Head Lice

Head lice are minute parasitic insects that live amongst human hair, living on blood that they suck up through the scalp.

Head lice are considered extremely distasteful and they are a common problem in young children from 3 to 12 years of age. This is due to children being in constant close contact with each other while at school, and not being old enough yet to be properly concerned about their own hygiene.

While head lice are not dangerous themselves and they don’t spread diseases, they can be annoying, causing the scalp to become itchy and inflamed. Constant scratching due to head lice can break the skin, causing infections.

The most common symptom of head lice is the constant itching that accompanies them. Lice eggs, also known as nits, and the adult lice are also visible to the naked eye.

Nits are usually visible as minuscule yellow or brown spots near the base of hair strands, while adult lice are usually grayish in color and no larger than a sesame seed.

Head lice are very contagious, and they have special claws that allow them to grip very tightly to hair, making them very hard to remove.

Simple head-to-head contact or even sharing brushes, combs, and clothing can result in the transmission of head lice.

Natural Cures for Head Lice:

Lice Removal Products:

There are many lice removal hair care products that you can easily find at your local drugstore or pharmacy.

These usually come in the form of shampoos that contain active ingredients such as pyrethrins that have been clinically proven to kill head lice.

Simply use these lice removal shampoos in the place of your normal shampoo, and continue to do so for several days, until there is no evidence of any lice or nits left in the hair.

Coconut Oil Products:

There have been several studies conducted that show head lice dislike some of the compounds found in coconut oil.

There are a number of herbal coconut oil products to be found in stores, such as shampoo containing coconut oil as well as coconut oil hair conditioner.

Simply use coconut oil hair products in addition to your regular hair care products.

The Manual Method:

The tried and tested method of removing head lice is to use a comb and a pair of tweezers and go through your child’s hair manually.

While this is an extremely time-consuming process, it guarantees success.

By removing all of the adult lice and their eggs, you effectively eliminate the head lice infestation.