Everyone knows head lice is not any enjoyable, and fairly probably a terrifying prospect for any dad or mum to take care of. As extra drug-resistant strains emerge, it takes a bit of analysis to know what pure strategies to take care of lice truly work.

Particularly when getting ready for the beginning of college, a refresher may help! Listed below are some efficient pure or less-harsh strategies that truly work, based mostly on analysis from medical journals and expertise from the parenting trenches. I additionally embrace some proactive steps to hopefully keep away from getting lice within the first place.

Drug-Resistant Head Lice?

Simply as sure strains of micro organism have mutated to find a way to survive remedy with widespread antibiotics, these head lice have developed mutations that permit them to survive the widespread remedies. Not solely do insecticidal remedies douse our youngsters in probably harmful endocrine disruptors and brain-affecting chemical substances, however many additionally aren’t even efficient anymore!

A 2014 research discovered that over 99% of lice that had been examined had a mutation that permit them survive remedies with pesticides permethrin and pyrethrin, the most typical remedies used.

It’s virtually saturated with (these genes), which signifies that folks utilizing permethrin and pyrethrin based mostly merchandise will in all probability have a really onerous time controlling the lice,” mentioned Kyong Sup Yoon, affiliate professor of organic sciences and environmental sciences at Southern Illinois College, who led the analysis for the present research and the 2014 research. (supply)

Newer remedies use stronger strains of pesticides that lice are not but resistant to, however can price over $100 and infrequently want a prescription.

It’s additionally good to remember that these pesticides could include neurotoxins and endocrine disruptors which will have a long-lasting unfavourable impact on kids, particularly when used greater than as soon as over time.

What Ought to a Mum or dad Do?

As a dad or mum, the mere thought of head lice sends chills down my backbone. With six children, lice may unfold in a short time at our home and be very tough to get rid of.

We truly confronted this drawback a pair of years in the past, and after some analysis, I wasn’t comfy utilizing the standard remedies with pesticides, particularly since our youngsters are nonetheless so little.

I attempted a number of of the pure treatments and suffocation strategies really useful on-line, however none appeared to really cease the issue, particularly for one daughter who had hair too thick to comb by way of utterly and which was good for hiding lice.

Inside per week, we had utterly eradicated the lice from our youngsters and likewise found lots of pure treatments for head lice that didn’t work (and some that labored brilliantly.)

The wonder of these remedies is that they act on the lice in a bodily manner by way of dehydration or different strategies and don’t depend on the pesticides that many lice are resistant to anyway.

I’ve additionally included an inventory of the issues we’ve used to keep away from any extra outbreaks since our preliminary one, even in instances once I know that my kids had been uncovered to kids with lice.

Natural Ways to Combat Drug-Resistant Head Lice

The research discovered that drug-resistant lice had been resistant to pesticides. I wasn’t comfy with utilizing pesticides anyway, so the strategies I discovered and examined on our youngsters didn’t depend on them within the first place. I learn the total textual content of the research and confirmed that these pure treatments (which labored by way of dehydration and bodily means) would nonetheless work on mutated kinds of lice.

The opposite benefit of these pure treatments is that I didn’t have to comb by way of my children’ hair in any respect as a result of the remedy doesn’t depend on eradicating any lice and nits.

For our boys, we shaved their heads because it was heat climate anyway, however our three women offered an enormous problem: three heads of thick, wavy hair starting from simply over shoulder size to virtually waist size.

Our women are additionally essentially the most tender-headed kids I’ve ever met, so nit-picking was going to be a tough or inconceivable choice for us, although it has been discovered to be efficient at eradicating lice when used persistently. I additionally present in researching, that lice don’t lay eggs for a minimum of ten days after they hatch, so so long as some type of efficient pure lice treatment is used each 6-7 days for a couple of life cycles, nitpicking hair isn’t crucial.

These are the strategies that labored for us, so as of effectiveness:

Saline-Based mostly Lice Spray

The simplest treatment we used that didn’t require any chemical substances or the use of a lice comb was a saline-based lice spray. The salt-based spray dehydrates and kills lice and nits on contact however isn’t dangerous to a toddler. Although it does include an added perfume I might usually keep away from, this feature continues to be a lot, rather more pure than different choices and eliminated a lot headache from the lice elimination course of that I used to be keen to use it even with the perfume.

This spray was so easy to use too. I simply sprayed on hair earlier than mattress, let keep on in a single day, and shampooed their hair within the morning. It didn’t sting, it didn’t have a horrible scent like insecticide-based treatments and it (surprisingly) additionally left lots of physique of their hair for a couple of week (in all probability due to the salt, which I take advantage of in my very own seaside waves spray for quantity).

This spray additionally comes with a lice comb, which I used as a lot as I may one time on every baby’s hair, however even with out constant combing, our lice had been gone inside per week with out the necessity for any pesticides.

The opposite benefit to this spray is that it may be used after publicity to different kids with lice, so if I do know my kids have been uncovered, I spray their hair at night time and allow them to sleep with the spray in to keep away from an outbreak.

Neem Shampoo

A 2012 research discovered that neem oil was additionally efficient for killing lice when used externally in a shampoo. For the reason that saline-based lice spray wanted to be washed out every morning, I used a neem-based shampoo to make it possible for no lice had survived the remedy. (I used this model and actually appreciated it)

This shampoo is drying, so I adopted up with a pure conditioner on the ladies so their hair wouldn’t be too dry or tangled to brush. I discovered that I may additionally use the lice comb on their hair whereas it was moist and had conditioner on it, so this was the closest we got here to combing their hair utterly.

We continued utilizing this shampoo till we knew that the locations they’d been uncovered to lice had utterly eradicated the issue, and I now add a couple of drops of neem oil to their common shampoo to assist keep away from any future outbreaks.

Vital be aware: Neem oil ought to by no means be used internally, particularly on ladies, kids, or anybody with out categorical physician oversight. It could actually have unfavourable results if used internally however is mostly thought of protected for exterior use. Examine with a health care provider earlier than utilizing this, or any product, if pregnant or on kids.

Diatomaceous Earth

I additionally alternated these remedies with the use of diatomaceous earth (DE). I’ve used DE earlier than for fleas and different pests and located some proof that it may assist kill lice as properly. The tiny particles of DE have microscopic sharp sides that scrape the exoskeleton of the lice and lead to dehydration. That is one other chemical-free manner to assist kill head lice or different pests.

Warning: DE may cause irritation if inhaled. Watch out to apply in a manner that doesn’t create mud your baby may inhale. I did this by having them cowl their face with a face masks and a towel (and doing this myself as properly), after which rigorously sprinkling DE throughout their scalps. We then utilized a bathe cap and allow them to watch a film whereas the DE did its work earlier than washing out.

I additionally used DE in treating our home to keep away from future outbreaks (see under for the steps I took).

Different Vital Steps to Combat a Head Lice Infestation

Since head lice can survive for a short while on bedding, garments, or carpet, it’s also essential to deal with the house for lice as properly. These are the steps we took that prevented one other infestation:

1. I began by spraying and saturating all of the kids’s hair with the saline lice spray and letting it dry. This was within the afternoon, so we left the spray on in a single day whereas they slept.
2. Then, I tackled the home. I began by stripping all beds, pillows and eradicating all clothes they’d worn for the previous 72 hours from their rooms. I washed all of these in sizzling water and used the most well liked cycle within the dryer. Even simply 20 minutes within the hottest setting on a dryer is meant to kill any lice dwelling on clothes or bedding. I additionally ran their pillows and stuffed animals by way of the dryer for 20 minutes. Any stuffed animals, fabric toys, or furnishings that was too large to be washed was put in a black rubbish bag and put within the attic (it was sizzling this time of 12 months) for two weeks. This might need been overkill, however I wasn’t taking possibilities.
3. I sprinkled diatomaceous earth on all carpets, let sit for 15 minutes, and vacuumed all the things… twice.
4. Then, I took all hairbrushes/combs and ran by way of the sanitize cycle on the dishwasher. Hairbows, hair ties, and different hair equipment had been put in hermetic baggage for a number of weeks.
5. I additionally parked our household automobile within the sizzling solar for a number of hours to kill any surviving lice within the automobile.

Avoiding Future Head Lice Infestations

Now we have not had any lice infestations since that preliminary time, regardless of publicity a number of instances. To maintain from getting one other outbreak, I’ve used this lice-free spray on our youngsters any time I do know that we’ve probably been uncovered. We additionally use the Neem shampoo as soon as a month or so, particularly this time of 12 months, simply to be protected.

However (strive) to bear in mind, it isn’t the tip of the world…

In case your baby comes residence with lice at any level, don’t panic! I do know it may be embarrassing, irritating, and exhausting to take care of head lice, however lice are usually not life-threatening or harmful… simply annoying!

Even with these mutated drug-resistant lice, there are pure choices that work! In my view, they even work higher than dangerous standard insecticide-based choices.

Whereas I hope we by no means want these treatments for lice once more, it offers me peace of thoughts to be ready and have a plan forward of time.

This text was medically reviewed by Dr. Michelle Sands, ND. She is double board licensed in Integrative Drugs and Naturopathic Drugs and can be a Board-Licensed Holistic Nutritionist, and aggressive endurance athlete. As all the time, this isn’t private medical recommendation and we suggest that you simply discuss together with your physician.

Has your loved ones ever handled head lice? What did you try this labored?