Head lice are small, wingless insects that live only on the human head, attaching themselves and their eggs to the hair shaft. Contrary to popular belief, head lice do not cause any other disease and are not caused by lack of hygiene. Head lice are spread by close person-to-person contact. Anyone can get head lice--and anyone can get rid of head lice! While getting a letter from your school or daycare telling you that someone in your child's class has head lice may be every parent's nightmare, don't panic if this happens; most parents have experienced it. This "will" means that you have work to do over the next few days, but you can get rid of your child's head lice by using tea tree oil.
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Part 1 of 2: Recognizing and Removing Head Lice
Step 1. Recognize the symptoms of head lice
Many things can cause an itchy scalp, and it's easy to mistake a symptom, such as dandruff being mistaken for head lice. It's important to know what to check so you can get rid of head lice effectively:
- Use a fine-toothed comb to check for lice and nits on the hair and scalp. Adult head lice are about the size of a sesame seed (between 2-3 mm in length). Young head lice, or nits, are usually yellowish-white in color and attach to sections of hair near the scalp. They are slightly smaller than adult head lice.
- See if there are nits / young lice attached to the hair shaft. Lice eggs that attach to the hair shaft within 0.6 cm of the scalp have a high chance of developing (that is, hatching into adult lice). This is because head lice feed on the small amount of blood they draw from the human scalp. Head lice also thrive in the warm environment your head provides. Lice eggs found in the hair shaft far from the scalp are usually dead or have hatched.
- Use a magnifying glass to examine the hair and scalp. Dust particles and dandruff can often be mistaken for head lice, so use a magnifying glass to check for adult head lice as well as nits. If you don't see adult head lice and there are only nits on the part of the hair shaft away from the scalp, the infestation is probably over.
- Look behind the ears and at the hairline. Lice and nits are often easier to see in areas where the hair is thinner.
Step 2. Check each family member for lice too
Although head lice cannot fly or jump, head lice are highly contagious and can easily spread to the rest of the family. If one person in your family has head lice, check the hair and scalp of all other family members for signs of a head lice infestation.
Head lice are most easily spread by sharing combs, hats, or bedding with people who have head lice. If your children sleep in the same bed or room, or change clothes frequently, make sure you check everyone for lice, too
Step 3. Put on clean clothes
If a member of your family has head lice, ask him to take off his clothes and put on clean clothes. There may be nits on the clothes, especially on shirts, scarves, or hats.
Step 4. Wash household items used by people with head lice
Head lice are not unhygienic. However, head lice can stick to fabrics and household items and can spread from these items to other people, so it's important to clean and disinfect these items thoroughly.
- Wash and dry, using a washing machine, clothes, sheets, hats, towels, and other fabrics that have been in contact with a person with head lice. Use hot water and a high heat drying cycle. If there are items that cannot be machine washed, place them in a plastic bag, close tightly, and store for 2 weeks. Fleas will die from suffocation.
- Soak combs and brushes in very hot water (at least 54°C) for 5-10 minutes, or use a dishwasher on a hot cycle.
- Use a vacuum cleaner to clean floors and upholstered furniture. Head lice don't survive long without eating from humans, but using a vacuum cleaner will remove lice that have fallen from a person and prevent them from sticking to other people.
Step 5. Treat all family members at the same time
Anyone who has signs of head lice, or who shares a room with a person with head lice, should be treated immediately. Otherwise, the lice can stay in a person's hair and start the infestation again.
Part 2 of 2: Using Tea Tree Oil to Treat Head Lice Infestations
Step 1. Purchase pure tea tree oil
Tea tree oil has natural antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antiviral properties. Although the exact mechanism is still not understood, tea tree oil has been shown to be effective at killing nits and reducing the number of adult lice. This oil may also be flea repelling.
- The combination of tea tree oil and lavender oil has been shown to kill nits and adult lice. Look for pure lavender oil.
- Although many shampoos and conditioners have tea tree oil in them, they may not have a high enough concentration of tea tree oil to kill head lice. It takes a tea tree oil concentration of at least 2% to kill nits.
- Look for “steam-distilled” tea tree oil from the Melaleuca alternifolia tree.
Step 2. Purchase a flea comb
This type of comb has very tight teeth that help you examine the hair near the scalp.
If you don't have one, buy a magnifying glass too. This will help you examine your scalp after the treatment
Step 3. Make a tea tree oil solution with shampoo
Since pure tea tree oil can cause skin irritation, it's best to mix it with a mild shampoo before using it for head lice treatment.
- Use an eye dropper to put 2-4 drops of tea tree oil in a small bowl.
- Add 2-4 drops of lavender oil.
- Add 96-98 drops of mild shampoo (if you want to guess, add enough shampoo to form a small puddle about the size of a coin.)
- Add a few drops of olive oil or coconut oil, as they will help kill the lice.
- Stir the mixture until well blended.
Step 4. Use the shampoo mixture on your hair
Pay special attention to the scalp area, as that is where most of the nits and head lice will be. Cover your hair with a shower cap or swim cap. Leave it for 30 minutes.
If your child experiences itching or burning during treatment, these are likely signs of an allergic reaction. Immediately wash hair with warm water and rinse again with a very mild shampoo. Dry your hair with a towel and let your hair dry on its own. Wash again if your child still feels itchy or his scalp is still red
Step 5. Rub the shampoo until it foams, then rinse
Swipe until your hair is completely shampooed and use your fingers to make sure you remove as many lice as possible. Wash thoroughly with warm water.
Step 6. Apply conditioner to the hair
Because it's so thick, the conditioner can help kill fleas that tea tree oil doesn't kill. Conditioner also helps you to comb the lice comb through your hair. Do not wash the conditioner with water.
Step 7. Use a lice comb to comb the hair
Start at the scalp, because that's where the nits lay and hatch. If the person affected by head lice has long hair, divide it into sections and comb through sections.
Do this step slowly and carefully! If you don't catch even a few nits, they can hatch within a few days and have another infestation
Step 8. Repeat Steps 3-7 daily for 7 days
This seems overkill, but it is very effective. Since nits take about a week to hatch and grow into adult lice, doing this treatment for a full week helps ensure you kill any remaining lice.
Step 9. Use a shampoo containing tea tree oil regularly
Add a few drops of tea tree oil to your shampoo using the same ratio for treatment, or buy a shampoo that already contains tea tree oil. Using this shampoo once a week can help prevent re-infestation.
Tips
- If your child has head lice, make sure you tell your school or daycare so they can warn other parents. Head lice are very easy to spread among children, and extensive precautions can prevent head lice infestations from reappearing.
- Head lice can only live on the human head; Head lice are not spread by pets.
- As much as possible, prevent your children from making “head-to-head” contact (ban head-butting, sharing pillows, etc.). Encourage them not to exchange clothes, hats, berets, or other items with other people. This will help reduce the risk of your child contracting head lice from their friends.
Warning
- Tea tree oil has not been tested for safety by pregnant or lactating women and is not recommended for use by pregnant or lactating women.
- Tea tree oil can cause hormonal side effects in prepubescent males, including abnormal chest growth (gynecomastia). While there is no evidence of a direct relationship between tea tree oil and these conditions, it is not recommended that you use tea tree oil on teenage boys.
- Tea tree oil is toxic if ingested. Do not apply tea tree oil near the mouth, and do not swallow it.
- Some people may experience an allergic reaction to tea tree oil. If you experience redness, irritation, or itching, stop using the tea tree oil treatment.
