Permethrin (Nix). Permethrin is a synthetic version of pyrethrin, which is a chemical compound extracted from the chrysanthemum flower. Permethrin is toxic to lice. Before using permethrin, wash your child's hair with shampoo but not conditioner.
Permethrin lotion 1% is approved by the FDA for the treatment of head lice. Permethrin is safe and effective when used as directed. Permethrin kills live lice but not unhatched eggs.
Petroleum jelly (Vaseline).
For best results, coat the hair and scalp, cover it overnight with a shower cap, and wash out the next morning. Comb for nits. Repeat the treatment one week later.
What repels head lice? 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. At 1% concentration, tea tree oil killed 100% of head lice after 30 minutes.
Washing, soaking, or drying items at a temperature greater than 130°F can kill both head lice and nits.
Body lice, close relatives of head lice, die when exposed for 5 min to a blow dryer delivering air at 50°C. Researchers in Salt Lake City, USA (Brad M Goates and colleagues. Pediatrics 2006;118:1962–70) have assessed six different methods of killing head lice using hot air.
Can head lice live on pillows or sheets? Head lice cannot live for long on pillows or sheets. It is possible for a live louse that has come off a person's head to crawl onto another human host who also puts their head on the same pillows or sheets.
So, what can you spray on your furniture to kill lice? Sterifab is one of the only effective lice-killing products that is odor-free, non-residual and approved for use on fabrics. And it kills both lice and their eggs!
Can vinegar kill lice eggs? Vinegar is one of the classic home remedies for lice. However, if you are trying to find out how to get rid of nits using vinegar, you should know that using vinegar to kill nits or lice eggs is totally ineffective. Vinegar has no negative effect on the lice eggs.
Does vinegar kill lice? Vinegar receives an “honorable mention,” because it has been touted as an aid in the removal of nits, but it doesn't kill adult lice. The acidic makeup of vinegar breaks down the glue-like substance that adheres the nits to the hair shaft.
Lice are spread by head-to-head contact, primarily among children. This happens through hugs, sharing hats, combs, brushes, hair accessories, and, increasingly, through selfies and headphones. Kids push their heads together to fit in a phone's viewing field and create a situation ripe for head lice to spread.
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.
From the #1 pediatrician-recommended lice removal brand*, Nix Lice & Bed Bug Killing Spray for Home will kill lice and bed bugs and is effective for up to 4 weeks. It's easy to use – simply spray on affected areas such as bedding and furniture.
Adult head lice can survive for 2 days and nits for around 1 week on a hairbrush. Soaking combs or hairbrushes in hot water of at least 130°F (54.4°C) for 5–10 minutes will kill any lice and nits.
Hairspray makes it harder for the louse to grab hold. The smell of hairspray and the use of solvents (sad but true) in them can also deter creepy crawlies from finding their way in. Not to mention that if you're tying longer hair back, you've got a double whammy.
Tea tree oil appears to be able to kill some live lice (at least when used in conjunction with lavender oil), however we know that over-the-counter lice treatments are far more effective at killing live lice and getting rid of the eggs once an infestation has occurred.
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.
A quick, effective head lice treatment, MOOV Head Lice Solution is clinically proven* to kill head lice. In just three simple applications, each seven days apart, MOOV Head Lice Solution kills both the head lice and their eggs, breaking the life cycle.
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.
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.