Head lice are parasitic, wingless insects that make their home living on the heads of people. They can only survive on human heads, using our scalps to keep warm and to suck blood from in order to thrive. Unfortunately, once lice take up their home on your head, your scalp will begin to itch intensely. Luckily, however, there are many ways to get rid of lice. Using peroxide, in particular, is one home remedy that effectively kills head lice.
Reasons to Use Peroxide to Get Rid of Lice
Choosing a home remedy instead of using commercial head lice treatments is a wise choice to get rid of head lice for a number of reasons. For one, commercial treatments contain pesticides which can be quite strong and may bother your skin or negatively affect your breathing. For another, commercial head lice treatments become ineffective with repeated use, because the head lice become resistant to them. Commercial head lice treatments also cost much more than simply using an inexpensive bottle of peroxide to get rid of lice.
How to Use Peroxide to Get Rid of Lice
To properly use hydrogen peroxide to get rid of head lice, you should begin by mixing one part of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide with two parts of water. Pour this mixture onto your hair and massage it into your scalp. Cover your wet head with a towel and let the peroxide soak in. After several hours, you can remove the towel and wash your hair. For best results, use coconut shampoo or coconut oil to wash your hair; there is something in coconut oil that repels lice. Repeat this process as many times as necessary until the lice are gone. Be sure to wash all of your bedding with the hydrogen peroxide mix, as well, in order to kill any lice that may have dropped off of your head so that you do not reinfect yourself.
Precautions When Using Peroxide to Get Rid of Lice
As with any home remedy, be cautious when using hydrogen peroxide to get rid of lice. If you do not notice significant improvement within a couple of days, discontinue use of the peroxide remedy and attempt a different head lice cure that may work more effectively in your particular case.