“Head lice” is a term that strikes fear into the hearts of parents of school-age children everywhere. “What do I do now?” is the first thought of him. Take heart. Although head and pubic lice are now resistant to the common chemicals that have been used to kill them in the past, there are new alternative treatments that will rid your child of this pesky pest.
The most common alternative treatment for head lice is to cover the child’s head with a thick oil or cream. Mayonnaise is a preferred option, although olive oil, conditioner, or vegetable oil will also work. The head should be covered with a shower cap and the oil left overnight. In the morning, the lice will have suffocated and can be removed with a lice comb.
The oil, tea tree oil, is a great treatment. This unique oil comes from a tree that grows in Australia. Few know all the wonderful benefits of the oil. Several companies make products that contain tea tree oil. We suggest a hair conditioner that includes a high component of this oil. Just like when you use mayonnaise, leave it on your hair overnight, then comb out the lice in the morning.
Another safe treatment method suggested for treating head lice in children is nutrition, using brewer’s yeast and garlic. This method provides a palatable option for improving the skin and scalp, making them inhospitable to lice. This change in diet should be used with physical combing of lice nits as well for complete treatment. The change may be only moderate with diet alone. Some research, in fact, is inconclusive on the effectiveness of the yeast and garlic method alone.
Last but not least, there is the traditional manual treatment. This method requires a lot of persistence and hard work, but the results are excellent and no chemicals are used. This method means committing to thoroughly combing lice and nits out of your child’s hair every day for long periods of time, possibly up to two weeks. It’s a labor-intensive process, but it’s a proven cure for even the most difficult cases. Before starting manual treatment, you may also consider cutting your child’s hair, as it will be easier to manage with shorter hair.
With time and patience, you can rid your home and your child of head lice with traditional, herbal, oil-based, or manual treatments.