Heading Off Head Lice
Unlike over the counter and prescription preparations, this remedy is far less expensive and it is natural and safer for your family. Considering the fact that many lice treatments contain insecticides that attack the nervous systems of lice, it stands to reason that repeated exposure to such products may have adverse effects on the human nervous system.
Despite the possible danger, many parents continue to use these products even though few work as promised, but some parents refuse to use these preparations on their children. Why would they use an insecticide when a natural product works better and costs less? Why would you?
Having a child come home with head lice is mortifying. The stress of trying every available product, completing each step, and following the directions exactly only to find more lice, will try anyone’s patience. Spending a small fortune, not to mention a lot of time and effort trying to eliminate the problem only to find your children re-infested as soon as they return from school can push anyone over the edge.
Try this remedy and see if it puts an end to your misery. What have you got to lose?
If your child is currently infested with lice you will need to make a solution of equal parts olive oil and white vinegar (about half a cup each) and stir in two teaspoons of “tea tree oil.” You can find tea tree oil in health food stores, drug stores, or your local super center amongst other natural remedies, for about $6.00 a bottle.
Have your child stand on an old towel or newspapers to avoid getting this oily mixture on your floor. Completely saturate your child’s hair and scalp then cover snugly with a disposable shower cap. Your child will smell like a combination of salad dressing and a menthol cough drop, but it is well worth it.
Leave this preparation on for at least two hours. Use a clarifying shampoo or dishwashing liquid to wash your child’s hair when the time has expired. It will usually require two or three good washes to remove all of the oil, but you will be pleasantly surprised to see the nits loosening and falling away from the hair.
It is still a good idea to go through the hair with a nit comb, to make sure all the loosened eggs and dead bugs are removed. Thoroughly rinse hair with warm water after combing, and check hair once more when dry.
To prevent future infestations, purchase a regular size bottle of shampoo, add two teaspoons of tea tree oil, and shake well. Be sure to choose a shampoo that does not have an added conditioner. If you use this mixture each time you shampoo your child’s hair, you should never have to deal with head lice again. Use a clarifying shampoo at least once a week to remove excess residue from the tea tree oil.
*Check with your doctor or pharmacist before using if you are concerned about possible allergic reactions.
