Lice are very small, wingless insects that are classified as a parasite. The lice live in the human hair, living off of very small amounts of blood drawn from the scalp. Lice do not carry diseases, but they are extremely annoying and contagious. An itching scalp is the most common symptom of a lice infestation. While there are many over-the-counter remedies available to treat lice, the infestation can easily be treated with natural home remedies.
Step 1
Prepare by dampening the hair with warm water. It should be damp, but not soaking wet.
Step 2
Make a concoction of equal parts vinegar and baby oil. The overall amount needed will depend on the hair's thickness and length. Mix the vinegar and oil throughly.
Step 3
Work the mixture through the hair thoroughly. Use it like shampoo, but make sure to coat every bit of hair.
Step 4
Put on the shower-cap, locking the mixture and the hair inside. Leave this on for one hour.
Step 5
Pull off the shower-cap and immediately rinse with warm water. Next, dry the hair completely.
Step 6
Rub the petroleum jelly into the scalp liberally. In addition to further treating the lice, it will moisturize the scalp which has been dried up by the parasites annoying bites. Leave the petroleum jelly in for a few minutes.
Step 7
Wash the hair with normal shampoo. The petroleum jelly is very difficult to get out of the hair. Repeated washes may be required before it is totally removed. When satisfied, dry the hair.
Step 8
Inspect the treated hair for nits, which are lice eggs. They are barely visible to the human eye and appear as little white specks. They are very similar to dandruff. Nits are attached to threads of hair and will not be washed away by the initial treatment. Even brushing will not guarantee their removal. Remove any nits identified. Particularly stubborn nits may require cutting the thread of hair off to get rid of them.
Step 9
Repeat the above treatment again the next day. Lice are resilient and it may require multiple treatments to eradicate them.
Tip
Try to identify the origination of the lice infestation. Lice are easily transmitted from person to person through direct hair contact or by shared use of coats, brushes or combs.
Things You'll Need
Petroleum jelly
Baby oil
Vinegar
Shower cap