Here - Health Promotion Agency

Illness and accidents
Alternative treatments. ‘Natural’
methods of treating head lice using
essential or aromatherapy oils, such as
lavender, rosemary or tea tree oil, or
blends of different oils, are popular
with some parents. However, little
research has been done on their
effectiveness or whether these can be
toxic if used repeatedly or in the
incorrect amount. Some oils can also
irritate the skin or may not be
suitable for children. If you do use
essential oils to treat head lice
it is therefore wise to use these
cautiously and not as a
preventative measure against
lice. It is also known that some
essential oils should not be
used in pregnancy, so always
check that any oil used to
treat head lice during pregnancy
is safe to use.
Remember
● One infected child can infect an
entire nursery – so do treat your
child as soon as you discover
head lice.
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Tell the nursery and other parents.
Check your child’s hair regularly,
and always check if there is an
outbreak at the nursery or school.
If your child has head lice, check
the whole family (including dad!)
and treat them if necessary.
Older people, such as
grandparents, may have head lice
without knowing it and may pass
these on to children.
Brush and comb your child’s hair
often – it may help prevent head
lice taking hold.
TREATING HEAD LICE USING LOTIONS OR RINSES
Only use these when head lice have been detected and never as a
preventative. A fine-tooth plastic comb is better for detection than
a metal one.
● Head lice shampoos are not recommended as they are generally ineffective.
● Head lice repellants are not recommended.
● Follow the instructions on how to use the lotion or rinse carefully.
● To make sure all the head is covered, use an adequate amount of lotion.
A minimum of 50 ml is needed for each application.
● Make a small parting, pour a few drops of lotion on to this and spread over the
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scalp and hair with the fingers.
Repeat this process making small partings systematically about every 2 cm or
1
/2 in until the whole head is covered.
If after you have rinsed the product off, live lice can still be seen on the head, or
seen within a day or two of treatment, the lice may be resistant to the insecticide.
In this case, use the ‘wet combing’ method as described, or switch to a product
with a different ingredient. If you have used a product containing phenothrin or
permethrin, do not switch to another product containing either of these as they
belong to the same insecticide group.
A second application of the same treatment is recommended seven days later.
Do not use any product containing malathion or carbaryl more than once a week
for three weeks at a time.
Once the lice are dead, if you want to remove empty eggshells (‘nits’) from the
head, metal tooth combs are best.
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