When you or someone in your family comes down with head lice, it can be an almost knee-jerk reaction to run to the store to get the first bottle of chemical-ridden head lice remover you find. These lice killing shampoos, however, can contain all sorts of worrisome chemicals; chemicals that could have a negative affect on human health. There are some gentler, more natural ways to treat for head lice.
Mayonnaise
As greasy and oily as it may sound, mayonnaise can be a great way to treat head lice. Make sure to use real mayonnaise and not Miracle Whip. Apply the mayonnaise to the affected person’s hair, preferably as thick as possible, covering every strand and rubbing it in really good. Let the mayonnaise sit on the hair for two hours, covered in a shower cap to prevent any accidental messes. Make sure not to leave the mayonnaise any longer as it will go bad if left out too long. Rinse and wash the hair well once the mayonnaise treatment is done.
Petroleum jelly
Petroleum jelly (more commonly known as Vaseline) can be used in a similar manner as mayonnaise to treat head lice. Petroleum jelly, however, can be left on overnight and for much more extended period of time. Be sure to thoroughly coat and saturate the hair. When you rinse the petroleum jelly from the hair, you will need to use baby oil or mineral oil to rinse it initially as the petroleum jelly won’t come off using plain water. Once the majority of the petroleum jelly has been removed, you can wash the hair as normal to remove the oil residue.
Vinegar
Washing the affected person’s hair in vinegar is a very common and effective way to treat head lice. Simply soak and scrub the hair in white vinegar (or any vinegar of your choice) and then rinse well. Following up with coconut oil and tea tree oil may help as well.
Mouth wash
A harsher, but gentler treatment than traditional lice shampoos involves the use of mouth wash. Similar to using a vinegar bath on your hair, simply wash the hair with a strong, minty mouth wash, preferably one with some alcohol content. The mouth wash should kill any lice or nits present in the hair.
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