Lice Treatment Home Remedies
There are countless “hacks” online for treating head lice, but do they actually stand up to scientific scrutiny? We took a look at the data behind the most popular home remedies to see which ones are effective and which ones are just myths.
Tea Tree Oil
There is a lot of information online touting the effectiveness of tea tree oil for killing and repelling lice. A study by the School of Public Health found that though tea tree oil irritated head lice, it did not stop them from spreading or feeding. Researchers concluded that it was the slipperiness of the oil that limited the lice from transferring from untreated to treated hair, rather than the oil’s repellent qualities.
A study conducted at the University of Queensland found that tea tree oil was as effective as certain over-the-counter suffocation products. However, the process took fifteen days. A potential issue with the study’s method is that they ignored the presence of viable nits (eggs) when declaring subjects lice-free. If nits are within 1.5 cm of the scalp, they can still hatch, meaning the person is not truly lice-free.
Listerine
While some sources claim Listerine can kill adult head lice, it cannot kill nits. Furthermore, experts do not recommend using Listerine due to the potential dangers for children, specifically the high alcohol content.
The Mayo Clinic discourages using any flammable chemicals to treat head lice. Listerine is 20–30% alcohol and highly flammable. Because lice can survive underwater for more than eight hours, and the protective casing on nits prevents liquid penetration, it is more likely that the daily lice combing often recommended alongside this remedy is what actually clears the infestation, not the mouthwash.
Mayonnaise
The Department of Parasitology at Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School found that mayonnaise could only kill a significant amount of lice after being left on the head for 12 hours—and even then, it did not kill them all. If even one fertilized female is left behind, the cycle starts all over again.
Consumer Reports has this to say about suffocation methods:
“Some alternative treatments—like butter, oil, and petroleum jelly—rely on suffocating or drowning lice, but a 2018 study suggests that this strategy might not work. Researchers found that 100 percent of tested lice survived 8 hours without oxygen, and 6 hours immersed in water.”
Overall, most home remedy lice treatments are not supported by rigorous science. While they are less expensive than professional services or drugstore kits, they often fail to address the root of the problem.
The best course of action for DIY treatment is consistent combing with a high-quality lice comb. At Lice Charmers head lice clinics, we skip the guesswork by using a proven combination of heat, oil, and professional combing to fully treat infestations in a single appointment.
Read: Prescription Lice Treatment Medications
References
Consumer Reports: The Most Effective Way to Treat Head Lice
Mayo Clinic: Head Lice – Diagnosis & Treatment
Head Lice Center: How to Use Home Remedies to Get Rid of Head Lice and Their Eggs
Healthline: Apple Cider Vinegar for Lice