Overview
The Mayo Clinic characterizes head lice as a communicable disease. It’s caused by tiny parasitic insects that feed on the blood of your scalp. Head-to-head contact is the most common method of infestation, but the lice can also be transmitted from one person to the next by sharing personal items, such as hats, scarves, combs, brushes and other hair products. While medicated shampoos are the most popular method of treatment, some people don’t necessarily want to be exposed to these harsh insecticides. Instead, you may desire a more natural method of treatment.
Vinegar Rinse
The lice eggs, or nits, are typically attached at the base of the hair shaft, very near to the scalp. These nits can be difficult to remove by hand. However, vinegar is said to loosen the eggs from the hair shaft, according to the Dirt Doctor. To make a vinegar rinse, add a cup of vinegar to a standard pitcher of water. Pour over the scalp and then rinse again with warm water.
Extraction
After rinsing the hair with the vinegar solution and then again with water, use a fine tooth comb to search the scalp for lice and nits. As you find lice or nits, simply remove them by hand. Systematically go through the entire scalp every three to four days, advises the Mayo Clinic. It can take two or more weeks to rid the scalp of lice by this method.
Vinegar Wrap
Another treatment that utilizes vinegar as one of its components is a head wrap. Combine equal parts mineral oil and vinegar. Apply to the scalp, making sure that all hair has been drenched with the solution. Wrap the head in plastic wrap or a shower cap and let sit overnight, suggests the school district of Black River Falls in Wisconsin. The next morning, shampoo as normal and then run a metal nit comb through the hair.
Tea Tree Oil/Vinegar Rinse
A combination of tea tree oil and apple cider vinegar may also help with lice infestations. To use this form of treatment, wash the head with an herbal shampoo containing tea tree oil. Follow the washing with an undiluted apple cider vinegar rinse. Comb through the hair with a metal nit comb to remove the nits.
Consideration
If these vinegar methods fail to provide results, consider picking up a medicated shampoo formulated for head lice. Pyrethrin and permethrin shampoos are the standard over-the-counter options. Simply follow the instruction on the packaging for best results.
