Tea tree oil for head louse

On April 09, 2008 in Head Lice

Head louse is a dreaded problem for all families, but did you know there is a natural solution for treating nits? Yes, tea tree oil for head louse treatment!

The International Aromatherapy and Herb Association has the following advice for using tea tree oil for head louse:-

Head lice is often transmitted by combs, brushes, hats, bed linens, etc. I once spoke to a Dallas school nurse who voiced concern regarding the use of chemically-based shampoos the standard treatment for children’s head lice. She expressed a great deal of interest in being able to offer tea tree oil as a natural substitute.

The following treatment for removal of head lice is recommended: Add five to ten drops of pure tea tree oil to a shampoo and wash the child’s hair, massaging the mixture thoroughly into the scalp. Do this every day until the eggs are removed. In between shampoos, a few drops of the oil can be massaged into the scalp. Do not rinse out. To help sterilize and prevent further lice infestation, brushes, combs, bedding and towels may be soaked in a tea tree oil solution of 1/4 oz. of oil added to a tub of water. You may also spray a dilution of tea tree oil in the clothes hamper to help control infestation.

How to use tea tree oil for head louse

Stepfamily Zone offers a few different methods on using tea tree oil for head louse:-

Here are 5 different ways to prevent head lice with Tea Tree Oil:

1. Mix essential oils in with your shampoo so the strong smell repels the lice and makes you invisible. The most common is Tea Tree Oil. You can either mix 10 drops in with your existing shampoo or buy ready made Tea Tree shampoo at your supermarket.

2. Mix 10 drops Tea Tree or other essential oil into a spray bottle with water. Put your child’s hair in a tight plait and mist over before school or playtime.

3. Tea Tree oil mixed with gel. If your boy has a modern style, mix Tea Tree in with your gel and the lice will stay well away. Not only does the oil repel the lice, the gel makes it impossible to move around the head or attach their eggs.

4. Alternatively for girls, hair spray has the same effect, simulating dirty hair so the lice cannot move around or attach their eggs.

5. Mix a few drops of Tea Tree oil in with a leave in conditioner and make sure your child sprays this on every morning or before playtime.

Other ideas using tea tree oil for head louse

One reader’s comment at Virtual Medical Centre offers the following advice:-

In Australia we are free to use several herbal or other products, but I found it is a good preventative to get a moisturiser and cover the head thickly and leave on for 1-2 hours. The live lice cannot breathe and die. Continue to do this every few days for any eggs hatching and comb through each time to lessen the eggs. You can use a very cheap moisturiser as cost has not bearing on how well it works. Also covering the hear or combing through with Tea Tree Oil and Lavender oil is good as well, especially for school children.

Here’s another tip from the Yahoo Message boards:-

All you do is place 5 drops of lavender oil, 5 drops of tea tree oil and 10 drops of eucalyptus oil in a spray bottle full of water, spray the hair everyday before school. Make sure they are essential oils (they can be expensive) the cheap water soluble ones don’t work. I have used this now for 2 years and have not had 1 outbreak, where we had it endlessly before.

It looks like tea tree oil for head louse is a very effective treatment – stock up on some today!

Feel free to click on the navigation items around this site for more information on how tea tree essential oil can help you.

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