Head Lice: How to Treat it Naturally

Nits/Lice look like little pieces of dandruff, which is why it is difficult to detect them. Though there is one major difference: Dandruff flakes move and you can blow on them and see them fall off. Nits don’t move, but instead they cling to the hair as if they are glued to it (which they are in a way) and need to be cut off, hair by hair.

When someone has lice, all bedding, towels, clothing, etc. needs to be washed and carpets must be vacuumed.

If the nits are severe, it may be necessary to cut or shave the head in order to get rid of all of them.

Treatments for head lice are some of the most chemically-laden products on the market. Luckily, there are plenty of natural remedies for head lice that have been proven to be very effective. One of them is henna.

How Does It Work?

Effective head lice treatments need to work on two fronts, addressing both the adult lice and the nits (eggs) that cling to the hair strands. Henna works quite simply in both these regards.

The gritty texture of henna when properly mixed acts as a fine-toothed comb for nits. The acidic solutions that are commonly mixed with henna (lemon juice, etc.) also break down the glue-like substance that nits use to attach to hair strands. Additionally, the muddy, sticky qualities of henna make it perfect for smothering the live bugs that are roaming the scalp.

Medium-Brown-Henna powder
Things You’ll Need:

 

  • Fine-toothed comb
  • Bath towels
  • Morrocco Method henna

To use henna as a head lice treatment, prepare and apply henna as normal. Use cling wrap or a shower cap and keep the henna on your head for at least three hours. After rinsing, comb your hair using the fine-toothed comb and let dry. For particularly bad infestations, Artemisia absinthium has been shown to improve effectiveness of henna for lice removal. Mix 25g of Artemisia absinthium with each 100g of henna.

NOTE about treating head lice:
Artemisia absinthium should not be used if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Also, while henna is generally safe, consider consulting a physician before using henna on a child under the age of 12 to determine if the child has a G6PD deficiency.

Sources:
http://www.mehandi.com/shop/headlice/
http://hubpages.com/hub/5-Natural-Solutions-for-Eliminating-Lice
http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/does-hair-dye-kill-head-lice-how-about-henna-paste
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