Home Remedy for Lice Made With Tea Tree Oil

Head lice spread through contact and sharing hairbrushes.

Head lice, small parasites, spread through physical contact, and often spread through schools. The most common treatment for head lice is prescription medication containing permethrin. Nontraditional treatments like tea tree oil may also effectively treat head lice.

Resistance to Prescriptions

According to an article written by Dr. Patrick Massey in Chicago's Daily Herald, medical research shows that some head lice is developing resistance to permethrin-based medicine. As a result, more people are turning to alternative treatments.

Tea Tree Oil and Shampoo

Combine five to ten drops of essential tea tree oil with baby shampoo, suggests the eMedTV website. Massage the oil into the scalp, and cover with a plastic shower cap. Allow the tea tree oil to sit for 30 minutes before rinsing it out. Tea tree gel can be used in place of an oil or shampoo mixture.

Nit Picking

Tea tree oil treatment is most effective when combined with physically picking lice nits from the patient's scalp.

References

• eMedTV: Home Remedy for Head Lice
• Daily Herald: Tea Tree Gel Gets Rid of Head Lice