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Home Remedies for Lice

Q. I am a 12-year-old girl with VERY thick hair. I’ve gotten lice every year since second or third grade. This year I’ve had them four times!

I have lice now and I’m tired of it. I am scared someone will see a louse in my hair at my camp. I tried pouring Listerine on my hair but I couldn’t stand the smell for two hours. What else can I do?

A. If you cover your hair with a shower cap or towel after drenching it with Listerine, it should reduce the smell. Half an hour to an hour should be long enough.

Another option is to soak your hair in Cetaphil cleanser and use a blow dryer. It will make a hard shell on your hair, but the lice should be dead when you wash it off the next morning (Pediatrics, Sept. 2004).

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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