Pink Blog

Does Mayonnaise Treat Head Lice? 3 Alternative Tips to Smother Lice
By Susan Thomas

Many and varied are the head lice home remedies that are bantered about the playground while mothers wait for their children to appear, not to mention all over the internet. But how many of these home remedies for head lice are valid, and how many are simply old wives tales?

Of all the head lice home remedies that there are out there, none is more familiar than the old: "Coat the hair thickly in mayo and leave overnight under a shower cap." It is the most popular home remedy mentioned, second only to vinegar for removal of the nit glue that attaches the nits to the hair shaft.

When researching Live Lice Free - The Head Lice Handbook, mayo was by far and away the most touted remedy for curing head lice by a mile. But why does this method seem to work, when dangerous chemicals and pesticide bombs seem to fail?

Well, this method is successful because it blocks the breathing holes of the lice, smothering them and preventing them from feeding. Head lice can block their breathing holes for up to 8 hours so drowning them in water is out of the question, but they can be smothered with oil, as long as you are able to cover the lice completely.

Thick, greasy mayo does do the trick.

I don't know about you, but there's something about the thought of putting this gooey, smelly mixture in my hair that just turns my stomach. Years as a chef has taught me that there is something a little wrong with this picture, all the videos we were shown of fast multiplying bacteria springing back to mind with a vengeance and whispers of 'Salmonella, anyone?' echoing in my brain.

Surely there has to be something a little less… well, 'mayoey', to kill head lice?

If smothering your lice is your chosen method of removal, there are many different options that are available, that don't involve egg yolks, warmth and children.

1. Baby oil has exactly the same effect. Comb your child's hair thoroughly through with the baby oil and cover with a shower cap. Place a sweat band around the base of the cap so that the oil does not run into the child's eyes. You can leave this for a few minutes and then comb the stunned lice out while they are trapped in the oil, or leave on overnight for the lice to smother.
2. Get a bottle of thick white conditioner from the supermarket. Make sure it is thick and there is a lot. Cover your child's hair so it is completely coated. You can then do the same, comb through and manually remove stunned lice, or you can cover and leave overnight so they smother.
3. Olive oil is another method of smothering or stunning lice and is also a popular remedy. Works very much the same as baby oil but also dissolves the exoskeletons of the lice, making it the most effective option.

With all of these remedies, all, and I'm talking ALL of the nits must be removed manually. Smothering does not kill the nits, only manual removal will get them all out, or a natural remedy that kills both lice and nits.

If you miss just one, your re-infestation will be swift and merciless.

If you have tried smothering the lice and they still keep returning, you may need something with a little more kick. Try to get hold of a natural remedy that contains Neem Oil, as this renders the lice incapable of breeding. Please, only use a natural remedy, as there are totally safe remedies available that kill both lice and nits in minutes.

This will ensure your child is not exposed to carcinogenic chemicals that do far more harm than good.

For a gorgeous FREE eBook to teach children all about the perils of head lice and how to avoid them plus a wealth of free information please visit our head lice treatment website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Thomas
http://EzineArticles.com/?Does-Mayonnaise-Treat-Head-Lice?-3-Alternative-Tips-to-Smother-Lice&id=883965