Mommy Goes Green

I’m reading a book about integrative medicine for children and came across a couple great recommendations for treating head lice naturally – without shampoos containing pesticides or chemicals.

Option 1:

Smother lice by applying a heavy coating of margarine, mayo or Vaseline to a child’s hair and scalp.  Cover with a shower cap or plastic wrap and leave on several hours or overnight before washing out.  Wash hair thoroughly to remove oily substance and comb, comb, comb with a fine-toothed nit comb.

Option 2:

2 ounces of olive or coconut oil + 20 drops of tea tree oil + 10 drops of rosemary/lavender/lemon essential oil (any one of these ).  Mix and rub into scalp and hair.  Cover with a towel or shop cap for one hour (no longer).  Wash hair thoroughly to remove oily substance and comb, comb, comb with a fine-toothed nit comb. 

Make sure to clean combs and brushes in alcohol for an hour and put all of your child’s bedding and anything else he might sleep with (stuffed animals, for instance) in plastic bags for 3-4 days until the lice eggs have latched and died from lack of food.  You should do the same anywhere else the child has slept ( day care or school ).

The book notes that head lice can take two weeks to hatch so make sure to keep checking your child’s clean dry hair to make sure it doesn’t reoccur.

Of course, none of this replaces your doctor’s advice

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