Neem Oil for Lice – Treatments and Recipies for Head Lice and Nits

Back in the day, when hair care products were scarce, most people shared one thing in common – head lice. These blood-sucking parasites would live on people’s scalp, hair, and ears and gorge on blood all day long.

Today, we have developed a variety of medicines and remedies to combat these annoying critters. And yet, they continue to breed and populate our heads! This is due to the fact that these bloodsuckers have evolved now and are able to withstand most of the chemicals and medicines used in today’s world.

To effectively get rid of head lice you will have to turn to a more natural and traditional approach.

Neem Oil for Lice

Neem has been used for centuries to deal with a host of problems. Even today, head lice have not evolved to deal with a powerful insecticidal in neem called azadirachtin. This compound disrupts the reproductive cycle and destroys the eggs laid by head lice.

Lice chew on the scalp, and when it is coated in neem oil, they tend to swallow the oil instead. This oil blocks their swallowing mechanism, causing them to choke on neem oil and slowly starve to death. The pungent smell of the oil is another factor that repels head lice. Neem oil has a very overpowering odor, and this deters head lice from entering your head in the first place.

Neem oil is also the perfect follow-up treatment for after you’ve gotten rid of lice. The properties of neem oil help to soothe the scalp and relieve itchiness and irritation.

While we know that neem oil offers a host of properties that help to deal with lice, it’s important to know how to treat yourself with the oil.

How To Use Neem Oil for Lice

If you are looking to rid yourself of head lice the natural way, here are a few remedies using neem oil for lice that you should try out.

1. Neem and Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a light carrier oil, so for those of you who absolutely can’t stand the smell of pure neem oil, this treatment would be perfect. Coconut oil is also rich in fatty acids and helps to suffocate the lice on your scalp.

• For this treatment, you will need to pour a few drops of neem oil into a bowl of coconut oil and massage the solution gently into your scalp.
• Leave the oil on for at least an hour before rinsing your hair with shampoo.
• Repeat this treatment every 3 days to effectively get rid of the nits in on your scalp.

Keep in mind that this treatment probably won’t be as effective as pure neem oil for lice and may not work for those with a severe lice infestation.

2. Pure Neem Oil

When using neem oil for lice, make sure that you are using pure, 100% neem oil. Most neem oils in the market are mixed with other chemicals and compounds that can have serious side effects on your scalp. To avoid this, use pure neem oil.

• Wash your hair with shampoo and dry it thoroughly before you apply the oil.
• Now apply the undiluted neem oil to your hair and let it stay on for a few minutes before combing your hair. It’s best to use a comb that’s meant for head lice removal.
• Combing will help remove most of the lice that get stuck in the neem oil.

3. Neem and Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is an excellent but mild pesticide that helps to destroy the lice in your head while soothing your scalp and promoting hair growth. Combining this with neem oil is sure to help get rid of lice once and for all!

• For this recipe, all you have to do is mix equal parts neem and tea tree oil and pour it into a spray bottle.
• Spray this solution onto your hair at least once every day. The best part is, a single spray isn’t pungent and will protect your hair throughout the day.
• If your kid is suffering from a lice infestation, you can spray this mix on their head every day before they leave for school.

Alternatively, you can use neem, tea tree, and olive oil to create a solution that will banish head lice quickly.

• For this remedy, mix one part tea tree oil and 4 parts neem oil. Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to this solution.
• Now apply this mixture along your scalp and gently massage it into your head. Leave it on for a few minutes before washing your hair under warm, running water.
• Use this solution every 2-3 days for best results.

4. Neem And Sesame Oil

Sesame oil is similar to tea tree oil and acts as an effective insecticide that kills head lice. Mix this oil with neem oil and you’ll have a powerful solution that will relieve you from your lice infestation.

• First, rinse your hair with water and apple cider vinegar and allow it to dry completely.
• Take a bowl and mix 1/8th cup of neem oil, 1/4th cup of sesame oil, 10 drops of lavender, eucalyptus, and rosemary oil, and one teaspoon of tea tree oil.
• Stir the mixture and apply it to your head at night before going to bed. Be sure to wear a shower cap so the oil doesn’t rub off on your pillow.
• In the morning, brush off the head lice with the help of a lice comb before washing your hair with shampoo.

If you plan to use this treatment on your kid, reduce it to 5 drops of lavender, eucalyptus, and rosemary oil.

5. Neem Oil With Shampoo

This is perhaps the simplest remedy in this list.

All you have to do is mix neem oil into your regular shampoo and use it to rinse and wash your hair. Repeat this process thrice a week for best results.

You’ll find many shampoos containing neem oil, and you could just use them. But it’s always best to mix organic, 100% neem oil with shampoo as neem extracts often contain chemicals and compounds that can adversely affect the health of your hair.

Besides these 5 neem oil remedies to treat head lice, you can use plain neem leaves to deal with this problem.

Keep Reading: 5 Best Hacks On How To Use Cedarwood Oil For Sleep

Neem Tea

You can boil a handful of neem leaves in water until the water turns a light green color. Strain the leaves out of this solution and allow it to cool down.

After you have washed your hair with shampoo, you can rinse it with this solution to help get rid of head lice.

Neem Paste

Grind a handful of neem leaves into a thick green paste and apply this paste to your hair.

Leave it on for at least 30 minutes before rinsing your hair with lukewarm water. Repeat this process at least 3 times a week for best results.

Be Diligent!

When employing any treatment on this list, it is important to be diligent and repeat the same treatment 2-3 times a week for best results. Neem will definitely help get rid of your head lice. But if you use any of these treatments just once, it isn’t enough to keep your head lice-free for very long. Neem oil for lice may work wonders but only if you are regular and consistent in its usage.

Remember, lice are extremely stubborn and can survive under the harshest conditions imaginable. So to effectively get rid of them, employ a combination of these treatments and take care of your hair on a daily basis.