How to apply rosemary oil to help prevent head lice

salt

Tue, Dec 06 2016, 12:12 pm

After a few years free of it, my 2 DD's have caught lice, and also me!

I am combing regularly, but I also just went and splashed out on a little bottle of rosemary oil. How do I apply it?
Drop a little on my hand and spread it over the hair? Add it to the shampoo/ conditioner? Any other methods?

amother

Slateblue

Tue, Dec 06 2016, 6:10 pm

When the hair is dry (not wet), put drops on your hand and massage it into her scalp and cover all her hair with it (use as much as you need for it). It's important to make sure it gets both the hair and the scalp, and make sure to apply extra behind the ears and at the nape of the neck. Let it sit for 10 minutes (don't do extra, it's not really so fantastic for your skin or hair) without touching it or doing anything to it (maybe put it back in a ponytail so it doens't get in the eyes). Then, when the 10 minutes are up, shower as usual, making sure to wash the hair and scalp well with shampoo and/or conditioner. Then, comb all the hair well with a lice comb (make sure you come as close to the scalp as possible).

Additionally, every day afterwards for 1-2 weeks (or until you haven't seen any lice/eggs for 3 days) add 3 drops of rosemary oil to a handful of shampoo/conditioner (whichever you put on last) every time you shower, and comb with a lice comb after the shower. Using 3 drops in your shampoo/conditioner each time you shower can also prevent lice.

This works fantastically.

Also, don't forget to wash all bedding, clothes, stuffed animals, coats/jackets/hats/scarves, towels, etc either in hot water or in a hot dryer (dryer is best). Wash them frequently during the 1-2 weeks you are getting rid of the lice as well. Make sure to put all combs, brushes, hair accessories in a ziploc bag for 2 weeks to kill all the lice/eggs. You can also vacuum carpets etc. The lice comb should also be boiled (or at least cleaned well) between uses every day.

Teomima

Tue, Dec 06 2016, 8:17 pm

I put about twenty drops of rosemary oil and ten drops of tea tree oil into a spray bottle filled with water (shake it before every use) and spray it on my daughters' hair and scalp every morning. Not to the point of saturation, just to get it on there. Then I comb (regular, not lice comb) their hair into braids. We've never had a single infestation when we keep up this routine, only time we've caught lice was during holidays/school breaks and we didn't bother. Learned my lesson!

seeker

Tue, Dec 06 2016, 11:54 pm

Just be really really careful to get a pure brand - when I first heard of this "trick" I bought the first bottle of rosemary oil I saw at some generic store and it made me break out HORRIBLY. Painful itchy ugly terrible rash all over my head, and the worst part was that I had applied it before bedtime so overnight it had spread via my pillow and my entire face was inflamed and miserable.

I'm pretty sure I am not allergic to rosemary because I never had any issues other than that time. I've eaten herbed foods including rosemary. No problem. I think there was something off about that oil.