I’m so gratefulthat my children never had head lice. But I’ve still had to deal with these critters. That’s because my husband was exposed. He shared some silly hats with our young niece and nephew. A few days later, he learned they had head lice.
My husband also noticed his head was itchy. Before we could even check for nits, I decided to try to solve the problem with essential oils, which I already had in the house.
The last thing I wanted to do was resort to chemical insecticides. For one, these products are potentially toxic. Also, they don’t always work, since the lice are becoming resistant.
Essential Oil Lice Treatment Recipe
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Given the fact that we already had enough essential oils on hand to get rid of these pests, if, indeed he had an infestation, all we needed was a disposable plastic shower cap. My husband picked this up at the drugstore. He bought a multi-pack of these caps. Fortunately we didn’t need them.
We also had some organic coconut oil on hand. This serves a dual purpose. One is that it might help kill the bugs. The other is that you can’t apply essential oils directly to your body. That’s because they’re so highly concentrated. So using a “carrier,” such as cocount oil, protects the skin.
Tea Tree Oil Lice Treatment
Please understand that I’m not a doctor and I can’t give medical advice. Nor can I promise that any product or recipe will get rid of head critters with the same success we seemed to have. All I can do is share my own experience using essential oils. I love telling my readers about essential oils, because they make such good replacements for potentially toxic beauty and personal care products.
One of the most highly regarded aromatics for getting rid of lice is tea tree essential oil. This is derived from an Australian plant, and it’s one of the most popular essential oils o the market. I also use tea tree for getting rid of mold in my bathroom and in my basem*nt. Insects, apparently, hate the smell of tea tree oil, as well as other aromatic plant extracts.
Tea Tree Oil for Head Lice
Since I already had tea tree essential oil in the house, I decided to make my own all natural, non-toxic head lice formula. I then decided to add a little lavender essential oil to the mix. That’s because aromatherapists believe that mixing two or more oils together creates a synergy, potentially more powerful and effective than using just a single oil. It only took a minute to whip up a DIY head lice recipe. Here it is:
3 teaspooons of organic coconut oil (It’s available here)
7 drops of tea tree essential oil (It’s available here)
2 drops of lavender essential oil (It’s available here)
Essential oils are not recommended for use in children under the age of two. If you’re looking for a good brand of tea tree essential oil, I highly recommend Plant Therapy. I totally trust the purity of its products, which I use myself. So I feel very comfortable recommending them to my readers.
My husband left this mixture on his head for about a half hour before showering it off. Make sure not to make it any stronger than the recipe. That’s because everyone is different. Some people are more sensitive to essential oils than others. This is a standard 2 percent mixture. With children between the ages of 2 and 10 I would use half the essential oils in this recipe. Don’t use essential oils at all on children under the age of 2. Also, it’s always a good idea to tell your pediatrician you will be using essential oils on your child.
Home Remedies for Getting Rid of Head Lice
If you don’t already own essential oils and want to try using them as a home remedy for getting rid of head lice, there’s no need to get multiple bottles. You would just need to get one. That’s because various head lice essential oil formulas are now available. They contain tea tree essential oil, as well as other aromatics considered good for getting rid of bugs.
One of my favorite essential oil suppliers is Plant Therapy, where I buy a lot of my own oils. As far as I’m concerned, these oils are among the best non-MLM alternatives. They are very high quality and thoroughly tested for purity and potency. So, if you’ve never tried essential oils before, I can highly recommend Plant Therapy’s Get ‘Em Gone Synergy Blend, which contains tea tree oil as well as six other aromatics.
Get Em Gone Synergy Blend for Head Lice
One thing I should point out is that certain essential oils are safe for little ones. That’s why I feel comfortable writing about Plant Therapy’s KidSafe line of essential oils. These blends are formulated by a world-famous essential oil safety expert. So the essential oils found in the Get ‘Em Gone formula, which you can see below, are ones that are appropriate for use in children aged two and older.
Plant Therapy recommends adding 7 drops of Get ‘Em Gone Synergy Blend to a teaspoon of shampoo and lathering up. Then, you can take a fine comb and make sure the shampoo spreads throughout the hair. After 15 minutes, rinse the hair.
Tips to Prevent Head Lice
During a head lice epidemic, you may want to be proactive. That’s what I did when my children were in elementary school, before I started homeschooling. Each day, when they came home, I’d put their jackets and backpacks in the dryer, in order to heat them and, hopefully, kill any nits. Periodically, I’d do the same with their stuffied animals.
You can also use Get ‘Em Gone Synergy Blend when head lice are making the rounds, to potentially prevent an infestation. Plant Therapy recommends spraying a 2 percent essential oil dilution on your child’s hair once a day. This would be 3 drops of essential oil to every teaspoon of water.
Disclaimer
These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use essential oils or be exposed to them in close proximity.
