Alarm bells inevitably tend to go off when you see your child scratching their head. Yup, it could be those dreaded head lice. Head lice are actually a parasite known as Pediculus humanus capitis. They can attach themselves to your hair and are mostly found on the scalp. The itching that you experience when you have lice is a reaction to their bites. People with lice may also experience a tickling feeling, as though something is moving through their hair. These parasites can even disturb your sleep since they tend to be more active at night.^[1][Parasites].CDC.

In ayurveda, lice are categorized as a bahyaja krimi, that is an external worm or microbe. The ancient physician Acharya Harita specifically identified lice as kesh akita or yukta. An imbalance of kapha dosha is considered to promote krimi infestation. Factors such as over sweating, excessive exposure to moisture, excessive intake of certain foods such as madhura (sweet) or amla (sour) foods, jaggery, milk, til oil, fish, as well as excessive sleep during the day, and a sedentary lifestyle are thought to contribute to the growth of krimi.

How To Treat Lice

It’s important to treat lice as soon as you realize you’ve got them. Here are a few natural remedies that can help:

1. Use A Lice Comb

Special fine-toothed combs that are used for removing lice are available. Choose a comb with flat teeth that are spaced around 0.2 to 0.3mm apart. Combs with teeth that are closer together can be helpful in removing eggs once you’ve dealt with the lice. Follow this procedure to use the comb effectively:

• Shampoo your hair and apply a lot of conditioner. The conditioner makes it difficult for the lice to move around freely.
• Use a normal comb to untangle any knots in your hair so that the comb can pass through smoothly.
• Now use the lice comb to remove the lice – make sure you run the comb from the roots of your hair (that is, the comb should touch your scalp when you start combing) to the very tip.
• Check the comb for lice every time, run the comb through your hair, and remove the lice that gets caught between the teeth of the comb with a tissue paper.
• Make sure you work through every part of your scalp and hair section by section. And repeat the process again after you comb through your head to be certain that you haven’t missed any part.
• Repeat the process again on the 5th day, 9th day, and 13th day to ensure that you get rid of newly hatched lice too. On day 17 you should repeat the process to check that there are no lice left.^[2][Head lice and nits].NHS Inform.

2. Spray Coconut And Star Anise Oil

Here’s a natural and easy solution to those pesky lice- coconut oil and star anise oil. One study found that spraying a solution of these – 2 applications 9 days apart – was effective at getting rid of lice. In fact, it was found to be more effective than a medication used to treat lice infestations. The researchers suggest that this remedy works by coating the lice with an oily film and suffocating them.^[3]Burgess, Ian F., Elizabeth R. Brunton, and Nazma A. Burgess. “Clinical trial showing superiority of a coconut and anise spray over permethrin 0.43% lotion for head louse infestation, … Continue reading

How to use:

• Combine coconut oil and a few drops of star anise oil in a spray bottle and shake it well.
• Divide your hair into sections and spray on this solution taking care to coat every part of the scalp and hair.
• Leave it on for about 15 minutes before rinsing it off.

Precaution:

• Do test all new ingredients in this treatment on a small patch of skin first before applying it to your scalp to make sure that you do not react adversely to it.
• Since star anise can sometimes cause skin problems like blistering or swelling, it might be a good idea to use coconut oil on its own for getting rid of lice, especially in the case of children.

3. Use Neem

Neem is highly valued in ayurveda for its medicinal properties. In fact, it’s known as “sarva roga nivarini”, that is, it is considered to cure all ills. And studies show that it can help you clear out lice as well. According to a study, children who were infested with lice benefited from treatment with a neem seed extract shampoo. This shampoo was found to be highly effective against lice after it was left in for just 10 minutes.^[4]Abdel-Ghaffar, Fathy, and Margit Semmler. “Efficacy of neem seed extract shampoo on head lice of naturally infected humans in Egypt.” Parasitology Research 100, no. 2 (2007): 329-332. Meanwhile, another study found that neem leaf extracts are also effective against lice.^[5]Aathira, E. P., and A. Suganthi. “PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND ANTI-HEAD LICE ACTIVITY.” (2019).

How to use:

• Apply neem leaf paste or extract: To prepare a neem leaf extract take a handful of clean neem leaves and boil them for 2 minutes in a liter of water. Let this solution sit overnight. The next day you can strain the leaves out and apply the solution to your hair. You can even make a paste of the strained-out neem leaves and use it as a hair mask. Research shows that neem leaf extracts take about 2 hours to wipe out lice. So you might want to let the solution or paste sit for a while before you rinse it out.
• Apply neem oil: Dilute concentrated neem with coconut oil in the ratio of 1:10 and apply it to your scalp and hair. Let it sit for around 20 minutes before washing it off.

Precautions:

• Do test all new ingredients in this treatment on a small patch of skin first before applying it to your scalp to make sure that you do not react adversely to it.
• It’s important to dilute essential oils appropriately before using it on children. Experts suggest that essential oils should only be used in a concentration of 1-2% for children between 2-6 years and at a concentration of 1.5%-3% for children between 6-15 years. Do speak to a doctor before using essential oils if you have any doubts.^[6][Are Essential Oils Safe for Children?]. John Hopkins Medicine.
• Applying neem leaf paste can dry out your hair. So, make sure you apply a good conditioner after the treatment to restore your hair’s natural moisture.

4. Apply Sitaphal Seed Paste

Sitaphal or custard apple seeds have traditionally been used in ayurveda for treating lice.^[7]Verma, Prashant, and Chaitanya Namdeo. “Treatment of pediculosis capitis.” Indian journal of dermatology 60, no. 3 (2015): 238.And scientific research backs up this traditional usage. One study found that the application of custard apple extracts killed around 93 to 97% of lice after 3 hours.^[8]Tiangda, C. H., W. Gritsanapan, N. Sookvanichsilp, and A. Limchalearn. “Anti-headlice activity of a preparation of Annona squamosa seed extract.” The Southeast Asian journal of tropical … Continue reading

How to use:

• Grind custard apple seeds into a fine powder and add water to this powder to prepare a paste.
• This paste can be used as a hair mask – make sure you cover your scalp and hair completely and let it sit for a while, before washing it off. According to research sitaphal seeds take about 3 hours to get rid of lice.

Precaution:

• Do test the custard apple seed paste on a small patch of skin first before applying it to your scalp to make sure that you do not react adversely to it.

5. Try Clove Oil

Clove oil can also help treat head lice. One study found that over 90% of lice that were exposed to 30 minutes of contact with clove oil died within 2 hours. A compound known as eugenol which is present in clove oil is thought to be manly responsible for this effect.^[9]Candy, Kerdalidec, Patrick Nicolas, Valérie Andriantsoanirina, Arezki Izri, and Rémy Durand. “In vitro efficacy of five essential oils against Pediculus humanus capitis.” Parasitology … Continue reading

How to use:

• Add 15 drops of clove oil to 2 ounces of olive oil and apply this solution to your hair and scalp. Let it sit for a minimum of 30 minutes before rinsing it off.

Precautions:

• Do test all new ingredients in this treatment on a small patch of skin first before applying it to your scalp to make sure that you do not react adversely to it.
• It’s important to dilute essential oils appropriately before using it on children. Experts suggest that essential oils should only be used in a concentration of 1-2% for children between 2-6 years and at a concentration of 1.5%-3% for children between 6-15 years. Do speak to a doctor before using essential oils if you have any doubts.^[10][Are Essential Oils Safe for Children?]. John Hopkins Medicine.

6. Apply Cinnamon Oil

Cinnamon or dalchini can be found in the masala box of most Indian households. Known as “tvak” in Sanskrit, this common spice holds an esteemed place in Ayurveda and has always been valued for its germicidal properties.^[11][Important uses of Dalchini].Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences. And research shows that it acts against lice too. Many components present in cinnamon oil such as benzaldehyde, Salicylaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, cinnamaldehyde etc. have been found to be effective against lice.^[12]Yang, Young-Cheol, Hoi-Seon Lee, Si Hyeock Lee, J. Marshall Clark, and Young-Joon Ahn. “Ovicidal and adulticidal activities of Cinnamomum zeylanicum bark essential oil compounds and related … Continue reading

How to use:

• Add 15 drops of cinnamon oil to 2 ounces of coconut or olive oil and apply this solution to your hair and scalp.
• Let it sit for 4 to 5 hours before rinsing it off.

Precautions:

• Do test all new ingredients in this treatment on a small patch of skin first before applying it to your scalp to make sure that you do not react adversely to it.
• It’s important to dilute essential oils appropriately before using it on children. Experts suggest that essential oils should only be used in a concentration of 1-2% for children between 2-6 years and at a concentration of 1.5%-3% for children between 6-15 years. Do speak to a doctor before using essential oils if you have any doubts.^[13][Are Essential Oils Safe for Children?](https://www.hopkinsallchildrens.org/ACH-News/General-News/Are-Essential-Oils-Safe-for-Children “Are Essential Oils Safe for Children?”). John Hopkins … Continue reading

7. Apply Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is distilled from the leaves of the tea tree which grow in Australia. And it has traditionally been used by the people of Australia for its germicidal and medicinal properties.^[14][Tea Tree Oil]. National Institutes of Health.And research indicates that this beneficial oil is effective against lice.^[15]Di Campli, Emanuela, Soraya Di Bartolomeo, Patricia Delli Pizzi, Mara Di Giulio, Rossella Grande, Antonia Nostro, and Luigina Cellini. “Activity of tea tree oil and nerolidol alone or in … Continue reading

How to use:

• Add 3 to 5 drops of tea tree oil to one ounce of shampoo (you can increase the quantity in the same proportion if you require more) and apply it to your scalp and hair.
• Alternatively, combine 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil with 3 tablespoons of coconut or olive oil and apply that to your scalp and hair.
• Allow it to sit for 30-40 minutes before rinsing it off.

Precautions:

• Do test all new ingredients in this treatment on a small patch of skin first before applying it to your scalp to make sure that you do not react adversely to it.
• It’s important to dilute essential oils appropriately before using it on children. Experts suggest that essential oils should only be used in a concentration of 1-2% for children between 2-6 years and at a concentration of 1.5%-3% for children between 6-15 years. Do speak to a doctor before using essential oils if you have any doubts.^[16][Are Essential Oils Safe for Children?]. John Hopkins Medicine.

8. Apply Grapefruit Juice

Citrusy grapefruits are probably the farthest thing from your mind when you think about dealing with lice. But this surprising ingredient can actually help tackle lice. One study found that a shampoo containing grapefruit extracts was effective at killing mice when it was applied for 10 to 20 minutes.^[17]Abdel-Ghaffar, Fathy, Margit Semmler, Khaled Al-Rasheid, Sven Klimpel, and Heinz Mehlhorn. “Efficacy of a grapefruit extract on head lice: a clinical trial.” Parasitology research 106, … Continue reading

How to use:

• Juice a grapefruit and apply it all over your scalp and hair.
• Allow it to sit for around 20 minutes before rinsing it off.

Precaution:

• Do test all grapefruit juice on a small patch of skin first before applying it to your scalp to make sure that you do not react adversely to it.

General Tips For Warding Off Lice

Head lice commonly spreads through head to head or hair to hair contact. That’s why they’re often found in children, because children tend to put their heads together when they play. They can also sometimes spread through shared clothing which lice can crawl onto. In rare cases, you may get infested by a louse that’s dropped onto furniture or a carpet. Here are a few steps that’ll help you prevent lice from spreading:

• Try to avoid head to head contact during play or other activities.
• Do not share hair ribbons, scarves, caps, barrettes etc. Also avoid sharing hair combs and towels. You can disinfect a hairbrush or comb used by someone who has been infested with lice by soaking them for 5 to 10 minutes in hot water which is at least at 130°F.
• Wash bed linens and clothing used by an infested person in hot water (130°F). Anything that can’t be washed can be dry cleaned or sealed in a plastic bag for two weeks.
• Vacuum furniture, carpets etc. which has been used by an infested person.^[18][Prevention & Control]. CDC.