What Is the Best Way to Get Rid of Head Lice?

My granddaughter has head lice. Her parents have used over-the-counter pesticides, tea-tree shampoos, and castor and neem oil—all without results. Do you have any other suggestions?

An extremely hardy form of head lice has invaded the United States, likely coming from the Middle East. With the exception of being practically immune to all of the standard treatments, these lice are the same as other lice in every other way.

These unwanted devils can literally swim in medicines that used to kill them on contact. Dermatologists are responding with higher dosages of standard medications, and even resorting to oral antibacterials like Bactrim.

Unfortunately, Bactrim can disrupt the normal bacterial flora in the entire digestive system, and increased dosages of other treatments may cause toxic reactions in the affected person.

Vaseline: A Sure Way to Destroy Lice and Nits

In addition to thoroughly laundering, boiling and cleaning everything your granddaughter comes into contact with, I would highly recommend trying Vaseline which cuts off air to lice and their eggs (nits); it essentially suffocates them.

Purchase an extra-large jar of Vaseline and cover every inch of your granddaughter's scalp and hair. Put it on plenty thick. You may need to apply it behind her ears and on her neck and eyebrows if you find nits there. Then, cover her scalp with a shower cap; make sure to tuck all of her hair up under the cap.

Leave the Vaseline on her hair and scalp for at least one whole day. It will probably take a week of daily shampooing to remove all of it, but this gives the Vaseline longer to work on the nits, which require 3 to 14 days to fully mature.

I know it's an awfully messy way to deal with the problem, but it works, and that's what's important.

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