Composition for treatment and prevention of lice

Abstract

A composition and method for treating lice and removing nits from human hair, the composition including an alcohol; an inorganic salt in an amount less than 10 wt %; one or more essential oils and/or plant essences; and purified water. The composition may optionally include a surfactant to reduce separation of the ingredients of the composition and increase the appearance of homogeneity within the composition. The method may include applying the composition to human hair and the scalp and combing the hair to remove the lice and nits.

What claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition for treatment of lice comprising:
 a. an alcohol;   b. an inorganic salt in an amount less than 10 wt %;   c. one or more essential oils and/or plant essences: and   d. purified water.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition includes a surfactant adapted to reduce separation of the ingredients of the composition and increase appearance of homogeneity. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the surfactant is a poloxamer. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the alcohol is a primary alcohol, benzyl alcohol, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the inorganic salt is sodium chloride, 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more essential oils and/or plant essences include peppermint oil in an amount of about 1 wt % or greater. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition includes a plant essence, and wherein the plant essence is aloe vera oil. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the alcohol is present in an amount of about 3 wt % to about 5 wt %. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the inorganic salt is present amount of about 3 wt % or greater. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the in manic salt is present in an amount of about 3 wt % to about 5 wt %. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition has sufficient viscosity that it is a liquid solution that is able to be sprayed. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises:
 a. the alcohol in an amount of about 3 wt % to about 5 wt %;   b. the inorganic salt in an amount of about 3 wt % to about 5 wt %;   c. peppermint oil in an amount of about 3 wt % or less;   d. a poloxamer in an amount of about 1 wt % or less; and   e. the remainder being purified water.   
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 13 . further comprising aloe vera oil in an amount of about 7 wt % or less. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of claim  13 , wherein the alcohol is a primary alcohol, benzyl alcohol, or a combination thereof, and wherein the inorganic salt is sodium chloride. 
     
     
         15 . A method for treating lice and nits comprising:
 forming a composition of for treatment of lice, the forming step comprising adding alcohol, an inorganic salt, and one or more essential oils and/or plant essences to purified water;   wherein the composition is adapted to be applied to human hair and a scalp;   wherein the composition is adapted to stun or kill lice within about 5 minutes or less of contact between the composition and the lice; and   wherein the composition is adapted to weaken or break a glue-like bond between nits and the human hair so that the nits can be removed from the hair.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the forming step includes dissolving a surfactant in purified water prior to the step of adding alcohol, inorganic salt and one or more essential oils and/or plant essences. 
     
     
         17 . The method of claim  16 , wherein the dissolving includes refrigerating the surfactant and the purified water for about 3 hours or more. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising a step of applying the composition to human hair infested with lice and/or nits, wherein the applying step is performed by spraying the composition onto the human hair and scalp. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising a step of combing the hair to remove the lice and/or nits after the step of applying the composition. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein prior to the applying step, the method comprises a step of shaking or otherwise agitating the composition to distribute any or all ingredients of the composition.