When it comes to fighting lice and nits, vinegar is the best-known ingredient. However, there are other remedies that are just as effective and do not have the drawback of a strong odor.
Lice and nits are undoubtedly a scourge for the head of children and a concern for mothers. It is very likely that your children will get pediculosis, such is their scientific name, when they go to school, to the club or to a plaza. Learn in this article some of the most effective home remedies to eliminate lice and nits.
If you go to the pharmacy or the perfumery, or also in the supermarket, you will be able to find a great variety of products that were made to kill lice and nits. However, we cannot be 100% sure of the ingredients they use or how dangerous they are to our children, especially when they are very young.
In addition, many often suffer allergies or rashes from these products, which can be too strong for the scalp dermis. In turn, they are not always as efficient, since when we stop applying them, lice and nits – the egg – reappear.
Therefore, you can resort to very effective home remedies. They are just the same ones that our parents or grandparents used to kill a parasite that not only feeds on blood but also causes itching and discomfort.
Home remedies to remove lice and nits
The recipes of yesteryear are very effective and will help you in a matter of days to eradicate the unbearable lice of your children or even of yourself. These are the best-known natural solutions for lice:
Eucalyptus leaf infusion
You can get it in the herbal stores already prepared or make it at home with a handful of leaves from this tree. The characteristic aroma of eucalyptus serves, for example, to uncover the nostrils.
To prepare it, place the leaves to boil with two cups of water and let them rest for a few minutes until they cool or temper. When it is at the ideal temperature, you should only pour the infusion on the child’s head after washing his hair.
Perform circular massages so that this liquid penetrates well into the roots and scalp. Remember that this is where the lice live and where they put the nits. Finally, you can rinse again or not.
Rosemary infusion
This preparation can eliminate lice effectively. Both its preparation and its application are carried out in the same way as that of eucalyptus.
Lavender essence
Apply this element directly to the affected head. It is better to do it after bathing, but not when the hair is very wet. You can get it at naturist houses and you only need a few drops, so it will yield a lot.
You should consult well when buying it since sometimes they sell mixtures and these will not work; it has to be pure lavender essence. Apply to the roots and massage the head well. Don’t forget to put on gloves.
Apple vinager
They say it is the best treatment to prevent lice from ‘climbing’ into your hair. This is because its components are aggressive to these parasites, both to kill them and to prevent others from even trying to get close to your children.
Apple cider vinegar is most effective at eradicating nits because it detaches them from the hair without having to run the fine comb or remove them with your fingers.
When the child is finished bathing, apply a two-thirds solution of warm or warm water and one of apple cider vinegar. You can also spray a little over your head with dry hair — before going to school, for example. The only problem with this remedy is the bad smell because it will seem that the kids have a ‘salad on their heads’.
Aromatic oils
Many of them help you to get rid of lice and nits. Some of the most effective are coconut, jasmine, geranium and anise. They are easily achieved and you only have to apply a few drops to the scalp.
It can be an ideal complement if you use vinegar as a treatment to remove these parasites. Another of its positive aspects is that the oils make the hair look brighter and healthier.
Mayonnaise
This treatment can be used without problems also by adults, like all those mentioned above. Apply one or more tablespoons to dry, unwashed hair; make sure all of the scalp and hair root are covered by this dressing. The oily and heavy texture will ‘suffocate’ the lice in a matter of minutes.
To make the effect even better, put on a bathing cap and let it work for at least eight hours. You can do it before going to sleep, for example, or on a Sunday when you don’t have to leave home.
When this time passes, remove the cap and wash your hair with very hot water, to the maximum that you can hold. As the last step, separate the hair into sections and brush with the fine comb very gently so that the hair does not come off or pull. Allow seven to ten days to pass and repeat the procedure.
Olive oil
Heat a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and, when at a bearable temperature, apply it to your scalp and roots after bathing. Massage in circles well and then put on a bathing cap.
Sleep like this all night and wash with plenty of hot water in the morning. Subsequently, pass the fine comb to remove any traces of lice and nits. Repeat this technique for three nights in a row. As an added benefit, your hair will look brighter and silkier.
With these simple alternatives, lice and nits will no longer be a problem in your daily life. Forget about expensive and toxic products; Take advantage of these fully natural solutions!
Images courtesy of Gilles San Martín, Nagarjun Kandukuru, Rick & Brenda Beerhorst, downing Amanda, COM SALUD Agencia, Javier Pincemin.