It’s bedtime and you suddenly notice that your little one can’t stop scratching their head. On closer inspection, you realise that the dreaded head lice have moved in. Immediate action is needed and you don’t have any treatment in the cabinet!

How many of us have rushed to the nearest supermarket in search of help when really they should be settling little ones down for the evening. And not only that, there’s a whole host of different products available to treat head lice so how do you know which ones really work?

Head lice treatments have improved tenfold since we were children where getting rid involved an overnight hair treatment with an aroma that would alone finish of the lice. But with most experts believing that it’s actually the nit comb that does 90% of the work, why spend a small fortune on pre-packed solutions?  

There are lots of natural remedies available on the internet so in preparation for the warmer weather, we thought we’d do a little round up for you!

Olive Oil or Almond Oil

Try coating the hair with olive oil or almond oil and comb through using a nit comb, washing the comb under hot water as you go.

Essential Oils

After something that smells a little more pleasant? Try mixing 2 ounces of olive oil with 15 drops of Tea Tree oil. Apply to scalp using cotton wool and leave the mixture on overnight. The next morning comb hair, shampoo and repeat. Other essential oils, including Lavender and Peppermint can also be used.

Conditioner

Wet your child’s hair, coat with conditioner and comb through with a really good nit comb.

Lemon Juice

And finally, one of the best home remedies for treating lice is lemon juice; safe and affordable, lemon juice contains about 5% citric acid. The acid helps to dissolve the cement that glues the nits to the hair shaft, which after application, makes the nits and eggs very easy to comb out. Simply apply the juice to dry, clean hair (you may need a few lemons depending on how long your child’s hair is), use enough to wet the hair, leave on for ten minutes and then comb out and wash as normal and repeat in a couple of days time.

So next time your child comes home with a Head Lice alert, check out what natural remedies are around and comb your way to a nit free home!