The Head Lice Petroleum Jelly Removal Technique

The Head Lice Petroleum Jelly removal technique
With millions of children in the USA suffering from an infestation of head lice every year it is little surprise that a surfeit of remedies is available, and the internet is awash with suggestions and forums that are full of excellent, and often weird, ideas. While there will be those who are happy to use a prescription insecticide lotion or spray, others may be wary of doing so thanks to the chemicals involved and will therefore seek alternative methods of treatment.
It has been suggested that in removing head lice petroleum jelly is a very useful substance, so let’s have a look at how it works, and whether it is a genuine alternative to the medically proven remedies.
To understand why coating the head in petroleum jelly kills head lice a little knowledge of the creatures biological make up is necessary, specifically in the area of its respiration. A head louse breathes through a series of holes down the sides of its body, and these holes can be closed to prevent against drowning when in water (which explains why they do not drown when we wash our hair) and it is these holes that we target when using the petroleum jelly.
Smearing the jelly across the head will undoubtedly have the lice shutting down their breathing holes, so the patient is obliged to wait – sometimes for several hours – before the holes reopen and are filled with the jelly. It is a simple remedy, and essentially suffocates the lice. However, it does have its drawbacks – it is very messy, extremely time consuming and is not guaranteed to rid you of all of the lice as some are more than likely to survive. Furthermore, it will not kill the nits – eggs waiting to hatch – and thus it requires repeating a few days later, when they are likely to have hatched into young lice.
While the technique is messy and takes up chunks of time it does have the distinct advantage of being absolutely safe; the insecticide lotions that the doctor prescribed all have possible side effects – although minor, such as irritation and a rash – and the use of petroleum jelly does not, other than the need to thoroughly wash the hair after each treatment.
The medical community will look down on such treatments in favor of scientifically proven methods, yet if something is absolutely harmless – and has been reported to work – costs nothing and is at hand, then there is no reason not to have a go.