The urban culture lifestyle provides no time for health management. In such a fast paced life there is no time to even wash your hair properly. Maintaining your hair is a hell of a task that’s why it’s well said “Life Happens, Coconut Oil Helps.”
Daily practices like washing, styling, and brushing hair damage the cuticles- the protective outermost layer of hair, which puts the medulla- the central part of hair important for hair thickening in a vulnerable state. All these leads to the loss of fibrous proteins of which the hair cortex is made, making your hair thin, fragile, and prone to breakage.
Coconut oil has fatty acids that reduce protein loss and has healing properties that safeguard against hair breakage. The lauric acid present in the oil gets easily absorbed deep into the hair shaft unlike other oils that only coat the hair.
Coconut Oil Benefits For Hair
The unique combination of fatty acids in coconut oil may have positive effects on your hair health. Here are some benefits listed for you.
Dandruff is caused due to fungus and yeast on the scalp. Coconut oil has anti-microbial properties that heal and protect against dandruff. As coconut oil is a natural saturated fat it also calms itching caused by dandruff and maintains hair moisture.
Coconut oil improves hair and scalp health making hair thick, smooth, shiny, and full of fibrous proteins which leads to less fungal infection, no split ends, and breakage. Hence, reduces hair loss. But no study provides that coconut oil can regrow lost hair.
Coconut oil absorbs into the hair shaft better than minerals and other kinds of oils. This prevents breakage and split ends. It also helps in reducing the protein loss which prevents hair thinning and drying further adds in preventing split ends.
Hair must have UV filters to protect them from sun damage. Some studies prove that coconut oil has a sun protection factor of 8, so it can be used as sun protection.
Frizz is the result of uneven absorption of water in the hair’s outer layer. Coconut oil smooths the cuticles and maintains the moisture in your hair protecting against hygral fatigue.
If you are using coconut oil as a hair treatment or mask you should let it sit overnight. As it provides enough time to get absorbed into the shaft and starts its healing process of repairing frizz, split ends, and reducing hair breakage.
Multiplying the benefits of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil may be used alone or in combination with other ingredients for your hair therapy. These ingredients will provide additional benefits to make your hair look extraordinary.
- Onion Juice: Combining it with coconut oil will strengthen your hair and promote hair growth. Mix them, apply it on your scalp, massage, keep it for half an hour and wash your hair with a regular shampoo.
- Curry leaves: it prevents premature greying of hair and strengthens hair follicles. Put the leaves in the oil, warm it for a few minutes and let it cool down. Apply this twice a week on your hair and you will be amazed.
- Camphor: coconut oil and camphor are excellent anti-dandruff treatments. In fact, the coolest thing about them is that they are both effective and inexpensive. Mix camphor powder in warm coconut oil and let it dissolve. Store this and apply an hour before hair wash
- Aloe Vera: It helps to make hair soft and strong. Mix aloe vera gel with coconut oil and use it as a hair mask.
- Castor Oil: For years, coconut oil and castor oil have been used to increase hair smoothness and thickness. It works as a natural hair conditioner.
Use Coconut oil before and after Hair wash
Using coconut oil before the hair wash reduces the damage during the wash and when it’s wet. Our hairs are most vulnerable when they are wet. So, when you wash your hair the cortex soaks up the water resulting in pushing and thinning the cuticles. This makes wet hair easily damageable during brushing and styling.
Coconut oil massage before the hair wash is important as it gets easily absorbed deep into the hair shafts which leads to minimal space for water to get absorbed into the shaft. This makes the hair less prone to damage by protecting the cuticles.
Coating coconut oil after the hair wash makes it look smooth and shiny. It protects the hair from UV rays and helps in managing frizzy and dry hair as a live-in-conditioner and repair them by reducing protein loss. It can minimize the damage caused by brushing and styling.
Is it good to apply coconut oil on wet hairs?
Coconut oil can be used for both dry and wet hairs. It is recommended to use wet hairs before styling and brushing to protect them from damage. This makes the hair look less oily, plus shiny all day. This works as a homemade conditioner or serum.
Can coconut oil be bad for your hair?
It is mentioned that over oiling can block the hair shafts providing no way for hydrating it. The result? Split ends and hair breakage. Keeping oil for a long period may attract dirt, dust, and grim ends encouraging fungus and yeast growth.
Excessive use of coconut oil on your hair and scalp must be avoided. If you're using it as a deep conditioning hair mask, make sure to fully rinse it off.