What Does Research Say
According to a 2012 study, tea tree oil may help kill lice in the nymph and adult stages of their life . Tea tree oil treatments may also keep the lice eggs from hatching.
Another 2010 study showed promising results while using tea tree oil for treating lice . In the study, researchers used three types of treatments to treat children with head lice. One of the treatments contained a mix of tea tree and lavender oils, which showed the greatest benefit to those with head lice.
In another study, researchers compared certain botanical and synthetic substances that can be used to prevent lice in kids . Tea tree oil was the most effective treatment of all. This oil, when used with peppermint, could also help repel lice. However, long-term of use of tea tree oil for removing head lice is yet to be studied.
In the following section, we have discussed the different ways you can use tea tree oil for reducing head lice.
Can You Add Tea Tree Oil To Shampoo For Lice
Tea tree oil may be beneficial for treating head lice, either on its own or in conjunction with other botanicals such as lavender oil, according to the findings of some preliminary research. However, before specialists can confidently prescribe tea tree oil as a safe and efficient treatment for lice, more research on a larger scale need to be carried out.
Preventing Head Lice In Children
Kids love playing. During play, they can easily get and spread head lice. Below are some measures you can take to protect your child from getting lice.
- Avoid sharing personal items
Do not share any items that touch the head. This includes combs, brushes, hats, helmets, hair clips, scarves, towels, headsets and earbuds. Let your child know that they shouldnt be sharing these items with friends at home or at school.
- Be careful when using shared spaces
Inform your child about avoiding games that involve head-to-head contact with their friends. This is because lice can be spread in this manner. Adults caring for the kids should also be on the lookout.
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This Is Really Important To Understand:
Even if I did miss a nit or two, and those nits hatched, it was going to be quite a simple matter to catch any of them before they reached reproductive age.
Why?
The conditioner/oil immobilizes them and that pretty much guarantees that theyll get caught in the comb.
Also!
This is SUCH an easy way to tell if any other kids in the house are infested. If you have a fresh infestation, there will be live bugs, and they are super super easy to see when you do the conditioner/comb combo.
The first go-round with lice, I treated everyone in the house blindly without actually knowing if everyone had lice.
But the second time around, I did the conditioner/tea tree oil thing on all of the kids and was able to confirm that only one kid actually had lice.
It has now been 9 months since I used this combo on my kids lice-infested head, and there has been absolutely no recurrence, so I know this really did work!
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Tea Tree Oil For Lice Prevention Spray Tutorial
You can add tea tree to your shampoo or conditioner, but better lice prevention comes from having the scent of tea tree in the hair. This is best done by spraying the scent in the hair and NOT washing it out.
Ingredients:
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How To Kill Lice Using Tea Tree Essential Oil
Head lice like to lay their eggs at the base of the hair shaft. These eggs are most noticeable at the nape of the neck, the hairline, and near the back of the ears. They can take up to nine days to hatch.
A single female louse will lay four to five eggs twice per day. Once those eggs hatch, it only takes 7-10 days before they reach adulthood and can lay eggs of their own.
So, as you can see, its important to start treatment as soon as you notice lice on your childs hair.
The telltale signs of a lice infestation include:
- A tickly feeling when the hair moves
- Difficulty sleeping due to an itchy scalp
- Finding lice eggs on the hair shaft
- Intense itching
- Seeing actual lice on the scalp, hair, clothing, hair care tools, etc.
- Small red itchy bumps on the scalp, neck, and shoulders
- Sores on the scalp caused by excessive scratching
Tea tree essential oil can be used in the following recipe to help kill all life stages of lice over the course of five days. This is because it is almost impossible to kill all the eggs in a single treatment, so its advised to continue treatment for five consecutive days in order to ensure complete eradication.
Tea Tree Oil Recipe for Killing Lice
- 1 oz coconut oil
- 6 drops of tea tree oil Adults can use 12 drops per ounce of coconut oil
Mix the tea tree essential oil into the coconut oil and saturate the hair and scalp completely.
Once you have meticulously combed the hair from scalp to ends, shampoo the hair twice in a row then condition as usual.
Dont Buy Chemical Lice Treatments
Youll find lots of chemical lice treatments, some will work well and others your head lice will be resistant to.
The problem is, you could be risking your health. Chemical lice treatments are made from potent chemicals, theyre not designed to be used regularly and even with short term use, may give you side effects.
If youre reading this to help treat a child who has head lice, you have even more reason to avoid chemical lice treatments.
Helpfully there is an effective, resistant proof, scalp protecting solution: Conditioner and a nit comb.
Its safe, cheap and the simplest of head lice treatments to use. Slather your hair and scalp in conditioner and comb away. Repeat 4 times over 2 weeks. Job done.
For best effects choose our Tea Tree Oil Conditioner with an off the shelf nit comb.
This solution works on two levels. The conditioner makes your hair very easy to comb and the antibacterial action of Tea Tree Oil helps keep your scalp clean. This is not just hearsay: this is proven by science keep reading to learn all. Two weeks is all it takes to be naturally free from head lice.
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Cleanses Away Impurities And Buildup
Tea tree oil as a shampoo ingredient indicates the formula will bust buildup and wash away impurities from the scalp for a refreshed, truly clean feeling.
If youve been a little heavy-handed with the dry shampoo lately or cant seem to get every trace of a heavy product out, a tea tree shampoo is the solution.
Formulas that contain tea tree oil can also help cleanse away dead skin cells from the scalp and keep your follicles unclogged and free from all types of buildup.
Does Tea Tree Oil Dry Your Hair
Does Tea Tree Oil Cause Hair to Dry? No, because tea tree oil is a natural extract, it will not cause your hair to become brittle. Try combining a few drops of tea tree oil with carrier oils such as coconut oil or olive oil to treat dry skin disorders such as dry scalp. This will restore moisture to the hair, roots, and scalp while also promoting hair growth.
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Can You Treat Head Lice With Tea Tree Oil
It has the potential to keep lice at bay. Tea tree oil was shown to be the most effective therapy when used on its own. Lice were shown to be most resistant to tea tree oil and peppermint oil, according to the research. Lice were shown to feed on treated skin when treated with tea tree oil or lavender, according to the research.
What Is Tree Oil
Tree oil, also known as tea tree oil or melaleuca oil , is an essential oil that is made from the Australian melaleuca alternifolia . It is used by many in a regular skin care routine and can treat a number of ailments, including acne and other fungal infections, such as those of the nail and athlete’s foot. Tea tree oil treatments have also been used for treating head lice and preventing lice.
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How To Get Rid Of Lice With Tea Tree Oil
Posted on
I know lice are a super unpleasant subject, but if youve got school-age kids, pin this for future use.
As you may remember, in the summer of 2014, all four of my kids got head lice.
At first when it happened, I was all, OH MY GOSH THE SKY IS FALLING! MY CHILDREN HAVE BUGS LIVING ON THEIR HEADS. GIVE ME THE DRUGS.
So, as my pediatrician directed, the day the infestation was discovered, I:
- bought eleventy-kazillion dollars worth of Nix
- treated the kids and Mr. FG and myself
- washed everything in the house
- put stuffed animals in the freezer
- generally ran myself ragged
I might have cried too.
The pediatrician said that Nix would kill the bugs, and wed just be left with nits to pick.
But a few days of nit-picking later, straggler bugs remained. They seemed a bit dazed, to be sure , but still.
Live bugs.
Gah!
So then my ped called in a prescription for Sklice, a newer and super effective med that truly does kill not only the lice but the eggs as well.
This stuff is amazing, but awfully expensive, especially when you have multiple heads to treat
I applied the Sklice, but kept nit-picking all of my kids for two weeks, just in case the Sklice somehow missed zapping an egg.
This was exhausting, tedious work, and I wished dearly that I could just give all my kids buzz cuts.
Anyway, eventually everyone was clear, thanks to the Sklice and my nit-picking.
But then one of my girls got lice again, I think from some friends accidentally passing it around.
What Are Head Lice
A Head Louse lives exclusively on the human scalp and solely feeds on human blood. A live infestation of head lice, otherwise known as nits , can be identified by an itchy scalp, small brown or white eggs on the shaft of the hair. If you are very lucky you can also see the louse moving amongst the hair. They are wingless parasites so can only be caught by head to head contact with someone else who has been infested.
Lice are very common in children and adults who belong to small children. You can easily identify infestations by looking for areas of intense itching, redness and sometimes a rash caused by a reaction to the lice feeding on skin. Excessive itching can lead to a secondary bacterial infection.
The chemistry of Tea Tree oil is bursting with natural insect repellents, which are especially useful when combed through as a conditioning treatment during an infestation, removing and killing the lice. Using a daily wash containing Tea tree oil will support the body’s natural immune functions to heal the skin and keep infections at bay with its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory constituents. To prevent head lice or nits becoming a recurring problem, use a daily hair spray will deter the lice from moving back in. There are recipes at the bottom of the article to help you stop being all itchy!
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Is Tea Tree Oil Safe To Treat Head Lice
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health , reports:
Most people can use topical products containing tea tree oil without problems, but some people may develop contact dermatitis or skin irritation on the parts of the body where the product was used.
Tea tree oil should not be swallowed. Taking it orally can cause serious symptoms such as confusion and ataxia .
Application Of Tea Tree Oil To Treat And Prevent Head LiceUsing
Treat Lice Infestations With Tea Tree Oil
Pure tea tree oil has antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, it not only kills the number of live lice but also repels future infestations. It is important that the minimum concentration of the tea tree oil is 2% to kill and the lice and nits.
Tea tree oil is one of the most popular essential oils. Several beauty brands have adopted tea tree oil into their products for skin and hair. See our shortlist of the best tea tree oil face wash and best tea tree oil shampoo brands in the market.
Tea tree is also one of the most used oils when it comes to essential oil home remedies. Explore more about the Top 10 Benefits of Tea Tree Oil for Health and have a look at the beauty benefits of tea tree oil for skin and of tea tree oil for hair.
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Why I Don’t Recommend Tea Tree Oil For Lice
I’m not a fan of using tea tree oil, because it doesn’t kill lice eggs and you end up dealing with lice and retreating for weeks and weeks!
Instead, get rid of lice in one day by following along with my step-by-step videos. No lice products are required and no retreatments. Follow the videos and be done with lice for good!
Here’s what you should know before doing tea tree oil as a lice treatment…
Does Tea Tree Oil Kill Lice
Getting rid of lice can be a grueling experience. These wingless creatures that live on the human head by attaching themselves to the hair follicles are also highly contagious. In the US, over 10 million people get lice infestations every year. The good news is head lice are treatable. There are various chemical and natural treatment options available. Tea tree oil is believed to be one of the best treatments as it is mild on the scalp, making it ideal for children. But can tea tree oil kill lice? Lets find out below.
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Can You Put Tea Tree Oil Directly On Your Scalp
Never use undiluted tea tree oil on your head without first diluting it with another oil. Alternately, you might combine it with a carrier oil, such coconut oil. Because it may be difficult to remove the oil combination from your hair, you may want to try diluting it with another material, such as apple cider vinegar or aloe vera, in order to improve your chances of success.
How Do You Make Homemade Tea Tree Shampoo
To make a conditioner with tea tree oil, combine 5 drops of oil, one egg, and two tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl. After completely combining, apply to clean, damp hair and let sit for five to ten minutes. Rinse. If you want your homemade tea tree shampoo to have a calming aroma, try adding a few drops of lavender oil to it.
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More Studies Needs To Be Done Before Companies Can Claim That Essential Oils In Lice Products Are Effective
Even though these smaller studies have led to interesting results, Alan points out that the evidence in using essential oils as a lice treatment still isnt that strong, as the sample sizes have been smalland the most promising research isnt very recent.
In fact, the Federal Trade Commission cracked down on one company in 2014 after it claimed certain products, which were infused with citronella and other essential oils, could dramatically reduce the risk of head lice infestations. The FTC eventually negotiated a settlement with the makers of Lice Shield, as it had not been scientifically proven to shield anyone from infestations.
And for doctors who see cases of lice all the time in their practice, essential oils havent been a reliable method in clearing the problem, according to Robert C. Hamilton, M.D., a pediatrician at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. His simple take: They dont work that well.
What Scents Do Lice Hate
Lichens may be kept at bay by using this product. Tea tree oil was shown to be the most effective therapy when used on its own, according to the research. Lice were shown to be most resistant to tea tree oil and peppermint oil, according to the study. Lice were shown to feed on treated skin when treated with tea tree oil or lavender, according to the research results.
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