How to Kill Lice Naturally

Out of the thousands of lice species, only three infect humans. Head and pubic hair lice are the most bothersome and difficult to remove. The type that infects skin is removed by showering and washing infected clothing in hot water. Using chemical lice-removing shampoos to kill hair lice is not thoroughly effective since lice have built up resistance to the chemicals. The potentially harmful chemicals are absorbed through the skin, so it's better to use a safe method and kill lice naturally.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Olive oil
• Shower cap or plastic pants
• Nit comb
• Tissue
• Shampoo
• Large plastic bags

1. Treat lice by using warmed olive oil applied liberally to the head or pubic area. Work it through hair, like a conditioner, and put on a plastic shower cap for head treatment or plastic pants for pubic hair treatment. Sleep with the plastic cover overnight to make sure the lice suffocate.

2. Wash hair thoroughly to remove oil---you'll probably need several washings. Section hair at one inch intervals and use a nit comb to remove the nits clinging to hair or scalp. Nits are lice eggs and they're usually laid at the base of the hair shaft next to the scalp. Remove nits from the comb with tissues that you place into a sealed plastic bag. The best selection of nit combs is online.

3. Repeat treatment three nights in a row. To make nit removal easier, use a natural nit loosening shampoo, such as Nit-Nurse. It loosens nits' glue-like grips. It's best to have someone help you comb out nits while examining your scalp.

4. Launder all bedding and recently worn clothing every day in hot water and dry in a hot dryer. Do this until all nits have disappeared. Put other items that can't be machine-washed in a hot dryer for thirty minutes a day. Place infested items that can't be washed or machine-dried in a sealed plastic bag for two weeks.

5. Examine all family members for lice infestation since they easily spread among those in close contact. Comb out nits thoroughly every day to prevent re-infestation. Nits can be combed out without shampooing first.

References

• The Olive Oil Protocol: Killing Head Lice Without Chemicals
• The Importance of Removing the Nits
• CDC---Head Lice Treatment

[shigawirereel]

on 11/22/2009 You don't need to sanitize your house, clothes or bedding as this article recommends. Lice cannot survive when not on a human being's head. You only need to treat the head. There's a lot of misinformation out there about treating lice. I was really stressed out and spent many hours cleaning until I read some clearheaded scientific viewpoints. The best is the FAQ on the Nuvo treatment's Web site. Google it. I signed up for eHow just to help share what I learned there because it really saved me.