Lice are six-legged bugger that commonly inhabits in a warm or dark environment such as above the neck or behind the ears. These small animals don’t hop or fly, instead, they crawl from one place to another, allowing them to spread through head to head contact. They can easily multiply as they can lay around 6 to 10 eggs in a day, causing problems to the infected person. Head lice problem such as lice infestation should be given enough attention since it can easily recur if not treated properly. Read on and learn the most effective way of dealing with lice.

How to Remove Lice From Hair Permanently?

The solution can be very crucial and challenging. Some methods used have shown high success rates while others don’t even work at all. Below are some of the known treatments that can really help deal with this irksome problem.

1.  Home Remedies

Natural home remedies are a healthier approach to treating infestation of lice. This will prevent you from the harmful chemicals while permanently removing lice and eggs from their habitat. Some of the effective natural home remedies that you can try include:

• Coconut Oil and Garlic. Coconut oil helps immobilizes the lice and reduce movement. This makes it easier to comb out nasty lice from the head. Coconut oil can also be added with garlic to act as an effective repellant against lice due to the strong smell of garlic. A paste can be created and applied to the scalp and hair prior to washing or combing with a hot water.
• Onions. Onions are known to kill lice due to its sulfur content. Fresh onion juice can be extracted and applied to the scalp. Leave this for a few hours before rinsing and combing with good quality lice comb.
• Lemon Juice. How to remove lice from hair permanently? Try this! Lemon juice is highly acidic which is good for fighting lice infestation. Freshly extracted juice can be applied to the hair and scalp. Leave for a few minutes before rinsing it off. Mixing the lemon juice with garlic can also be done to effectively and quickly combat lice.
• Vaseline. The use of the plain old Vaseline can help suffocate and irritate the lice. Apply this directly to your hair and leave for a couple of minutes. Rinse several times to ensure complete removal. Adding up some flour to the hair can be done prior to rinsing to easily clean the hair.
• Olive Oil and Vinegar. The combination of olive oil and vinegar is a deadly duo for lice. Simply mix equal amounts and apply directly to the scalp. Cover your hair and leave for about an hour prior to shampooing.
• Mayonnaise. The use of mayonnaise can smother the lice present in the head. This can be applied directly to the hair and washed afterward. Be sure that you can tolerate the smell and have patience in rinsing it off.
• Listerine and White Vinegar. Coat the scalp and the hair with Listerine. Cover it with a shower cap for a few minutes before rinsing. Follow up a coat of white vinegar and cover it before rinsing. Comb out any lice with the use of a lice comb.

2. Over-the-counter Treatments

How to remove lice from hair permanently? There are plenty of lice treatment products that are readily available in stores. It is important to choose the products that are guaranteed safe and effective in order to prevent re-infestation and other problems from occurring. Some of the over-the-counter treatments that you can use include:

• Nix Head Lice Treatments. Nix is a brand known to help eradicate lice problems quickly and effectively. The active ingredient used in this product is permethrin which is toxic to the lice and causes their paralysis and death. This product is also formulated and recognized to prevent re-infestation of those unwanted lice.
• Licefree. Licefree is a guaranteed safe and effective product due to the lack of lindane, permethrin, pyrethrum, and other toxic chemicals in its formulation. This product is known to have a pleasant smell and creamy appearance, making it easier and friendlier to use.
• NYDA. NYDA is a highly recommended and approved product by most stores and pharmacies. It contains non-toxic formulation and works quickly covering even the smallest areas of infestation.
• Lice Shield. Lice Shield is a commonly used lice treatment that includes a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner and detangling spray. This brand is known to be safe, effective, and environment-friendly since its ingredients are mostly natural oil based.
• Vamousse. Vamousse is a new approach to lice treatments. This product is in mousse form, allowing it to be also used as a styling agent for the hair. It is non-toxic, safe, and effective, making it an easy lice solution especially to young children.

3. Prescription Treatments

Stubborn lice problems due to infestations and resistance may be harder to treat using home remedies and over-the-counter drugs alone. Thus, stronger products should be used when you have tried other methods and still ask how to remove lice from hair permanently. Some of the prescription treatments that you can consider include:

• Ivermectin. Ivermectin is an effective treatment that gives quick results. According to studies and trials conducted, around 0.5% of ivermectin can remove approximately 95% of lice and even eggs in just a single application.
• Benzyl Alcohol. Benzyl alcohol is a highly recommended prescription treatment for lice infestation. This product causes the lice to asphyxiate. It is directly applied to the hair and allowed to stay for about 10 minutes before rinsing off. A study showed that about 75% of the test subjects were already lice-free even after weeks after the second application or treatment.
• Natroba. Natroba is a combination of benzyl alcohol and spinosad. This product is a more powerful treatment in combating infestation of lice. According to studies, there is around 85% efficiency after one-dose treatment even without combing.
• Malathion Lotion. Malathion lotion is a prescription treatment that can kill lice and remove some eggs. This product is applied to the hair for about 8 to 12 hours before rinsing. A second treatment may be done after a week if lice are still present.