Home : Head lice - Here is a tip for using Listerine

Head lice - Here is a tip for using Listerine

Submitted by Kay Winstead

When my daughter got head lice from my stepchildren coming to visit, I researched and tried several remedies. I tried the mayo, olive oil and Vaseline and none of those worked.So I tried several other things. Listerine really did the trick but as I said, I also used other things just as back up so I would not leave anything to chance.

Saturate head with Listerine then cover head with shower cap or plastic bag for an hour or two. Use Suave Coconut Shampoo and Conditioner, I read that lice don't care for coconut. I don't know if this is true but I tried it anyway. You can also buy the Denorex Extra Strength Shampoo NOT the one with Coal Tar in the ingredients, and this seems to do pretty well also. Leave in conditioner and then use a good nit/lice comb to comb out nits. I used the Nit Free Terminator Lice Comb from Amazon.com as the other lice combs did nothing. After combing, rinse out hair. Repeat combing at least once a week until you do not find any more nits.

Then I would put in hair mousse or gel after washing hair, blow dry and spray it with hair spray. This seems to help as a deterrent and the eggs and live lice can't seem to withstand high heats. I try to use hair products with Dimethicone in the ingredient. This ingredient is in a lice treatment product sold at Walmart called Lice Free and is supposed to work so I'm guessing they don't like it too much. Many hair products contain this ingredient so it's worth a shot.

Also, you can wash all linens, clothes, stuffed animals, pillows, etc.. in hot wash, but if you don't wash them, at least put them in the dryer on the highest heat for at least 20 to 30 minutes. I did mine for an hour just to be safe. I did this daily.

This tip has 2 comments shown below

No Need to Wash Linen

Comments by: Matt from UK Oct 13, 2010

There is no need to wash bedding or clothing if your child has headlice. Headlice cannot live without the warmth and moisture of your body and will soon dry out and die if they are left on clothing or bedding. If you have fleas then yes wash everything!

Never tried Listerine! We used a special shaped nit comb for the job. Regular combing and checking should keep them at bay.

hope the listerine helps

Comments by: Rita from Eaton, OH, US Jan 17, 2010

i have used permethrin lotion twice now ,,over the past week and a half ,,,, i also have very long hair so it may be that is the reason for having to use the lotion twice ,,, i don't know ,,, i also plan on using the listerine treatment every other day for a week ,,,, i hope it works ,,that and soak my head in coconut conditioner afterwards ,, still don't know how i ended up with head lice as i have no children in elementary school and my 15 year old son doesn't have any signs of lice or nits ,,,,, this is the first time i have had head lice and i hope it will be my last ...