do you know of any treatments for head lice egg removal?

Question

Different or other ways to treat and prevent head lice other that the over the conter brand treatments

Answer 1

First, ignore anyone who tells you that showering or washing hair more often will prevent this. Lice, like most humans, prefer clean hair over oily or dirty hair. More people are getting lice now than 30 year ago, because they are becoming immune to a lot of the chemical products out there. (Mostly from people doing the first treatment, and not following up with the 8-day-later one! The lice babies are becoming immune across generations.)

I have had the unfortunate experience of picking up lice twice from kids I was working with. The first time, in 1994, I used chemicals, felt ill from the treatment, and had to be treated four times in total to eliminate the problem!

SEVERAL OPTIONS:

You could oil your hair generously and leave the oil on for half an hour to try to deprive them of oxygen. . . but then you'll have a heck of a time washing the oil all out.

A friend of mine used to have her daughters lie in the bathtub, and fill it until the exact point where their entire hairline was underwater, but their nose wasn't. She'd massage their hair gently to get any tiny air bubbles away from the scalp, then have them lie there for half an hour. This drowned the lice, as long as none found air pockets, or crawled to safety on parts of the girls that weren't submerged.

The good news is, you CAN drown lice by depriving them of oxygen if you do it long enough.

And, they HATE tea tree oil. It seems noxious to them.

I don't have the patience to lie underwater with just my nose above, while the water turns cold. So HERE'S HOW I successfully treated it the second time, arond 2001:

I got some shampoo, and mixed a teaspoon full of tea tree oil into about a tablespoon or so of the shampoo, in a little bowl. (Acutally, I used double of each, because my hair is thick and was quite long then.)

I wet my hair, then massaged the shampoo into my hair throughly. Then I wrapped my hair up (shower cap will work) and sat reading a magazine for half an hour. Then I got into the shower and rinsed all the shampoo out.

Afterward, I combed my hair over the bathroom sink, thoroughly and repeatedly from root to tip, wiping the comb as needed on a damp paper towel. I didn't use one of those silly little plastic lice combs, but a metal flea comb from the pet store - more durable, and the longer handle made it easier for me to do my own hair.
I was SHOCKED at how many of the lice I got out with that first treatment. I had almost none left to get rid of in the follow-up treatments.

NO MATTER WHAT TREATMENT you use, you should repeat it about 12 hours after the first one, and you ***MUST*** repeat it eight days later.

Why? Because treatments don't kill the eggs that are cemented to the hair in little sacs (nits). Picking them off is good, but even if you only miss one, a whole new infestation can begin from that one. So you need to repeat it in eight days - long enough for any eggs that made it through the first treatment to hatch, and not long enough for them to have started laying new ones.

Then, as long as you've treated every member of the family (just in case) and - on the same day - treated all the potentially-affected bedding, clothing, hats, scarves, winter coats, teddy bears, etc, to a wash and a run through the hot dryer, you should be free of your infestation. (Don't bother treating your or you child's hair, then not washing everything til the next day - that's an invitation for reinfestation!)

By the way, using tea tree shampoo (or shampoo with some tea tree oil added) once a week can ward off future infestations, since lice hate the smell of it. A lot of moms I've worked with have found this worked for their kids, too, who attended schools where lice are rampant. But don't use it on your or your child's head every single day - it will dry out the skin.

I try to use tea tree shampoo preventatively when I'm going to be in close contact with higher-risk people (i.e. kids who want to climb up and sit by me, or homeless friends who like to give hugs), and I'm happy to report I haven't had to deal with another infestation since 2001.

Answer 2

The best home remedy is actually based on the prescription lice treatment called Ovide. (You can go to their website to verify) Ovide works better because it kills the eggs and the lice. The active ingredient of Ovide is Malathion. At Wal-Mart or most hardware stores you can buy Malathion in a 50% solution. It is used to kill garden pests. Take 1 teaspoon of Malathion mixed into a 16 ounce bottle of leave in conditioner. This replicates the dosage of the prescription. Apply the conditioner to dry hair at night and in the morning wash and comb through the hair. The adult lice are killed as well as the eggs so there is not the recurring problem of making sure all the nits are removed. I have used this many times after being prescribed Ovide for my family. It works great and the hair is so soft from the conditioner.

Answer 3

U could try equal measures of vinegar (any) and oil (cooking, salad etc). Rub the mixture into the hair and leave for 5-10 min (wrap in towel if you want).
the vinegar loosens the glue substance of the nits (makes for easy combing) and the oil helps rid the hair of lice. This mixture has worked wonders in my daughters hair, she has long curls. I did her head about a year ago and not a single nit/louse since.

Answer 4

use Nix Lice Shampoo they also make a spray for linens and beds wash all things you can especially in your room also u can put olive oil on hair and sleep w/shower cap on all night then comb out with lice comb(Ace makes a good one) .Keep repeating until all is gone if none of this works consult dr and get medicinal shampoo, but be sure to wash all furniture and linens down really good.Good Luck!

Answer 5

Permethrin shampoo available which has to be used like any other shampoo. Nits can be removed by combing hair with a very fine toothed comb dipped in vinegar. All should be used carefully.

Answer 6

use rit u can buy it over the counter, but u may need to do this a few times..it comes with a fine nit comb to get the eggs..also these bugs dont like oily hair

Answer 7

My hair is long and thick so applying conditioner dry is a nightmare. I find the shower option very quick, easy and effective. You don't need to buy treatments.

Answer 8

What ladyfraser said.
Tea tree treatments. And the 8 day later one.
And washing all your clothes/coats/bedding etc. that might be infested too.

Answer 9

see, I had lice a while ago, what i di is i either put mayonaise in my hair or i used rubbing alochol on my head and soaked it. it works, but you can not itch your head it kills them right on contact that is why it itches. if it burns it is ok. as soon as your hair is dry or you feel itches on your head immediatly spay where it is itching. I got rid of my lice fast!!!!!

Answer 10

As far as I am concerned over the counter treatments do not work. Go buy some kerosene and sit in the tub and poor over your hair. Hopefully your hair is short. Ater a few minutes bath and wash you hair. Just don't get in your eyes. It is rather oily and does not hurt your skin.