid’s hair is invaluable.

Although the following methods of preventing head lice are effective, no method of prevention is guaranteed. Check your kid’s hair often for evidence of head lice.

Coconut Oil Shampoo & Conditioner

Coconut oil shampoo and conditioner is said to keep lice at bay, and coconut oil shampoo and conditioner smells terrific. Even when head lice aren’t a threat, have your kids wash their hair with coconut oil shampoo and follow up with coconut oil conditioner. It will make their hair shiny, manageable, and head lice won’t be attracted to their hair.

Olive Oil Shampoo & Conditioner

Washing the hair with olive oil shampoo and following up with olive oil conditioner is also said to be an effective way of preventing head lice. Many salons sell olive oil shampoo and conditioner, and besides preventing head lice, olive oil shampoo and conditioner, will leave the hair soft and shiny.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is touted as a great treatment for preventing head lice, especially in locations known for severe head lice infestations. Tea tree oil can be found at many health food stores as well as online. If you want to save money, shop online to find the lowest prices.

Add tea tree oil to your usual shampoo, and wash the hair every other day. Alternately you can mix tea tree oil with water in a spray bottle. Apply it to the hair on a regular basis in an effort to prevent head lice. You might also consider lightly spraying pillowcases as a preventative measure.

Hair Gel or Spray

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be dirty to end up with a stubborn case of head lice. The opposite is actually true. Head lice are actually more attracted to clean hair than to dirty hair. Lice prefer hair that is smooth and clean because the eggs they lay adhere better to clean hair shafts.

Spraying the hair with hair spray or applying hair gel on a daily basis is helpful in preventing head lice. There are varieties of hair spray and hair gel especially for kids, and with the popular hairstyles kids strive to achieve, using hair spray or hair gel shouldn’t be a problem.

Coal Tar Shampoo

Coal tar shampoo, used these days to treat serious cases of dandruff and other scalp conditions, is one of the oldest treatments for head lice. If you receive a notice from your kid’s school warning that a case of head lice has been detected, consider having your child wash their hair with coal tar shampoo. Follow product label instructions and seriously consider warnings and precautions. Preventing head lice before it strikes is much wiser than searching for treatments afterwards.