Head Lice! That note home or that first sighting sends shivers down a parent’s spine. Even the thought of nits has your scalp tingling to be scratched!

So, rather than being on the defense and cleaning up the evidence, why not get on the offense this year and stop those little suckers in their tracks.

We’ve gathered up three tried and tested methods for preventing lice from taking hold.

Wear hair up to keep it away from head lice

While lice jump, kids (especially girls) with longer hair will benefit from wearing their hair up. Let’s face it, if there’s nothing dangling where the louse jumps then they will find it harder to take hold and make it home! Would I surprise you if I said that girls who wear the head scarf are less likely to get head lice?

Use hairspray to stick it to head lice

Hairspray makes it harder for the louse to grab hold. The smell of hairspray and the use of solvents (sad but true) in them can also deter creepy crawlies from finding their way in.

Not to mention that if you’re tying longer hair back, you’ve got a double whammy.

Use a head lice deterrent

Now we’re not suggesting using a flea powder but there are many products out there that deter head lice. Most of them use essential oils as a natural insect repellent, because that’s what we’re dealing with. You will find the most common use tea tree or eucalyptus essential oil. One of our staff has been using the following recipe for years and is yet to see a louse in her house.

Lavender Lice Deterrent

In a screw top glass jar combine the following:

3 cups of distilled water

85 ml of alcohol (rubbing alcohol)

15-30 drops of lavender essential oil

Allow to stand for two weeks in a cool & dark location.

Pour it into a spray bottle and use a couple of sprays each morning on my child’s hair before brushing/styling.

It needs to be said that you shouldn’t drink this mixture, nor spray it directly onto broken skin or into faces.

Below is another recipe from our friends at Emu Ridge.

If you do have the misfortune of having lice in your home, then there are many treatment methods out there. Remember that the whole family needs to be treated and all hats and bedding need to be washed. We’re big believers that prevention is better than cure and we hope these hints keep head lice at bay for you and your family.