The Best Home Remedies for Lice

What is headlice?

Lice are very small wingless insects that live in the hair and feed on blood from the scalp. The spread of lice is a common problem among children as they are easily transmitted between them especially at school. Lice are an annoying problem, but they are not dangerous, do not transmit diseases, and do not indicate poor hygiene. They are just insects that feed on human blood, whether they are clean or not.

Signs of lice in children

• Presence of lice eggs: Known as nits, they appear as small yellow or beige dots on the hair roots. The nits look like dandruff, but they do not fall out like dandruff when the hair is moved or brushed. Nits are more common than lice after they hatch from the egg, which emerges after about two weeks.
• The appearance of lice: Lice resembles a sesame seed, and is white, beige, or black in color. It feeds on blood from the scalp, causing itching and discomfort.
• Itchy scalp: This is a late symptom. It is not necessary for the child to start scratching his head immediately after the presence of lice. This symptom may appear several weeks after the child’s hair is infected with lice.
• Red sores on the scalp: Severe itching may cause red sores to appear on the scalp of the affected child, which may turn into an annoying rash, and sometimes into a bacterial infection that requires treatment with antibiotics.

Lice treatment for children

1| Wet combing

Perhaps the oldest and most successful method for removing lice from hair, where wet hair is combed using a special comb with fine, close teeth so that it easily picks up lice and nits. Despite the effectiveness of this method, it requires a lot of time and effort, and your child may get bored while you are doing this treatment, so try combing your child's hair while he is watching TV or doing a fun activity.

2| Over the counter treatments

There are many drug treatment options sold in pharmacies in the form of shampoo, treatment liquid or spray to get rid of lice without harming the child. These treatments are not insecticides, but rather chemicals that are safe for children and capable of getting rid of lice.

3| Oil smothering

This method is known as the lice suffocation method by putting olive oil or almond oil on the hair and combing it with a special comb. The oils slow down the movement of lice, making it easier to catch them with the teeth of the comb. Then wash the child's hair with shampoo and clean the comb well with hot water and soap. It is preferable to use vinegar or chlorine for further sterilization.

4| Using essential oils

Some essential oils have been shown to be effective in getting rid of lice in the hair. The essential oil should be diluted with a carrier oil such as coconut oil or olive oil before applying it to the child’s hair for 12 hours, then combing the hair with a special comb before washing it with warm water and shampoo. Among the most effective oils in treating lice in children:

• Tea tree oil.
• Lavender oil.
• Anise oil.
• Peppermint oil.
• Clove oil.
• Nutmeg oil.

5| Deep cleaning

It is important not to panic and to do a thorough disinfection of the house, as lice do not live away from hair for long. However, it is important to wash and disinfect anything that the child with lice has used, such as towels, bed sheets, pillowcases, combs, hairbrushes and hats, or any head covering. The best way to clean is to use hot water and regular cleaning materials, while avoiding any harmful chemicals.

To Sum Up,

Your child may feel embarrassed about having lice, so you should reassure him and tell him that this is a common problem, and it is not an indication of his hygiene and self-care, as they are insects that want to feed on anyone's blood. Treat the problem quickly and with the best safe and fast methods for treating lice in children to get rid of the problem as quickly as possible.