Originally published December 17 2014
How to get rid of lice naturally
by Kali Sinclair
(NaturalNews)
The kids are back in school. Your child comes home clutching a note from the teacher in one hand as she scratches behind her ear with the other. You don't even need to open that letter to know what it says. Lice. Those lovely little itchy monsters that take up residence in the hair.
You can buy effective over-the-counter treatments from the pharmacy--shampoos, lotions, gels, and sprays. But when a product says it kills lice and their eggs on contact and keeps killing them for up to 14 days, what do you think it is doing to your child's body?
The active ingredient in the largest selling products is pyrethrum extract, which comes from the pyrethrum flower (a chrysanthemum). While this is a natural, plant based product, it is a potent insecticide. At high enough doses it causes convulsions and death. Why would we want to put a neurotoxin on a child's scalp to be absorbed into their skin?
A prescription brand contains spinosad, an insecticide derived from bacteria found in soil. This insecticide is used for flea control in pets (taken orally) and is used in organic agriculture. Though this insecticide certainly sounds less toxic than the over-the-counter brands, it is still an insecticide.
Luckily, we have alternatives. The same company that sells the most over-the-counter lice killer, also makes a an electronic lice comb that kills lice on contact with an electrical charge so small humans can't feel it.
Time honored treatments smother lice with or without the addition of essential oils and of course nit-picking - the daily removal of lice and their nits (eggs) with a lice comb.
Baby oil and petroleum jelly are commonly used, but olive oil and coconut oil are healthier alternatives than petroleum products. You can also add up to 20 drops of essential oils to the olive oil or coconut oil. Tea tree oil helps kill lice. Spearmint repels them.
Method # 1 - Liberally cover hair with oil, leave in for 30-60 minutes and comb carefully with lice comb. Shampoo. Repeat every day for 2 weeks.
Method # 2 - Liberally cover hair with oil and wrap head in plastic wrap, put on shower cap, secure in place with a towel. Leave on overnight. Comb carefully with lice comb. Repeat in 10 days.
Method # 3 - Rinse hair with apple cider vinegar. Let it dry (do not rinse out). Cover hair with oil and leave in for the day (or night). Shampoo. Comb carefully with a lice comb. The vinegar cuts the stickiness of the nits to the hair shaft so that they can be removed with the shampoo and comb. This method is reported to be a onetime treatment. Check with the lice comb in 10 days to be sure you don't need to repeat it.
All of the bedding, towels, combs, brushes, hats, coats, clothes worn, car seats, etc. need to be thoroughly cleaned. Also check out this apple cider vinegar article.
Sources:
http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com
http://raisingolives.com
http://www.oliveoilsource.com
About the author:
Allene Edwards first became interested in alternative medicine and holistic treatment modalities when she successfully used diet therapy to manage her children�s ADHD. Later when she became chronically ill with an auto-immune disease that multiple doctors could not identify, much less cure, she successfully treated both the symptoms and the cause through naturopathic treatment and nutrition. She is the Managing Editor of Organic Lifestyle Magzine and a regular contributor.
Allene Edwards first became interested in alternative medicine and holistic treatment modalities when she successfully used diet therapy to manage her children�s ADHD. Later when she became chronically ill with an auto-immune disease that multiple doctors could not identify, much less cure, she successfully treated both the symptoms and the cause through naturopathic treatment and nutrition. She is the Managing Editor of Organic Lifestyle Magzine and a regular contributor.
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