How can you use coconut oil for a dry, itchy scalp? What about damaged hair? Have you suffered from hair loss? You always want to look your best, and your hair is one of the first things that others notice about you. How can you use coconut oil for longer, thicker, and shinier hair?
What Is Coconut Oil?
Coconut oil is extracted from the pulp of the coconut. It has a mild and sweet odor as well as many beneficial properties for your body.
While it has an extremely low concentration of vitamins and minerals, it is exceptional in its ability to fight and kill bacteria.
Some dermatologists recommend coconut oil as a moisturizer. They also recommend it for its possible anti-aging properties.
Coconut oil has a fat content of 100% and for your hair it works wonders!
Lauric Acid
Coconut oil is made up of 47% lauric fatty acid. When used topically on your skin, coconut oil is extremely beneficial.
The lauric acid in the coconut oil has anti-microbial properties which help to kill bacteria.
How Does Coconut Oil Improve Your Hair?
Regardless of its low content of vitamins and minerals, it provides specific benefits when applied topically to your hair.
Coconut oil creates a barrier to bacteria and irritants.
It is absorbed quickly into the strands of your hair. The lauric acid has nourishing properties to tame frizz, moisturize, and heal broken strands.
The Magic of Coconut Oil
We all want the silky, smooth, shiny hair. Hair that feels luxurious to run your fingers through. You can achieve that through the magic of coconut oil.
First Things First
Coconut oil has a low melt temperature and will get soft quickly while holding it in your own hand. For this reason, you need to protect your clothing with an old towel or bathrobe. You will also need a shower cap or terry turban or a towel, to wrap your hair in. Additionally, make some green tea ahead of time and let it cool in a plastic cup or other container.
Have everything that you will need at your disposal before you begin, as your hands will get messy.
How Can You Use Coconut Oil for Longer, Thicker, and Shinier Hair?
Take about a tablespoon of coconut oil in the palm of your hand. Gently rub your hands together until the coconut oil is soft and liquid.
Beginning near the root, (but not the scalp) work your hands and fingers down the length of the strands of your hair toward the tips. Use your fingers like a comb and work the coconut oil into each strand as you go down the length of your hair.
Pay close attention to the ends of your hair as you want to encourage growth in the ends and make them strong. Use more coconut oil as necessary.
Twist your hair on top of your head and wrap it in a towel or use a shower cap.
Moisturizing Your Hair
It is your decision how much time you want to allow for this treatment. You can do as little as 10 minutes, or with your head well wrapped to protect the bed linen from the coconut oil you can sleep with it and shower and shampoo it out in the morning.
When you have completed and are ready to wash out your hair, take the plastic container of green tea and work it through your hair. It will continue to nourish your hair and help remove the coconut oil from the strands of your hair.
Gently shampoo your hair. Rinse and repeat. Use conditioner if desired and gently towel dry your hair. As a pre-shampoo treatment coconut oil will moisturize and condition your hair, making it healthy and well nourished.
The Structure of Your Hair
The hair is made up of three parts.
The Medulla
The soft center part of the hair is called the medulla. It determines how thick or how thin your hair is.
The Cortex
The middle, visible layer is called the cortex. It is the visible part of the hair. It provides the moisture, strength, texture, and color of your hair.
The Cuticle
The outer layer of the hair is transparent. It is called the cuticle. This part of the hair is the armored part of overlapping cells. It provides protection to the hair like shingles on a roof. It protects from the weather, chemicals, and other damaging properties.
When the cuticle of your hair breaks, you lose protein in your cortex. This leaves you with thin, brittle, frizzy hair. In all honesty, no one wants hair that looks like that!
Now let’s bring coconut oil onto the scene. Coconut oil brings your hair back to life. It protects your hair from damage and hair loss. Research shows that it is better than other oils in providing protection to your hair.
Study of Coconut Oil and Your Hair
In April 2003, the Journal of Cosmetic Science did a study. They examined the effects of applying coconut, sunflower, or mineral oil to hair before or after washing.
To see which the best oil was to protect your hair; they measured the amount of protein lost after each of these treatments.
As a result of their study, they found that coconut oil was better at preventing protein loss than both mineral and sunflower oils regardless if it was applied before or after the hair was washed.
Reduced Protein Loss
Coconut oil, however, reduced protein loss in many types of hair…
- Undamaged hair
- Bleached hair
- Chemically treated hair
- Sun-bleached hair.
It protected hair by retaining protein.
“Both sunflower and mineral oils do not help at all in reducing the protein loss from hair”, the Journal of Cosmetic Science said. “The difference in results could arise from the composition of each of these oils.”
“Coconut oil…because of its low molecular weight and straight linear chain, is able to penetrate inside the hair shaft.”
Mineral oil and sunflower oil do not penetrate the shaft because of their structure, consequently it results in “no favorable impact on protein loss,” the study found.
How Can You Use Coconut Oil for Longer, Thicker and Shinier Hair?
Putting science aside, another benefit of coconut oil is that it can help your hair grow longer. It does not necessarily make it grow faster, just longer. When your hair is damaged, such as with split ends, the growth of your hair can almost come to a halt.
The sun can cause significant damage to your hair. Studies have found that oils like coconut oil, olive oil, and peppermint oil provide UV protection from the sun’s damage.
Essential Oils for Your Hair
Lavender essential oil
Lavender oil is known for the property of generating cell growth and reducing stress. It also has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties to improve your scalp health.
You Can Make Your Own Coconut Oil Treatment
Coconut oil has an incredibly low melting temperature. You can melt two tablespoons of coconut oil that you buy in the grocery store over a very low heat. Add several drops of essential oil like lavender oil, tea tree oil, or peppermint oil to the warm coconut oil. This can be applied directly to your hair for a 10-minute or more treatment before shampooing. This can be done several times a week.
The Benefits of Coconut Oil
One benefit of coconut oil is quite significant. You know exactly what is in it. It is safe, there are no additives. Some shampoos or hair treatments may have other ingredients that irritate your skin.
If you have a baby or young child who needs something for scalp care, coconut oil is a safe option.
Coconut oil is a great moisturizer for your hair. It is a great for pre-treating your hair. After 10 minutes the coconut oil can be washed out with your regular shampoo.
Coconut Oil Does Have Limited Effectiveness
There are no active ingredients in coconut oil. If you have a scalp condition you should see your doctor. Your doctor will assess your scalp and may prescribe a medicated shampoo for you.
Also, be cautious when using shampoos and conditioners containing coconut oil. Manufacturers may not be truly transparent about the contents. There may be additives in the product which are less than desirable.
Coconut Oil Allergies
As a rule, coconut oil is safe for hair and skin. There is always the possibility that someone may have an allergic reaction to it. People hypersensitive to coconut oil may notice redness, itching, and swelling. If that becomes apparent, discontinue using it.
In Conclusion
How Can You Use Coconut Oil for Longer, Thicker and Shinier Hair? Coconut oil is a natural choice to treat your hair and keep it looking shiny and healthy. It is possible that you have some right in your own kitchen!
Please Leave a Comment
I would love to hear from you. Do you have any experience with using coconut oil to treat your hair? What difference have you seen it make in your own hair?
Disclaimer: If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. No content on this site should be substituted for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare practitioners. The information contained here is for informational purposes only. It is from my research and personal experience.
I had never thought of using coconut oil on my hair. I didn’t know that it could be used as a moisturizer for the hair. I know it can be used as a mouthwash, its anti-bacterial properties and also for cooking! I look forward to giving coconut oil a try!
Hi Barbara, Thanks for stopping by. There are a number of natural oils that work wonders on your hair as a moisturizer. You apply it and give it time to work before shampooing your hair. Coconut oil is one of those amazing oils that leaves your hair thicker and healthier looking. Yes, coconut oil has many amazing uses.