Coconut oil has become a staple in the beauty industry especially for people who are looking to grow their hair naturally. For now, there isn’t much scientific research to back the use of coconut oil for growing hair faster.
However, a number of people have attested to how coconut helps grow their hair. Whether true or not, this has not yet been substantiated by scientific research. There are, however, noteworthy benefits for using coconut oil in your hair.
Coconut serves as both a natural moisturizer and a natural sunscreen that helps protect your hair. When coconut oil is applied to the hair, it helps improve hair health and also protects the scalp from various fungal infections.
The oil also contains a lot of saturated fats and therefore can keep the scalp firm and prevent irritation of the scalp. With all of these benefits, it may look like your hair is growing faster and also you won’t be forced to use other agents which can impede the growth of the hair.
In summary, coconut oil:
- Serves as a natural moisturizer
- Serves as a natural sunscreen and therefore protects your hair against the harmful effects of the sun
- Prevents fungal infections like ringworm
- Prevents the harboring and growth of other disease causing microorganisms
- Prevents irritation of the scalp
Best practices when using coconut oil for hair growth
- Avoid applying it in the mornings. This is because the oil usually takes time for the hair to absorb or soak it. This will make your hair greasy and may not be comfortable for you to be moving around with it. You should therefore apply it mostly at night.
- Coconut oil works best on dry hair. Oil and water do not mix well so avoid applying the oil to your hair when it is wet with water.
- Apply the oil when it is warm. This is essential to make the oil liquified as possible to promote easy rubbing on hands and subsequently on your hair. Use it warm and not hot. It also helps open up the hair cuticles allowing better hair penetration.
How to apply the coconut oil
- Dry your hair using a hair dryer if your hair is wet.
- Pour a small volume of the coconut oil you want to apply to your hair
- Warm the oil you poured slightly using any appropriate source of heat.
- Divide your hair into sections
- Pour some of the oil into your palms and gently massage it into the individual parts of the hair
- After applying the oil, leave it on your hair for at least 20 to 30 minutes
- Use a shower cap or a hair dryer to dry it up for a couple of minutes (This heat can help open up the hair cuticles increasing the hair penetration)
- Wash your hair with a shampoo
Does coconut oil really make your hair grow
From the above-provided information, there are a number of health benefits that you can derive from using coconut oil on your hair. All these benefits in one way or the other help promote healthier hair and good hair growth and hence can facilitate the natural growth of your hair.
WRITTEN AND EDITED RESPECTIVELY BY:
Dr. Ehoneah Obed is a registered pharmacist and a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana. He has a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and has experience working in a Tertiary hospital as well as various community pharmacies. He is also a software engineer interested in healthcare technologies.
His love for helping others motivates him to create content on an array of topics mostly relating to the health of people and also software engineering content.
He is knowledgeable in digital marketing, content marketing, and a host of other skills that make him versatile enough to uplift any team he joins.
MPSGH, MRPharmS, MPhil.
Isaiah Amoo is a practicing community pharmacist in good standing with the Pharmacy Council of Ghana who has meaningful experience in academia and industrial pharmacy. He is a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, England, UK and currently pursuing his overseas pharmacy assessment programme (MSc) at Aston University, UK. He had his MPhil degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He has about 5 years’ experience as a community Pharmacist and has also taught in academic institutions like KNUST, Kumasi Technical University, Royal Ann College of Health, and G-Health Consult. He likes to spend time reading medical research articles and loves sharing his knowledge with others.
Too many people have no knowledge of the fact that shampoos that grow your hair faster and longer (obviously with no sulfates, no parabens or DEA) exist. We all can now have longer hair and experience more possibilities. For sure worth reading.
When you’re studying alopecia, damaged hair, preventing hair disorders, hair growth, hair and scalp health more often than not, similar thoughts become relevant.
In general, you want to steer clear of hair treatments and products that include chemicals like parabens, DEA or sulfates.
What’s beneficial for your hair is healthy for your skin as well.
For obvious reasons your content on this page hits the nail in the head for various reasons. It stays away from the common mistakes and traps most fall into: using defective alternatives. Greatly appreciated!
We appreciate your comment Dara. Very well-thought-out and informative.