photo credit: goldberg

Back to school… Having lice in your hair is not fun.  The Centers for Disease Control estimate that six to 12 million children, ages three to 12, get lice each year. Some experts believe that these statistics are inflated. Some lice diagnoses is wrong, as dandruff or food crumbs can be confused for head lice.

Schools encounter kids with this problem all the time because lice can easily spread in schools. To remove the lice, most people essentially use toxic pesticides in their kid’s hair which include Permethrin, Pyrethrum, and Lindane.  Hair lice has slowly become resistant to these chemicals. Experts recommend parents to frequently check their children’s scalps and comb their hair weekly.

Head lice grow in clean scalps, not dirty ones. They spread only by direct head-to-head contact. Head lice cause itchy scalps, but don’t otherwise harm children.

We found a non toxic product called Licefreee! that uses the naturally occurring mineral Sodium Chloride USP to kill lice.

Some research done in Israel has shown that hair immersed in essential oils such as citronella, rosemary, and eucalyptus repels head lice. Several commercial products have been produced to incorporate these ingredients. Rosemary Tea Tree Lice Repel Shampoo utilizes rosemary and no sulfates to achieve their head lice cleaning formula.

You can whip up your own Pediatrician’s home remedy using 2 ounces of vegetable oil with 20 drops of 100 percent tea tree oil and 10 drops of essential oils of rosemary, lavender and lemon. (Apply to the inner arm for about an hour to test for hypersensitivity first.) Rub oils into scalp and hair and leave for one hour covering with a towel. Comb out nits with a nit comb and use a hand-held blow-dryer for 10 to 15 minutes, before washing out oils. Repeat in seven to 10 days.

Other suggestions include:

1. Cover hair with a shower cap and heat with a hair dryer.
2. Soak head in salt water for a few minutes or swim in the ocean
3. Apply olive oil in your hair for about 30 minutes