Permanent hair dyes and bleach that containing chemicals like ammonia and hydrogen peroxide COULD affect and possibly even kill head lice, but it will not harm or eliminate the nits (lice eggs attached to the hair strand) before they hatch. Eliminating the nits is a critical step of lice treatment.
Although all preadult and adult lice in vitro were inactive at the end of a 20 min treatment with 1.500 ppm hydrogen peroxide at lO”C, 35% of lice had recovered I h and 85% at 24 h post-exposure. Chalimi were similarly affected but 90-100% recovered.
Ivermectin (Sklice).
This lotion kills most head lice, even newly hatched ones, with just one use. You don't need to comb out lice eggs (nits).
Dawn Dish Soap
It worked like a charm. I used the soap like regular shampoo in my kids, then made sure to condition extra well after too.
Never use gasoline or kerosene to treat lice. Several effective medications are available, including over-the-counter products containing pyrethrins or permethrin. These may be sold by the brand names Nix, Pronto, Rid and Triple X.
What repels head lice? Coconut, tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon grass, and peppermint are scents popularly believed to repel lice. Using any coconut scented shampoo and conditioner is an easy way to increase your defense. At 1% concentration, tea tree oil killed 100% of head lice after 30 minutes.
In some hosts, lice have their own predators, such as fungi or bacteria.
Alcohol, particularly rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol, can kill lice and their eggs (nits) upon contact. Its drying effect can dehydrate and kill adult lice, as well as dissolve nits' protective coatings, making them easier to remove.
Lice cannot “fall” on pillows, sheets, stuffed animals, and other bedding unless the hair that they are attached to fall. But they can't live on these surfaces, or on hats, scarves, furniture, or carpet. They also can't live on pets or any other animals. Nits can't live without a human host.
Tea Tree Oil. Though many people are sensitive to tea tree oil, it has been shown to be effective at killing lice. One study showed a 100% mortality rate after 30 minutes of treatment. A tea tree oil-scented spray or shampoo may be useful in preventing reinfestation.
Lice Treatment
Suffocating the little critters with mayonnaise or peanut butter are some popular, but ineffective methods of killing them. Nothing except going to a louse treating professional can guarantee a lice-free scalp.
Lysol can kill viruses and bacteria, but does Lysol spray kill lice on surfaces? Does disinfectant spray kill lice? We've wondered ourselves; can Lysol disinfectant spray kill lice on contact after lice removal? No; head lice doused in Lysol can survive.
Head lice crawl, but they can't jump or fly. Head lice often spread from one person to another by direct head-to-head contact, often within a family or among children who have close contact at school or play. It's less common for head lice to spread without direct contact.
Lice aren't spread through bedding, Dr. Shetlar says. However, kids sleeping together or with their parents can readily spread the lice person-to-person when they touch heads together. If a person in a family is found to be infested, there is a high probability that someone else in the family also will have them.
Lice eggs can't hatch off of your head, and they can't reattach.
Wet-combing
Combing wet hair with a fine-toothed nit comb may remove lice and some nits. Studies show that wet-combing results vary. Start by wetting the hair and lubricating it with hair conditioner or olive oil. Comb the entire head from the scalp to the end of the hair at least twice during a session.
The risk of getting infested by a louse that has fallen onto a carpet or furniture is very small. Head lice survive less than 1–2 days if they fall off a person and cannot feed; nits cannot hatch and usually die within a week if they are not kept at the same temperature as that found close to the scalp.
RID® Super Max Home Control Spray can be used to kill lice, bedbugs, and dust mites on mattresses, furniture, car interiors, and other non-washable surfaces. It will not stain surfaces or fabrics on which water causes no damage.
Lice are highly sensitive to repellant odors such as Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Marjoram and Pennyroyal (source). Lucky for us, these essential oils are easy to find at the store.
A combination of anise, ylang ylang, and coconut oils has been shown to be effective against head lice.
Evidence of lice can often be found above or behind the ear, but they will not enter your ear—even if your ears are hairy. Itching inside your ears during a lice infestation is a sign of an allergic reaction. 5 Lice also cannot get into your brain through your ear or by burrowing through your skull.