Tea Tree Oil for Head Lice: Research Review (2006–2015)

Multiple studies support tea tree oil (TTO) as a pediculicide:

Study	Design	Finding
Heukelbach et al. (2006), Planta Medica	In vitro	TTO kills lice eggs & nymphs.
Thomas et al. (2014), Indian J Dermatol	Systematic review (11 studies)	TTO effective for lice & prevention of reinfestation.
Lee et al. (2015), JEADV	Meta-analysis (12 studies)	TTO kills lice, prevents reinfestation.
Gupta et al. (2015), J Clin Diagn Res	RCT (100 children)	TTO effective & safe vs. placebo.

Practical Use

• 1–5% TTO in carrier oil (coconut, olive) applied to scalp, left 30–60 min, combed out.
• Repeat weekly × 3–4 weeks to catch hatching nymphs.
• Test patch first (allergic contact dermatitis possible).
• Not FDA-approved as pediculicide; use as adjunct, not sole treatment for heavy infestations.

Combine with wet-combing, environmental cleaning, and school notification.