Non-Chemical Methods Of Getting Rid Of Head Lice

It can be really tough to get a case of head lice to go away. However, the use of strong pesticides may not be an option that you want to consider. There are many people who opt for treatments that are more easily tolerated by the body, and in this article, we'll give mention to some of the treatments that don't involve heavy chemicals so that you can know your options.

One method that many people use to get rid of lice that can be effective that doesn't use pesticides is to buy a specialized lice comb. These combs have fine, long teeth and they can be used to easily pick out the nits and head lice present on the scalp. By manually removing the nits and lice, you can sidestep the need for chemical solutions to ridding yourself of head lice. When you're buying a specialized lice comb, be sure that you purchase one that can be boiled so that you can sterilize it and use it again and again if necessary. When you are removing lice and nits from someone else's hair, it can be a good idea to have another person with you helping to look. Lice can crawl rather fast, and they don't like sunlight so they will do their best to avoid your grasp. To remove the nits from the hair follicles, you may want to use distilled white vinegar, as they are attached with a cement-like substance the lice create.

Another method uses a compound that you actually have in your house! You won't need to look under the sink for it either; many people have found that common household mayonnaise can provide a less toxic way of getting rid of lice. While it's efficacy is questionable, it's surely a method that won't harm your child. Some people try for the same results with Vaseline, but Vaseline is hard to get out of the hair and is generally not very useful.

Tea tree oil is another home remedy that people sometimes employ. Unlike mayonnaise or Vaseline, however, this natural oil can be harmful to one's health. It can be useful when killing head lice, but it may also cause scalp irritation and repeated use of tea tree oil is generally not recommended.

There are also shampoos available that can help to kill off the lice with a minimal amount of pesticide. Unfortunately, these shampoos often only work for minor cases of head lice.

Sometimes, natural remedies can not be enough to rid yourself of a lice problem. If you're having repeated failures with removing the lice, you may want to opt for some 1% permethrin cream. Sold under the brand name 'Nix', it offers a low percentage of the active ingredient in order to kill off lice while keeping the pesticide content to a minimum. If you're still unsure of what you want to do, you may want to consult a health care professional to get a good idea for how to solve your problem.

About the Author:
Mike Serovey is the owner and webmaster for http://www.mikeserovey.net where you can submit your articles for free.