School going children will most commonly have head lice. Head lice is a parasite that feeds on human blood and will be found on the head. If the hair and scalp is not kept clean, there is more possibilities of getting head lice. It will bevery itchy and smells bad if the number of head lice increases.

What causes lice?

The lice found on head have very short life span of about 1 to 2 days after it is out of the head. But lice spread when people who are having lice come in contact with other person. This happens often among school children, during playing in contacts, sleepovers etc. When the cloth is being exchanged also, it is likely to spread the lice. Also sharing of comb, hair brushes or other hair accessories can spread the lice.

Treatment at home to get rid of Lice

Some methods to be done at home to prevent and to get rid of head lice are listed below.

• Before going to bed, spread leaves of Karunthulasi (Ocimum Sanctum no labiatae) also known as Krishna thulasi on your pillow. Sleep on the leaves. Lice will go away unable to bear the smell of the leaves. This is the one of the traditional method of Tamilnadu which is easy way to get rid of lice.
• Apply paste of neem on the hair and leave it for 30 minutes. Rinse it throughly. This will help in removing the lice. Do it once a week continuously for 1 month.
• Neem oil can also be applied on the scalp and hair and can be kept overnight and washed in the morning. This is also a best remedy followed in villages of Tamilnadu to get rid of lice naturally.
• If you can't apply the neem paste, just spread some neam leaf on the pillow and cover it with a thin cloth. Sleep the whole night on this pillow. This will help in removing the lice.
• Grind adhimadhuram with milk into a paste and apply it on the scalp. Rinse it after 15 mins. Do it once a week continuously for 1 month to remove lice completely.
• Vinegar is helpful in removing head lice. Take 2 spoons of vinegar , 2 spoons of lime juice and 1 spoon ofgarlic paste. Mix this well and apply on the scalp and hair. Leave it for half an hour. Then wash the hair. This will help in the treatment for head lice.
• Onions can be used as a treatment for lice. It is very simple. Just blend an onion and mix with a teaspoon of coconut oil. Apply this on the scalp and hair. Let it be on the hair for 1 hour. Then rinse your hair with your regular shampoo. Easy and natural way to get rid of lice.
• The above method of using onion can be replaced with garlic also. Garlic also helps in getting the hair free from lice.
• Keep the hair and scalp clean.
• Use the special finetooth comb meant for removing lice and comb your hair daily to remove the lice.
• The juice of the leaves of Custard apple(seetha pazham in tamil) tree should be applied on the scalp and washed off well with a herbal shampoo after 20 minutes. This should be done for 4 days.The lice problem is generally resolved within this.