Why Home Remedies for Lice Removal Don’t Work

Home remedies for head lice are very common among worried parents trying to get rid of lice as soon as possible. As a parent dealing with a child with head lice, it can be scary, but it is important not to turn to home remedies that do more damage than good. Not only are these home remedies not effective, but some might even cause harm to your child. Here are some home remedies to avoid:

Mayonnaise/Olive Oil

Many parents use mayonnaise and olive oil in their child’s hair in order to suffocate the head lice. Then they will comb out the head lice and think the problem is solved. However, this method does not work because it does not kill any of the lice eggs that can be ready to hatch at any moment. You will keep repeating this process only to find that you are still not lice free. Not to mention, putting these substances in your child’s hair is also unpleasant and you may even put them at risk of salmonella.

Petroleum Jelly 

Similar to oils and mayonnaise, petroleum jelly is used in the hair to try and suffocate lice to then comb out. Again, this might suffocate some of the living bugs but will not affect the eggs. The eggs will continue to hatch and lay more eggs and the problem will not be solved. Petroleum jelly is also extremely difficult to get out of hair and is way more trouble than it’s worth. 

Listerine 

Listerine contains menthol, eucalyptol, and alcohol, which may kill some of the lice in your child’s hair. However, these harsh chemicals will still not kill any lice eggs and can cause harm to your child. Listerine is flammable and you may end up burning your child’s scalp instead of treating their head lice. Not only is this method dangerous, but it will not solve your head lice problem. 

OTC Treatments

Although over the counter drugs claim to contain many chemicals that kill lice, the head lice have become increasingly resilient to them. Many of these treatments are also very expensive and can be harmful. One commonly used ingredient in many over the counter treatments is neurotoxin, which can cause negative side effects. Similar to all the other home remedies, over the counter treatments still do not kill lice eggs and therefore are not effective at killing head lice.

Cutting Hair 

While cutting your child’s hair might be the safest of the home remedies, it is also the least effective. Lice can lay eggs in as short as a quarter inch of hair. The only way cutting your hair would actually get rid of lice is if you shaved it all off. This might be very uncomfortable for your child. Don’t let lice dictate how your child wants their hair to look. 

Lice Clinics of America in Milwaukee 

If you or your child are struggling with head lice and you are not sure what to do, Lice Clinics of America in Milwaukee, Wisconsin can help. At our lice clinic in Milwaukee, we use our FDA approved AirAlle lice treatment. Our AirAlle treatment kills both lice and their eggs so that you can be 100% lice free. Our AirAlle treatment stays away from harsh products and chemicals and uses only warm air. Contact Lice Clinics of America in Milwaukee for a lice treatment that works!