
Lavender essential oil
If you are looking for safe and natural ways to treat head lice, you should consider using lavender oil.
This treatment does not contain any pesticides and can be used as a home pediculicide in case you are not allergic to lavender and lavender essential oil.
Let’s take a look at how lavender oil works and if it can kill or repel head lice.
Lavender oil is considered to be a natural insect repellent. It affects insects with its smell.
Of course, no matter how much lavender or any other essential oil you use, such as tea tree oil, it cannot guarantee you that you will not get lice and nits.
You still get chances of getting infested with head lice, but what happens is that you reduce your risks of getting infested when using lavender oil or lavender shampoo.
According to research, over 90 percent of people who used lavender or tea tree essential oils on their hair did not get infested with head lice or got rid of the ones they already had.
Does lavender repel head lice? Yes, this home remedy does work for repelling lice.
Now, let’s see how you can use lavender oil to help get rid of adult lice. The best way to use it is in combination with some carrier oil. This treatment method is called a physical pesticide.
Here is what you can do. You take a sufficient quantity of the carrier oil; you can use coconut oil, corn oil, olive oil, sunflower oil or any other kind of natural plant oil as your carrier oil.
Then, you add a teaspoon or just a few drops of lavender oil to the carrier oil. Now you are ready to apply it to your hair. Apply the mixture to dry and clean hair, and cover the head with a shower cap.
Leave the oils on your hair and scalp for several hours.
Does lavender deter head lice? Yes, lavender oil can help to suffocate and repel these parasites (but not their eggs).
The mixture of oils gets stuffed into the adult lice breathing tubes, preventing them from breathing, and they die.
Keep in mind that this is not 100% effective, of course, just like many other treatments and remedies.
One of your best bets is to use a proven, safe shampoo like this one:
You should also keep in mind that lavender oil does not kill nits. This is why a repeated treatment is needed 7 to 10 days later.
You can also use lavender oil for combing out lice. You put it on a special lice comb and comb out your hair lock by lock.
Lavender oil remains on the hair and repels head lice. They find it hard to return to the combed and clean locks.
You can also use lavender shampoo. You can make it yourself by adding a few drops of the essential oil to the shampoo.
Using such shampoo can help you to repel head lice and keep them away once you have gotten rid of them. However, it may not provide a real treatment on its own.
As you can see, lavender oil can offer you safe solutions for treating lice at home. Make sure you are not allergic to this essential oil before applying it.
I have had lice multiple times more as a child, and I had used those harsh chemicals to get rid of them too. When I was little some of that product has slipped into my left eye, and I have had damaged sight ever since! I have not tryed this yet but am sure to after I start with tea tree oil. I will combine them and get back to you on how well it works! My friend uses it for her kids and she hasn’t had a problem since!
Thanks for the article! I read a number of research studies on essential oils for getting rid of head lice and found your site.
The best way to repel head lice is to mix lavender oil, tea tree oil, and carrier oil (my favorite is olive oil for deep nourishment) with 3% ~ 5% ratio. Also, do not use essential oil alone (always mix with carrier oil), it can increase the sensitivity of your skin.
I didn’t know my son had headlice, I had given him a head scalp massage with olive oil and lavender oil 2 nights before, he told me he had an itchy head and i looked and he had lice but they were dead!!
Must have been the lavender oil so I googled and found this! I’ll use the same treatment again with a lice comb!