How To Get Rid Of Head Lice With Essential Oils

 

Head lice is common and with school about to start up again and if your kids are in daycare you’ve had to deal with this problem at least once. With lice comes the need to alter a child’s daily routine to include processes for removing lice and preventing their return.

 

PRELIMINARY OIL Blend

Olive or sweet almond carrier oil

1. Before using any essential oils, coat the child’s hair with olive carrier oil.
2. Using an ordinary comb, separate the hair into sections. While you’re working on one section, hold other sections out the the way with hair clips.
3. Using a lice comb (available at a pharmacy), go through the child’s hair to find the lice. Remove the lice with the comb, and discard them.
4. Wash the hair with the child’s regular shampoo. Rinse, and then was and rinse the hair again.
5. Dry the hair with a towel, which should immediately be washed.
6. Wash the ordinary comb, lice comb, hair clips, and any other tools you’ve used soaking them in vinegar for 30 minutes.
7. Repeat this routine once a day for 1 week.
8. Continue to comb out the child’s hair with the lice comb for another 2 weeks, taking care to wash the lic comb and other tools by soaking them in vinegar for 30 minutes after each use.

 

SAFETY REMINDER When blending essential oils for a child, use half the strength you would use for yourself: a 1 percent dilution instead of the usual 2 percent dilution for an adult.

 

OVERNIGHT DELOUSING BLEND

2 ounces olive carrier oil

15 to 20 drops lavender or tea tree essential oil

1. Pour the olive carrier oil into a small glass or ceramic bowl.
2. Add the lavender essential oil to the carrier oil, and stir to combine.
3. Using a cotton ball, apply this blend to the child’s scalp at bedtime, and leave it on over night (at least 12 hours).
4. In the morning, comb through the child’s hair with lice comb to find the lice. Remove the lice with the comb, and discard.
5. Shampoo the child’s hair as usual.
6. Dry hair with towel, which should immediately be washed.
7. Wash the lice comb and any other tools you’ve used by soaking them in vinegar for 30 minutes.

 

OVERNIGHT LICE-PREVENTION SPRAY

4 ounces rubbing alcohol

15 to 20 drops of lavender or tea tree essential oil

1. Pour the rubbing alcohol into a small glass spray bottle.
2. Add the lavender essential oil to the rubbing alcohol, and shake well to blend.
3. Spray this blend on the child’s hair once a day, at bedtime, for 2 weeks.
4. In the morning, comb through the child’s hair with the lice comb to fine and remove any remaining lice and to check for their reappearance.
5. Shampoo the child’s hair as usual.
6. Dry the hair with a towel, which should immediately be washed.
7. Wash the lice comb and any other tools you’ve used by soaking them in vinegar for 30 minutes.

 

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Sources: An Introductory Guide Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Sonoma Press

ISBN #9780989558693

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