Eucalyptus oil is believed to be an ideal treatment because it kills lice as well as their eggs. One study determined that eucalyptus oil kills 100% of lice and their eggs in just one hour. In addition, it was found that only 3% of children treated with eucalyptus oil needed retreatment.
Eucalyptus Oil
Generally used as a repellent against parasites and insects, eucalyptus oil is among the most effective essential oils for lice. Apply eucalyptus oil to the hair shafts and then comb your hair gently. You can also mix this essential oil in your shampoo to make it more effective.
Coconut, tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon grass, and peppermint are scents popularly believed to repel lice. Using any coconut scented shampoo and conditioner is an easy way to increase your defense.
What is Eucalyptus Oil. You may be surprised how beneficial eucalyptus oil can be for your hair. From relieving a dry and itchy scalp due to conditions like dandruff or dermatitis and even preventing head lice—this oil may be a great all-natural product to add to your beauty routine.
Of the tested remedies, the team found that pure coconut oil was the only effective treatment. Within 4 hours of applying the oil, an average of 80% of the head lice were dead. The two most effective medicated shampoos killed 97.9% and 90.2% of lice in the same period.
Spinosad topical suspension, 0.9%, was approved by the FDA in 2011. Since it kills live lice as well as unhatched eggs, retreatment is usually not needed. Nit combing is not required. Spinosad topical suspension is approved for the treatment of children 6 months of age and older.
Washing, soaking, or drying items at a temperature greater than 130°F can kill both head lice and nits. Dry cleaning also kills head lice and nits.
People with asthma, seizures, liver disease, kidney disease, or low blood pressure should not use eucalyptus without first talking to their doctors. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not use eucalyptus. Eucalyptus oil is toxic when taken by mouth.
Eucalyptus oil contains tannins, which are compounds that boast astringent properties. While it shouldn't be applied to the skin on its own, in cosmetics, it can help clean the skin and hair and reduce excess oiliness.
Add two-three drops of eucalyptus oil and mix them properly. Apply the mixture to the scalp and gently massage it to the hair roots. Keep massaging the scalp for 5-10 minutes so that every strand absorbs the oil better. Use a comb for even distribution of oil into the scalp.
Prevention of Head Lice
Weekly head checks and the use of mint spray is your best defense. Mint Spray Recipe: Put 10 drops of mint essential oil into 16 ounces of tap or bottled water in a spray bottle. Spray on hair at least daily.
Suffocate the Lice
Soak your child's head in olive oil or coconut oil. Cover with a shower cap for at least 2 hours (or preferably overnight). When ready, remove the shower cap, and separate the hair into small sections, then use a metal nit comb to carefully remove the lice and eggs. Rinse the hair well with shampoo.
Vinegar contains properties that kill and get rid of nits and lice. This mixture should be applied directly to the whole scalp. Mix 1 cup of vinegar with 1 cup of warm water. Next, distribute this mixture onto the scalp and cover your hair with a hair cap.
Olive Oil smothers and kills active head lice, making nit removal easier and moisturizing the hair and scalp.
The conditioner does not kill lice but stuns them for about 20 minutes enabling easier removal. The long toothed metal comb will remove nits and the stunned head lice. Wipe the comb on a white tissue and check for any lice or nits. Keep combing until no more appear on the tissue.
Eucalyptus oil has antimicrobial properties that help treat dandruff, eliminate head lice, and improve overall hair shine and texture. However, using concentrated eucalyptus oil can result in side effects such as an allergic reaction, skin inflammation, and nausea.
Place your eucalyptus oil in a diffuser before bedtime to clear congestion, minimize snoring, and lessen your tossing and turning in the night. Up your game by adding some equally effective peppermint oil into the mix, too.
Side Effects of Eucalyptus Oil:
The most common eucalyptus oil side effects are: You may experience skin reactions like rashes, itching and eczema. The side effects of inhaling eucalyptus oil can be asthma attacks and fever. It is absorbed rapidly and may show neurotoxicity effects.
However, the oil present in eucalyptus goes even further than being a mosquito-repellent. Eucalyptus oil has been proven to repel roaches, ants, flies, spiders, lice, and more.
Inhaling eucalyptus oil can also be harmful as it may cause abdominal pain, nausea, dizziness, vomitting and diarrhea. These symptoms are altogether called eucalyptus oil poisoning as it can be fatal too.
Environmental groups are concerned about the negative effects of Eucalyptus trees on the environment. These difficulties include high transpiration rates, declining soil fertility, incompatibility with the preservation of biodiversity, and allopathic impacts of Eucalyptus spp.
But it also contains up to 250 other phytochemical compounds in varying concentrations, depending on the breed of eucalyptus tree. These aromatic compounds give eucalyptus a minty, camphorous scent that is sharp and highly pungent.
Because the active ingredients have remained the same all these years, new generations of head lice have become immune to them. Once lice become immune, the product no longer works. Scientists call this resistance.
Head lice sometimes go away on their own because there are not enough insects to maintain the infestation, or they may persist for an indefinite period without treatment. With proper treatment, the infestation usually goes away within about two weeks.
Spinosad (Natroba).
Spinosad is approved for adults and children age 6 months and older. It can be applied to dry hair and rinsed with warm water after 10 minutes. It kills lice and nits and usually doesn't need repeated treatment.