Olive Oil Treatments for Head Lice
For those of you who have experienced a head-louse infestation, you know how frustrating and even embarrassing it can be. One thing a lot of people do is try those chemical shampoos and sprays. While they may work for some, lice have a very interesting immunity built up to most of those products. In this case, a more natural treatment might just be the answer. Olive oil is a great and natural thing that can be utilized for many different conditions, including head lice. Here are some tips on how to use olive oil to treat your head lice.
Olive Oil and Anise Oil -
By using a ½ cup of olive oil and about four or five drops of pure anise essential oil, you can create quite an effective treatment for head lice. Olive oil is said to smother these little bugs, as well as making it very difficult for them to grip the hair strands and lay eggs. It also helps you to remove the nits or eggs of the head lice. Anise is a great natural insecticide that will help to get rid of head lice. Simply rub this all over the hair and scalp, remembering to cover each section of hair and the ends. Leave this on for 30 minutes, and then wash the hair with a regular shampoo. It may take a few different shampoos to get the oil residue out of the hair.
Olive Oil Overnight -
Another treatment with olive oil involves covering each section of the hair in olive oil and placing a shower cap over it. Simply go to sleep with the olive oil still on your head and wash it out in the morning. Of course, other things need to be treated as well, such as the bedding, hats, stuffed animals, or other things that come into contact with the head. This treatment is based on the theory that olive oil smothers the lice and in turn, they come away from the hair shaft. This is true for the eggs as well. You can use a very fine-tooth comb to go through each area of the hair to remove any dead lice and their eggs or nits. Many schools will not allow children to come back until each and every nit is gone from their hair.
Olive Oil and Conditioner Combing -
Because olive oil helps remove the lice and nits from the hair shaft, using it to help comb through your child’s hair is a good idea. Simply slather his or her head with the olive oil. Then, after you have covered every part possible, take a generous amount of conditioner and place that on the hair in addition to the olive oil. Wait one to three hours, and use a very fine-tooth comb to go through each section of the hair. This should help you to comb out any head lice that are on your or your child’s head. After that, rinse and wash the hair a couple of times to remove the oil.
Using olive oil treatments can save money and help you control the situation. It also helps you keep from having to put chemicals and potentially hazardous poison on your head or your child’s head. Use the tips above to get rid of lice effectively and safely.