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Here are a few ways to use coconut oil to help improve the health of your hair. Simply applying the oil allows hair that has already detached from your scalp to fall away. Applying oil to your hair both before and after you wash it helps protect it from damage. It’s thought that coconut oil’s chemical structure is behind its superior ability to protect hair (4). There is evidence that you can use coconut oil to help manage a dry, itchy scalp and accompanying dandruff.
Adding shine
Coconut oil hair masks can clog hair follicles, make your hair greasy, and reduce growth. You've probably heard of it being used on the skin, but did you know many people use it to aid with hair growth or detangling too. We explore the possible benefits and how best to include coconut oil in your haircare routine. Coconut oil is beneficial for your hair for a range of reasons, but using too much of it can cause buildup and greasiness.
Addressing dandruff or dry scalp
However, if you want the benefits of a deep conditioning, follow the steps above. Instead of using sandalwood, add four drops of rosemary essential oil, which has been shown to increase new hair growth over 20 percent. Rosemary also helps increase circulation in the scalp and when used with coconut oil can produce fantastic results. Between chemical treatments, heat styling, and environmental exposure, your hair can become fragile and damaged over time.
Ready? Here's how to apply coconut oil to your hair.
After massaging the combination into the scalp for 10 minutes, place a shower cap on, and allow the heat of your body to work the ingredients into your hair to improve scalp health. Follow with a gentle cleanser like this homemade rosemary mint shampoo. Using coconut oil for hair is one of the best things you can do to avoid harmful chemicals that are in many commercial hair care products. Look for virgin coconut oil (or extra virgin) that’s organic to use on your hair and skin and in your food. Even if your hair is undamaged, a coconut oil hair mask is likely to boost the condition and overall health of your hair and scalp.
Coconut oil and honey hair mask
Study results published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science suggest that is able to reduce protein loss in both damaged and undamaged hair. It can be used before shampooing your hair or as a post-wash grooming product. Coconut oil is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids, and it has antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties. This allows coconut oil to improve the appearance, texture and health of hair.
Scalp Treatment
Whisk the egg in a separate bowl, then combine the egg with the heated (but not too hot!) coconut oil. Research suggests that sensitivity to p-phenylenediamine in hair dye can occur in some people causing contact dermatitis. Brigitt is a writer, editor and craft stylist with nearly 15 years of experience. She specializes in lifestyle topics, including home, health, parenting, beauty, style, food, entertaining, travel and weddings.
7 Benefits of Coconut Oil for Hair & Skin - WION
7 Benefits of Coconut Oil for Hair & Skin.
Posted: Wed, 16 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Benefits of Applying Coconut Oil for Hair
Dr. Spann suggests heating the oil for a few seconds for maximum penetration. “The oil should be delicately applied to dry hair and scalp using gentle, circular motions,” she says. You can also use a silicone scalp massager to really get in there if you're averse to digging your fingers into your scalp (and it helps me prevent from scratching with my long, gel-X nails). Then, gently massage into the scalp for 10 to 15 minutes in circular motions before smoothing through the lengths of your hair. Repeat this two to three times per week, or even more often, as desired. Just like with the conditioning or hair growth treatment, you can leave it on overnight, but be sure to wear the shower cap to avoid staining your bed linens.
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This is due to its ability to penetrate the hair cuticles and cortex. Have you been tempted to clear out your commercial conditioners, serums and styling products that damage your hair (and possibly your health) over time Well guess what? After separating clean, damp hair into sections, gently massage the hair mask into each section from root to tip. Then, wrap your hair in a shower cap, T-shirt, or towel for 30 minutes. Someone can make this hair mask by either mashing the ripe fruits or blending them with melted coconut oil and applying them to damp hair.
When to Avoid Coconut Oil for Hair
Then, let it sit for a few hours to overnight before washing it out thoroughly, suggests Rodney. We can credit its high content of lauric acid, which has a high affinity for hair proteins, as well as the oil's low molecular weight, Koestline explains. And once it's in there, it's ideal for moisturizing, conditioning, and detangling, adds Rodney. The lauric acid in coconut oil also makes it naturally antimicrobial (helping to fight bacteria and fungi). This minimizes inflammation and promotes wound healing, says Mikaliov. It's for those reasons that this oil is especially beneficial for eczema sufferers, Mikaliov adds.

If you have fine hair, a quick 30-minute treatment is sufficient—any longer can leave you with limp and excessively oily tresses, says Olivia Casanova, a stylist at IGK Salons. If you have thicker, dryer hair that's not prone to oil, you can leave it on for as long as a few hours or use as it as an overnight hair mask, says celebrity stylist Michelle Cleveland. The lauric acid in coconut oil has nourishing properties that are especially prone to soak into the strands of your hair. Coconut oil absorbs into your hair quickly, providing moisture to tame frizz and heal breakage. For most treatments, experts recommend rinsing coconut oil out post-use—though a small amount used as a styling oil offers an exception.
For what seems like forever, coconut oil has been touted as the ultimate hair-and-scalp treatment. On TikTok alone, the term "coconut oil for hair" has over 33 million views and counting. Recently, however, both hair stylists and trichologists have been sharing that cedarwood oil may have more scalp-specific benefits, and therefore could be extremely beneficial to hair health and growth. The positive effects of cedarwood oil for hair include impressive oil-balancing characteristics, which make it ideal for those with a constantly greasy scalp as well as those with fine or thinning hair. There's certainly no shortage of plant-based hair oils out there, but arguably, none get as much attention as coconut oil.
In fact, coconut oil came out on top in all of their studies and reduced protein loss in hair that was undamaged, bleached, chemically treated, and UV exposed. Perhaps of greatest concern is that people with an allergy to coconut may have an allergic reaction when coconut oil is used for hair. Many cases of coconut allergy involve exposure to shampoos or other personal care products containing the oil, which causes allergic contact dermatitis.
"There are no credible studies at this point linking the use of coconut oil to faster hair growth." When applied to hair before washing, coconut oil has been shown to reduce protein loss more than sunflower and mineral oils. In a 2015 report, researchers reviewed several studies testing the effects of plant-based oils on human hair. The authors noted that coconut oil is similar to natural hair proteins and that it has a unique ability to penetrate the hair shaft (the part of the hair that shows above the scalp). If you don’t have the patience to leave it overnight—or your scalp tends to be oil-prone—try hair oiling as a pre-shampoo treatment.
One customer, who admits that their hair "craves moisture," says that even after trying other similar conditioners, they "return to this product time and again." One customer with post-menopausal scalp flakiness promises that this product is among the "BEST when it comes to restoring the scalp and hair." Coconut oil doesn't just belong on your bathroom shelf during a hair emergency—it's also a great addition to your daily routine. "Coconut oil provides great slip to the hair, making detangling feel like a breeze," Alvarez explains. She also says that it's a great oil to brush through your hair if you're headed out and looking for a bit of extra shine.
But on the days I want my texture to shine, I reach for this hair oil before and after my wash. Borysiewicz says that you can use coconut oil as a split-end treatment for extra dry hair while on the go. However, the best option is to apply the oil on to damp hair after washing.
If she’s not reading or writing, you can probably find her frequenting the skincare and makeup forums on Reddit or hogging the squat rack at the gym. As an added bonus, a little pea-sized dollop of coconut oil makes for a great detangler when you encounter a stubborn knot. Coconut oil is great for strengthening brittle nails and conditioning cuticles. Massage a small amount of coconut oil around the cuticle area and base of each nail bed with your hands.