Lice Prevention Treatment

What Attracts Lice and How to Avoid Them

• Ironically, lice are attracted to clean, perfume-free hair and scalp. That doesn't mean you need to avoid washing your hair. Simply put a substance on your hair that will make it seem unclean to the lice.

  The only way lice spread is from hair-to-hair contact. They don't jump or hop and they can't fly. With this in mind, avoid head-to-head contact. Heads come together when playing, working at the computer or even hugging. Tie hair back in a pony tail or braid it. Avoid sharing items that come into contact with hair or may have hair on them. Hats, hair brushes, combs and hair accessories like covered rubber bands can all harbor both lice and nits, the eggs of lice.

Conditioning or Styling Products

• Although there are expensive lice repellent treatments on the market, the best are those which are meant to condition or style hair. There are lots of different products that will work. For long hair, try detangling and conditioning sprays that are applied after washing and left on the hair as it dries. Apply it liberally to ensure complete coverage, taking extra care to saturate the back of the head near the neckline. No More Tangles by Johnson & Johnson is especially effective for children. Mousse or hair spray is even better, since it adds some stiffness to the hair. The best products are gels that coat the hair with a thick layer of residue. All of these products should be worked in with fingertips clear to the scalp to protect against lice. Scented products give greater protection than unscented products.

Non-Hair Products That Repel Lice

• Other products that aren't normally used on the hair but have a repellent effect include Listerine mouthwash, tea tree oil and aloe vera gel. Mix with water and spray or rub into hair with your fingers until the hair has been coated. The scent of these products won't be detectable by humans but will still ward off lice.