Head Lice Treatment

Head lice is insidious and is found everywhere -- especially where there are kids in close contact. If lice is not aggressively managed it will pervade our classrooms and our homes. It is easily spread amongst kids; however, it is very simple to prevent. If we diligently wash our kids' hats and jackets in hot water as well as offer preventative topical head lice treatments once per week, we would greatly reduce exposure to lice. It doesn't take much to invoke prevention...it does take more effort to treat them!!!

Ingredients

• tea tree oil and olive oil

• rinse with vinegar

• lice comb

Treatment

Mix 1/2 cup olive oil with 2 or 3 tablespoons tea tree oil. Apply to hair and rub into scalp. Leave on hair for 30 min. to 1 hr. Wash hair to remove oil. Rinse hair with vinegar (the vinegar loosens the "glue" holding the eggs and nits on your hair). Wait 5 to 10 mins and rinse hair with hot water. Repeat vinegar rinse. Always comb hair out with a lice comb to remove any remaining nits. 

Prevention

Mix 4 drops tea tree oil with your daily shampoo and shampoo as usual.  Don't rely on the various shampoos that advertise tea tree, they don't have enough in them.  Alternately you can mix tea tree oil with water in a spray bottle. Apply it to the hair on a regular basis in an effort to prevent head lice. You might also consider lightly spraying pillowcases as a preventative measure.