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Natural and herbal remedies for the treatment of head lice.

Head Lice

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What are Head Lice?
What Causes Head Lice?
Diagnosing Head Lice
Help for Head Lice
More Information on Head Lice

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What are Head Lice?

Head lice (also called pediculosis) are described as small, parasitic, wingless insects that inhabit your hair and scalp. Very often head lice are clearly visible near the ears, neckline and shoulders. These parasites bite the scalp and then feed on small amounts of blood on your head that causes persistent scratching and itching. They produce small eggs called nits which are as tiny as dandruff flakes. Nits produce rapidly once they hatch into even more lice.

What Causes Head Lice?

Head lice are very contagious, and sharing personal belongings such as combs, brushes, towels, pillows or hats with others who have head lice puts you at risk. Head-to-head contact with someone who is infested with lice also makes you more susceptible to it.

Many people believe that if you have head lice you are dirty or unhygienic but this is simply not true! It can happen to anyone no matter how impeccable their personal hygiene is. Head lice typically affect children aged between 3 to 12 years of age and their families. If not treated immediately, head lice can cause skin irritation and infection.

Diagnosing Head Lice

The most common symptoms and signs of head lice include:

Frequent itching and scratching of the hair
Sores or small, red bumps on the scalp, neck and shoulders
Nits (lice eggs) that appear as tiny, white, clear or oval-shaped dots (that sit at an angle) on the hair shaft

Help for Head Lice

The treatment of head lice involves a wide variety of over-the-counter or prescription products such as shampoos and lotions. These products are quite harsh as they contain pesticides and toxic chemicals. If you or your child suffers from asthma or allergies, or if you are pregnant or nursing, consult your doctor before using these products.

Remember to also protect the eye area when using these products. A special comb is also used to comb through the hair one section at a time to remove the remaining lice or nits – this should be done every 3 days for about 2 weeks. If someone in your family has a lice or nit infestation, it is best to treat the whole family.

Natural remedies

A more natural and safe option for eliminating and preventing lice is the use of herbal and aromatherapy ingredients. There are many plants in nature that manage to ward off insects and parasites naturally! Herbal ingredients such as Azadirachta indica (Neem), Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) and Lavender act as natural insect repellents, and also have excellent antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

Aromatherapeutic ingredients such as Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree Oil) and Pelargonium Graveolens (Rose Geranium) have proven properties to ward off parasites and help the body to resist secondary infection.

More Information on Head Lice

There are a number of ways to prevent re-infestation of
head lice and these include:

Wash bed linen, towels and clothing in hot water used by the person with head lice
Vacuum your child’s car seat, carpets, couches and stuffed toys
Avoid head-head contact with other children
Avoid sharing person items such as brushes, combs, toothbrushes, towels, hats, barrettes, hair ties, caps, and scarves
Encourage your child not to lie on bed linen and pillows that have been used by others with lice
Soak hair items such as brushes, combs, hair bands, bandanas in hot water or rubbing oil