The research neighborhood has actually not reached a consensus regarding whether using tea tree oil for lice elimination works. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) state that there is inadequate proof to rate tea tree oil’s efficiency for treating lice.
A Controversial Treatment
However, other health professionals state that there might be benefit behind the idea that tea tree oil is a beneficial lice treatment, a claim that numerous believe to be a myth.
Possible Evidence
According to the Mayo Clinic, more than one tea tree oil lice research study possesses shown that tea tree oil, used alone or with other products, might help with lice. Nevertheless, they also highlight that massive trials are required prior to a real suggestion can be made.
Langone Medical Center at New York University (NYU) reports that tea tree oil, when combined with lavender oil, might effectively treat head lice.
Option Treatment
Tea tree oil possesses been studied as a possible alternative to insecticides, which are frequently prescribed and used for treating lice.
A study released in BMC Dermatology discovered that the majority of the children who were treated with tea tree oil and lavender oil no more had lice the day after the last treatment. The same was true for the children who were treated with a product that suffocates lice. However, just a quarter of the group treated with an item containing pyrethrins, a type of insecticide, were discovered to be lice-free.
See also: Head Lice Treatment Prescription Medications
More Support
Another study released in the International Journal of Dermatology compared botanical and synthetic substances for preventing lice in primary school-age kids. In the research study, tea tree oil, peppermint, and lavender oil were compared with synthetic material DEET as types of repellent versus lice.
Tea tree oil and peppermint combined were shown to be an efficient repellent. Tea tree oil with lavender was discovered to avoid some blood feeding by lice on the skin. Tea tree oil was, separately, the most effective treatment, but none of the treatments were determined to be efficient adequate to supported.
How to Use Tea Tree Oil for Lice Treatment
You might be considering using tea tree oil as a lice treatment. If so, you may also be wondering what type of dosage to use. The Mayo Clinic mentions that there is no specific dosage that possesses been shown to be efficient for treating lice.
However, scientific trials typically use a dose that is 5 to 10 percent tea tree oil in a shampoo or gel kind, and is normally used to the skin every day for as numerous as four weeks.
Unproven Uses
While some people recommend using tea tree oil for eliminating lice in laundry, and even treating lice with a mix of tea tree oil and vinegar, there is no evidence from medical specialists that these treatments work.
Safety Concerns
The Department of Health Promotion and Protection in Nova Scotia specifies there is no data offered on the toxicity of tea tree oil used to treat head lice– for that reason, the company does not support making use of tea tree oil against lice.
While other health professionals don’t take as strong a position against tea tree oil for lice eggs, the Mayo Clinic does define that there is insufficient research to suggest the safe use of tea tree oil as a treatment for lice in children.
Other Precautions
While the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the NIH states that topical use of tea tree oil is thought about safe for the majority of adults, it keeps in mind that one research study reported a boy who established breast growth after using two hair products which contained tea tree oil and lavender oil.
The NIH launched a statement reporting on the phenomenon, stating that repeated use of topical products consisting of tea tree oil might potentially result in enlarged breast tissue in prepubescent children.
Proceed with Caution
While some early studies have suggested that tea tree oil, particularly when paired with lavender oil, may be effective in treating head lice, there are insufficient large-scale, conclusive research studies to advise tea tree oil as a treatment for lice.
If your child or an adult in your family has lice, speak with your doctor about the best, most efficient type of treatment.
