How to Suffocate Head Lice

Conventional treatment of head lice involves washing the hair with shampoo or medicated shampoo and repeatedly combing the hair with a fine-toothed comb. For those who find these treatments unsuccessful or don't want to use chemical medications, some are turning to another removal method, which is by suffocating the head lice. Reports by different institutions, such as the University of Florida Extension and University of Minnesota Extension state there is little (or no) scientific evidence supporting this type of treatment, and it is not one they recommend.

Things You'll Need

• Oil, mayonnaise or petroleum jelly
• Shampoo
• Comb or brush
• Fine-toothed metal nit comb
• Cup of hot soapy water

Instructions

1. Apply liberal amounts of oil, mayonnaise or petroleum jelly to the hair. Completely cover the hair.

2. Cover the head with a plastic shower cap so that all of the hair is covered.

3. Wait several hours. Do not go to bed or sleep while waiting; the shower cap could shift over your face, causing suffocation.

4. Shampoo the hair, removing as much as the oil, mayonnaise or petroleum jelly as possible.

5. Remove tangles with a comb or brush.

6. Comb the hair with a fine-toothed metal nit comb.

7. Submerge the comb in hot soapy water to remove nits and lice.

8. Repeat until all the hair has been combed.

9. Rewash the hair with shampoo.

Tips & Warnings

• It may be extremely difficult to remove the oil, mayonnaise or petroleum jelly from the hair.

• Never sleep with the plastic shower cap on; you could suffocate.

References

• University of Minnesota Extension: Head Lice
• University of Florida Extension: Head Lice
• CDC: Head Lice FAQ