Bug Busting Day 2018 - Treat Head Lice Naturally

Whilst the kids are back at school and out of your hair (for some of the day at least!) what gets in their hair can be a concern to parents. We're talking head lice, and nits. It's National Bug Busting Day and we wanted to give you the lowdown on these critters, plus offer you a natural solution to dealing with the problem.

What are Head Lice?

Head lice are small, 2-3mm in length, wingless parasites that live on the scalp and hair shafts, and feed on human blood. Head lice attach their eggs, or nits, to the bottom of the hair shaft, and these take around eight days to hatch. The nits that are most likely to hatch are the ones 1/4 of an inch from the scalp. The eggs that are more than a quarter of an inch from the scalp are likely to have already hatched, are dead or are empty casings. 

Children are most likely to pick up head lice at school from their classmates, and unfortunately can bring them home and pass on to the family. The good news is that head lice don't fly, or hop, they can only get around by crawling. Head lice are most obvious at the nape of the neck and over the ears.

To get rid of lice, you need to kill the head lice and the nits, otherwise the problem will not go away.

What are the Symptoms of Head Lice?

The most common signs that someone is suffering from head life are intense itching of the scalp and red bumps around the scalp, neck and shoulders. A closer inspection and you will be able to see head lice and eggs, or nits. If your child is having difficulty sleeping or becomes unsettled at night, it is worth giving their head a once over, as head lice are at their most active in the dark.

Over the Counter Treatment for Headlice 

You can pick up several different treatments for head lice over the counter at the pharmacy or in your local supermarket, however many of them are full of ingredients that, as fans of JASON, you would probably prefer to avoid. The active ingredients may also cause side effects:

Piperonyl butoxide - a pesticide that can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions with swelling of face, lips, tongue or throat.

Pyrethrum extract - whilst their toxicity is relatively low, the group of chemicals known as pyrethrins are known allergens and like piperonyl butoxide may cause skin or respiratory reactions. 

Nerolidol - like the aforementioned chemicals, this may cause skin and respiratory allergic reactions, and is an irritant to the eyes.

Natural Remedies for Head Lice

Thankfully, there are some very easy ways to treat head lice naturally, which we will now share with you!

Tea Tree Oil for Treating Head Lice

Tea tree is a natural insecticide, which makes it perfect for treating head lice. However, as many people cannot stand the smell of the potent oil, we have also included a second method with just coconut oil (see below!)

To use tea tree oil to treat headlice, simply mix one teaspoon of the oil with 30ml of a natural shampoo and three tablespoons of coconut oil. Apply this mixture to the hair and scalp before covering with a shower cap or towel for half an hour. Rinse thoroughly with hot water and then shampoo normally.Finally, comb through the hair thoroughly in small sections to check all head lice and nits are removed.

Coconut Oil for Head Lice

Cover dry hair and scalp with lots of coconut oil - you want to smother the whole area so it is saturated. Cover the head being treated with a shower cap and keep on for 12-24 hours. Wrap the head with the shower cap still on with a warm towel out of the airing cupboard for half an hour, then apply a gentle shampoo thoroughly. Do not rinse, but put the shower cap and towel on the head for half an hour to break down the coconut oil thus making it easier to rinse out when the 30 minutes is up. Comb through thoroughly, checking hair in sections with a nit comb, rinsing the comb regularly with hot water. Shampoo hair once more before bed, ensuring sheets and bed clothes are changed, and wear a shower cap overnight to ensure the head lice don't return.

References

https://www.davidwolfe.com/kill-head-lice-8-natural-remedies/

https://draxe.com/how-to-get-rid-of-lice/

https://www.top10homeremedies.com/home-remedies/home-remedies-for-head-lice.html

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