When Lice Happens….
Ugh. I don’t know about you, but the second I read anything about lice I start scratching my head. Having them once when I was a kid was more than enough. I hate those little bugs!
But now I have children, so I have to deal with lice outbreaks at their school around once a year. Kids pass around hats and are in close quarters all the time.
The kids act as if lice are the “cooties” they hear about on the playground. If only they were!
What Are Lice, Exactly?
Lice aren’t cooties—they’re little bugs with no wings. These little bugs cling to your hair and set up shop to lay eggs and drink blood. And all the kids go home scratching their heads.
I should say that not showering or being dirty in general has nothing to do with whether or not you attract lice. They like whatever hair they can get!
The key to getting rid of lice is to act fast and be thorough with your treatment.
Why We Should Worry About Lice!
Those of us who try to be extra careful about using natural products know that there’s a lot of chemicals that go into beauty products. Especially hair products. Have you ever read the back of a shampoo bottle??
Unfortunately, the lice have figured it out too. There is now a sub-type of “super lice” that are resistant to a certain chemical in conventional lice treatment. They’ve now been found in 25 states. Scary!
Rest assured, there is a natural solution to get rid of lice once and for all! And it is incredibly effective too!
The Best Thing You Can Use To Fight Lice!
The best thing you can use to fight lice is an all natural product right out of the earth! Pretty cool right?
What is this? Food grade diatomaceous earth!
Diatomaceous earth is a chalk-like substance that is composed of fossilized diatoms that have formed together into silica deposits. The silica deposits are mined out of the sediment of rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans. It is grounded into a fine powder called diatomaceous earth.
Diatomaceous earth effectively kills lice by puncturing their exoskeleton which causes them to dry out and die.
A Natural Head Lice Treatment
After a lot of work, I’ve come up with an all natural head lice treatment for fending off lice.
You’ll be able to use this instead of a chemical shampoo and this will keep the little critters away. Bonus, it smells nicer too!
It is important to note, that all bedding and clothing should be washed in hot water. If you have a sanitize option on your washer and dryer, use that setting.
All Natural Head Lice Treatment
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1/4 cup food grade diatomaceous earth
- 10 drops maleleuca essential oil (tea tree oil)
- 1 cup witch hazel
- 10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
- 10 drops rosemary essential oil
Instructions
- Mix together the diatomaceous earth and tea tree essential oil.
- Place a small amount in your hands and massage in hair and scalp. Make sure to cover all areas. Diatomaceous earth can create a lot of dust, so you may want to put a mask over your child’s mouth and nose while applying.
- Leave on hair overnight.
- Wash hair next morning and dry with a hot air hair dryer.
- Use a lice comb to remove any eggs or nits out of the hair.
- Make a preventative spray of 1 cup witch hazel and 10 drops eucalyptus, 10 drops rosemary essential oil. Liberally spray daily on dry or wet hair, style as usual.
- Repeat the same process for two more days, or as needed.
I wonder if all the ingredients can be mixed in a spray bottle and sprayed into hair. I read on another website that someone would put a t-shirt on their kids’ heads, just under the hairline but over the ears/forehead and treat with the DE (very) carefully, then close up the t-shirt overnight like a bag to sit on their hair. If you could spray it into hair and leave it on all day to air dry, the DE could spread over the scalp and hair and dry out the bugs, then do the treatment again a couple times a week? Just an idea. Our family has tried everything after our kids’ school had a horrible school-wide outbreak and didnt tell the parents anything! Apparently it’s the treatment-resistent kind, so DE is our next step to try and just dry the things out from inside.
Great suggestions Oy Vey, thanks for sharing!
Unfortunately, once the diatomaceous earth is wet, it will no longer be effective. Keep it dry on the scalp overnight to kill the critters.
Since Diatomaceous Earth kills internal parasites when used in drinking water I don’t see why using it wet wouldn’t work. I haven’t tried it that way but seems like worth the try.
For the same reason a saturated sponge isn’t very effective for absorbing a spill. If the DE is taken internally for internal parasites, then the effectiveness comes from the physical damage the sharp edges and points (at the microscopic level) cause on the fragile bodies of the parasites. Used externally, that same mechanism may be at play at some level, but the primary mode of action is thought to be from rapid desiccation, either from the DE ‘s affinity for, and absorption of, lipids,oils, and fats, (non-polar compounds), which destroys the structural integrity of any chitinous exoskeleton, thus defeating its ability to retain moisture, at which point DE’s equal affinity for water (a polar compound) comes into play, and immediately captures whatever leaks out of the now compromised exoskeleton. The end result of all of this is the thorough and irreversible desiccation of the organisms’ bodies, which of course is fatal. In either scenario, the pre-loading of the DE with water or any kind of oil would be counterproductive. In fact, in the case of head lice, clumped up, tea tree or other essential oil-soaked DE may not do anything at all. I always have some of my DE that I have baked in the oven at about 250 degrees F to evaporate any water or volatile compounds, then cooled down and further dried in the freezer (tied with your oven for driest place in your house) and then stored in an airtight container. (I do the same thing with finely ground cat litter (Fuller’s Earth), and to super-activate some activated charcoal. You can imagine how effective these finely ground powders are considering the effect of exposing something to that much surface area that has a moisture content close to zero. A louse or nit doesn’t stand a chance. In just minutes they become world’s tiniest mummies. LOL
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Lol Sara Waller your comment is absurd, clearly you aren’t speaking from experience Many folks have been mixing DE in water for years with phenomenal success, Ole Sara Waller heard half the story then filled in the blanks all matter of fact like she knows somethin.. SMH.. When DE is applied dry w/ a duster ON PLANTS or the LAWN rain will wash it off exposing what you wanna protect, a child’s head is not smooth like a leaf or blade of grass. Matter of fact Sara Waller adding DE to water is how Ive removed fleas & ticks from my wheaton terriers for years it works awesome, Its more of a dip rather than a bath so a tub that holds enough water that the dog’s chest is slightly submerged obviously you wanna add the DE prior to placing dog in water I add 1 cup of DE and mix it consistent to a slurry using a plastic cup I scoop & pour the DE slurry like I’m basting a turkey a good 10 min may take more or less time that’s for you to decide when finished do not rinse the dog with clean water just remove them and dry. Within a few seconds of being in the DE slurry dead fleas begin falling off immediately ticks are more stubborn but they will eventually succumb to death. Other than Sara Waller’s jibberish there are some really good comments I’m glad I came across this site I think my wife and daughter will appreciate that brilliant lice remedy our daughter came home with lice 4 times last year every time clean the entire house bag up stuffed animals It’s a nightmare..
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YOu drink water so your insides dont dry out as diatomecious earth absorbs 160 times its weight, this may not be the exact amount but you get the gist. You need to apply it dry on scalp as the diatomeacious earth when applied dry destroys the exoskeleton of the lice. They suffocate as it gets into their breathing aparatus. It dehydrates them. If you are supplying water with the diatomaceous earth it wont be drying out the lice now will it?
Thank you.. I thought only dry sounded crazy.. as the internal use is wet I think just making a medium thick paste and pouring it on as a hair mask would be.. 91 percent alcohol kills them fast strong scent and chemical yet I’d rather that then constant pesticide shampoo use.. I’ve sprayed it directly and saw imediant results… desperation.. our neighbor girl have my cook these evil lol things.. … and we sell furniture.. not something we can let go m for even a minute..
Wetting the DE would break it down not allowing it to dry the lice out.
The oils you could use daily as a spray but not the DE!!
Heather Johnson a theory is not factual, you can differentiate between fact and and opininion correct??Portraying your opinions so adamantly when it’s obvious your simply 1 more ignorant human naysaying.. Allow me to enlighten you I’ll type slow so you keep up. Diatomaceous Earth is the Diatom an ancient single Cell marine plant when looked at under a mi-cro-sc-ope reveals the structure of glass shards, which are solid, Another PROVEN FACT is the minuscule amount the pest needs contact with is no more than a few particles just enough to slice the
ex-o-ske-le-ton keep in that wet brain of yours how big lice are or fleas, fungus, mites DE is so effective mixed with water it is still used in aquarium filters to remove as little as an atom of algae DE is also used in well water systems, sewage treatment facilities and POOLS dummy!! Smarten up idiot
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I believe you are correct. I’m not sure why you have to be so condescending and rude whilst delivering facts though.
Cause it’s funny and entertains the rest of us who have to shift through ignorant comments.
No. It achieves nothing and is just mean with an air of arrogance for no real reason.
James- you need love and socialization. The way you’re interacting with an instinctual and naturally insulting demeanor is inappropriate… and soo out of place. You should find better and healthier outlets to express your discontent feelings you have about your life.
Please don’t be so rude or nasty. This person took the time to create this help and I for one appreciate it…Thank You
Why are you being so obnoxious? What the hell is your problem asshole? You’re not smart. You’re just a smart ass. I feel sorry for your poor wife and child! The way you attacked this woman over a recipe… I can only image what a childish ass you turn into when real problems arise!
DE food grade works well. I put it in a shalt shaker with some uncooked rice grains (to keep the DE dry and shaking) then I shook it in my short hair. Then, I went to sleep for the night. Its been the first time real time that my head has been quiet and still and I had a quiet night of sleep. Next, I shampoo it out. The essence oils make it unfriendly for the lice. But the DE kills them-dehydrates them. Repeat in 4-5 days. Do this 3x and you should be good. Why didn’t somebody tell me about DE food grade! it would have saved me so much TIME and of course, money!
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My kids are going back to school soon and I would love to help protect them from getting lice! That is great that using diatomaceous earth will help kill lice. I will have to give this a try and see if it will help my kids stay lice free! Thank you for the recipe and information!
So our kiddo had a few live guys prior to doing a chemical treatment. After the chemical treatment on Sunday, I have been combing every few days. Tuesday I found half a dozen nits mostly white. Then on Friday I found about the same amount that were more carmel colored, which I didn’t like to see but still no live guys. I am hoping that I just missed them last time around but just to be sure I went and put some DE on her head, my question is: if she only has knits remaining will the DE slice open the knits (like it does the adults) so they will not be able to develop any farther? I have vacuumed floors and furniture, washed hair and bedding, bagged up non-washables, soaked every hair brush and hair accessory in the house in HOT water and tea tree oil for days, washed and dried pillows, combed hair for hours, put up hair every morning including spraying with hair spray and spritzing hair every night with tea tree oil and water mixture. I’m doing everything that I can… I am so bummed that the school will not inform parents about classes turning up with lice. It is hard to keep her from getting them when others in the class have them and don’t get treated for them. We try to explain personal space but that only goes so far with school aged kids. :/
Is this also effective in killing th bits before they’re combed out?
Thanks!
Hmmm, I just read the warnings on some food grade diatomaceous earth on a major web site that said it could cause some major lung problems if inhaled, am I wrong? Is there a speciality food grade DE that I’m not finding? It kind of scared me…
Hello Fran,
If you accidentally inhale DE, it can irritate your lungs, but it won’t damage them unless you inhale large amounts over many years. If you have a respiratory condition, we recommend wearing a dust mask to protect your lungs from irritation while applying DE around your home or yard. If you don’t have a respiratory condition, protective equipment is not required as long as it doesn’t bother your lungs. For bigger projects, or for projects where you know the DE will be kicked up into the air, it is always a good idea to wear protection for your eyes and lungs.
As with any product, diatomaceous earth is safe as long as it’s used properly. Just be sure that you have the right grade for you needs, that your DE comes from a trusted source, and that you avoid breathing it in.
Hope that reassures you !
Annet Quintana
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Thanks so much, I’ve been fighting them for a month, been to 4 dr’s, I do live in a small town, so they aren’t exactly up to par on something like this. And YES some lice have wings but can’t fly! A person really has to do a lot of research to find this species, I’ve read so much I could probably give a talk to the CDC! I think that is why drs tell me I don’t have lice, they say “lice do not have wings” beg to differ lol. I’m having a hard time getting rid of these, these lice are vicious. I’m not kidding when I say, the tail end of the lice, yes I dissected one, love biology, just not on my head. The tail disengaged and shot away, probably in to my head. Ick.. I am making this so long in hopes you can do some research and let me know the best treatment. Being handicapped I can not drive to the city and live alone. Would not want to give them to a friend anyway. I’ve only talked to one person who has come across this had to dig that “tail end” out of his arm when it landed on him..this is way to long lol hoping you can help, Fran
20th June 2018
HI Francine Lister,
can you please text me a reference to the paper or source of the information that gives mention to the winged body stage and hopefully genus of the winged variety of head lice that has the detachable tail section that springs off and can embed itself in the skin.
When you examined its biology what size magnification did you use on the slide ?
Did the tail section if it was still attached to the body have any barbs on it that you could see ?
Really appreciate your help with this information and hope you have had some success with finding a treatment so far.
Marie
Can I use DE in the washer for my laundry?
You could sprinkle it on your clothes a day or 2 before washing but when wet it will not dry the lice up. Just a mucky mess
Diatomaceous earth is a great way to kill pests of all kinds, but it should be noted that putting essential oils directly on your skin is a REALLY BAD IDEA. They’re extremely concentrated and can result in chemical burns, allergic reactions, and tea tree oil specifically can lead to fatal reactions in pets.
I M confused about how to use it ….can we mix DE with water or any other mineral oil and then apply it on the scalp or we have to just put this thing over the head without making it wet? Need help.i just want to get rid of these little blood suckers
I’ve heard that you can mix tea tre oil into olive oil for treatment of head lice. I’ve also used DE on my pets with success. Just a dusty mess tho. I’ve added DE to their food with good results. Since Tee Tree oil can irritate skin, hence mixing it with olive oil, why not ad the DE to that solution also? Anyone tried this?
Elaine, I have just tried mixing DE with coconut oil and tea tree oil, leaving it on the scalp overnight. First I mixed apple cider vinegar with water (1:1) and sprayed the roots to loosen the eggs from the hair follicles. We will see how this formula works!
Try DE and Olive Oil. Make a paste and apply it to hair. Extremely effective!
I dusted it on and left it for 30 minutes. I hope that does the trick.
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Hello! Mom of two littles in elementary, new-ish to the lice scene..fist time being about a year ago. I was horrified, now it’s just a pain in the ###!
I am wearing a similar formula as above in my hair right now. Only difference is that I JUST mixed the DE and WATER in a squirt bottle..similar to that of a condiment bottle, but this one I have is meant for hair coloring. I didn’t bother with adding essential oils, because we get our fair share on a regular basis as lice repellent and to aid in illnesses and prevention, and I hate not to overload our systems when its not imperative. Anyways, standing in the shower I thoroughly saturated my scalp to ends, making sure to continuously shake bottle in process. After, I blotted my dripping ends with towel, and wrapped another towel around my shoulders to catch excess drips. I even put the hairdryer to use on a low but hot setting help my hair get a start on the drying process. It’s been about 6 hours, and with thick hair, my hair is finally feeling dry at the roots..but will continue to sleep in it overnight to make sure it’s bone dry before I wash out. I must say this is a surefire way to get granny-gray hair, orshould I say trendy silver! As always when wearing a ‘treatment’ I feel like “This is it!!” . And this time, I really do!! I think we’re on to something here!
*I should state that we caught this one early, only visibly seeing 3 nits in my hair and 1 in one of my daughter’s hair. But this was 5 days ago, and I’ve done licefreee spray twice, and overnight olive oil with melaleuca and combing. But still was feeling itchy around my neck specifically. (I also believe our introduction to lice this last year has made me a tad paranoid. Ok, a lot paranoid.)
I can report back
Thanks for sharing your recipe! I also enjoyed reading the “colorful’ thread. HA
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Ok, so diatomaceous earth and water, once dried, creates a cement-like bond to the hair. No joke. My first shampoo/conditioner barely made a budge getting it out. Without panic, I looked up solutions to remove cement..and sugar water happens to be it. I don’t know exact ratio though, so I just created a heavy simple syrup and let that sit on for as long as I could stay bent over our shower (20 min). Not sure if that helped, or if just a second wash did it. I’d say after wash 4 my hair felt normal.
Did it kill the lice? I’m guessing yes
If you have hard water, it is going to be terrible for rinsing something like that out. In fact, you may have turned your hair into a very efficient dissolved lime scale remover/trap. You might try adding a little Calgon water softener to your rinse water, or better yet, blow the $.68 for a gallon of distilled water and use that as a final soak/rinse. If you think you may have in advertently, or overtime loaded your hair with lime deposits, vinegar and or lemon juice should take care of that in one treatment. If that is what the problem was, don’t be surprised to see your hair shiniest you’ve seen it in a long time, plus noticed that your brush guards through it like it was made of Teflon. Calcium carbonate (Limescale) is actually fairly sticky, and it loves to absorb and retain: iron, other heavy metals, body oil, soap scum, stains, mold spores-you name it. We have it so bad here in Central Texas, I finally got tired of paying for commercial products, and just started buying swimming pool acid, (muriatic or hydrochloric), and also citric acid crystals to make my own de-liming agents. If you consider doing something like this, please educate yourself on the proper handling, because you are often buying concentrates that are meant to be diluted, and exposure to the full strength concentrates can be very dangerous. You can buy a drain opener for example that is basically full strength virgin sulfuric acid, and as you can imagine, that stuff will eat you alive. Just the fumes from full-strength muriatic (hydrochloric) or swimming pool acid, once coming in contact with tears, or the mucus in your nose, esophagus, or lungs, will make you feel like you shot it straight into your eyes, or that you snorted fire. If you mix even diluted hydrochloric acid with chlorine bleach, it can release an actual creepy green cloud of chlorine gas that crawls up over the edge of the container headed for the floor, and if you inhale that stuff, we are talking instant double pneumonia, and a good enough draw might just kill you. Please be careful.
For the same reason a saturated sponge isn’t very effective for absorbing a spill, pre-loading DE with some oil may not be a good idea. If the DE is taken internally for internal parasites, then the effectiveness comes from the physical damage the sharp edges and points (at the microscopic level) cause on the fragile bodies of the parasites. Used externally, that same mechanism may be at play at some level, but the primary mode of action is thought to be from rapid desiccation, either from the DE ‘s affinity for, and absorption of, lipids,oils, and fats, (non-polar compounds), which destroys the structural integrity of any chitinous exoskeleton, thus defeating its ability to retain moisture, at which point DE’s equal affinity for water (a polar compound) comes into play, and immediately captures whatever leaks out of the now compromised exoskeleton. The end result of all of this is the thorough and irreversible desiccation of the organisms’ bodies, which of course is fatal. In either scenario, the pre-loading of the DE with water or any kind of oil would be counterproductive. In fact, in the case of head lice, clumped up, tea tree or other essential oil-soaked DE may not do anything at all. I always have some of my DE that I have baked in the oven at about 250 degrees F to evaporate any water or volatile compounds, then cooled down and further dried in the freezer (tied with your oven for driest place in your house) and then stored in an airtight container. (I do the same thing with finely ground cat litter (Fuller’s Earth), and to super-activate some activated charcoal. You can imagine how effective these finely ground powders are considering the effect of exposing something to that much surface area that has a moisture content close to zero. A louse or nit doesn’t stand a chance. In just minutes they become world’s tiniest mummies. LOL
I love coming across everyone’s opinions and science, I don’t know what I would do with out a lot of you Mom bloggers out there taking time out to share your own experiences. Thank you ladies so much!!!