There are several reasons why our grandmothers and mothers have always advised us to use coconut oil regularly. The fact is that coconut oil benefits for hair, skin, and health are indispensable, and the elders know it better. According to several pieces of research too, the wonders of coconut works wonders for a person.
It is amazing how a simple, and easily available product can be so beneficial, and that is what this article is all about. As you read further, we will tell you how to derive coconut oil benefits for hair, and other purposes. However, hair care is going to be the main topic of discussion today. There are several other benefits of coconut oil as well, but let’s leave that for later.
So, without delaying any further, let us check out some facts about coconut oil before proceeding with the coconut oil benefits for hair.
Table of Contents
Interesting facts about coconut oil
Find out interesting facts about using coconut oil:
Cholesterol levels
There was a time when people misunderstood the benefits of coconut oil. The blame goes to a few scientists around the world who derived the wrong information about the product. It was according to their views and tests that coconut oil was proved to be harmful to the body in some ways.
The major reason why they rejected the use of coconut oil was that it would probably higher LDL cholesterol. However, the research went on, and the recent results talk otherwise. The truth is that coconut oil increases HDL cholesterol, which is beneficial for the system. The unfortunate part is that several people are yet to come across this fact, and so misconceptions about coconut oil still exist.
Fat content
You may already be aware of the fact that any kind of oil contains fat, but what matters is whether is good or bad fat. Now, half of the fat present in coconut oil is lauric acid, which is a rare category of the same. When you consume or apply coconut oil, the body converts the same lauric acid into what we call monolaurin.
Monolaurin is a substance that is full of antibacterial, protozoal, and antiviral properties. Also, lauric acid is one of the best chemicals that is capable to fight with a gram-negative virus and bacteria. The best part is that coconut oil is one of the major sources of lauric acid present on the planet. It is the reason why people widely use coconut oil for hair growth, skin care, and also, as part of their diet.
Repairing tissues
It is a proven fact that coconut oil works wonders against joint inflammation issues. Besides, it can repair tissues that are already damaged. Chronic inflammation is mostly caused due to microorganisms that multiply in the intestinal portion of your body. Consumption of coconut oil helps to restrict the multiplication of such microorganisms leading to superb benefits.
The most amazing fact about coconut oil is the presence of monoglycerides. Coconut oil has been often compared to mother’s milk. Well, it is because both contain fatty acids, as well as anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. They can further, disrupt a particular structure of microorganisms, thereby deactivating them. Even better, coconut oil eliminates only the bad bacteria, leaving gut bacteria intact. Therefore, you get rid of other problems keeping your digestion in perfect state.
So, apart from the coconut oil benefits for hair, it also works for problems such as excessive weight, and hypothyroidism. Besides, applying coconut oil is a great way of getting rid of stress, fatigue, and anxiety.
Coconut oil benefits for hair: how to use it?
The growing reputation of coconut oil proves that it is not just highly beneficial, but its uses are peculiar, and diverse too. You can use coconut oil for hair growth, or cooking, and skincare. Whatever, the purpose is, the product excels all its other counterparts that are also considered essential oils. The benefit of coconut oil over all other essential oils is that it works for you inside out. It means you can both consume and apply coconut oil, depending on what you are using it for.
Whether you want to derive coconut oil benefits for hair, or other health issues, what remains constant is that it is an indispensable part of your kitchen. As mentioned earlier, in this article we will mostly discuss coconut oil benefits for hair. So, let’s start by saying that you can use the product in any way, it will yield you the best benefits only. For example, you can apply it directly on your scalp for massages, or blend it with other oils too. Otherwise, you can use coconut oil in hair masks and packs for enhanced benefits too. With regular use, you can understand that there is stimulation in hair growth, followed by thickness.
Coconut oil is one of the simplest products that you can use for the nourishment of your hair. One, it is highly available in the online and offline markets. Second, it is extremely easy to use, and last but not least, it does not have harmful side-effects. Now, the question is how does coconut oil work for hair growth. Well, the answer is simple. Coconut oil is rich in fatty acids, and vitamins, that can nourish the scalp. Moreover, it accelerates the removal of accumulated sebum from hair follicles too.
Using coconut oil for hair growth in the best way
If you are aiming for thicker and stronger hair, follow the below-mentioned process for the best results.
- Clean your hair and scalp with preferably an organic shampoo during the evening or before bedtime.
- Rinse off the shampoo and apply a good conditioner for extra moisturizing
- On the other side, take a little amount of coconut oil and pour it into a double boiler.
- While the coconut oil softens and becomes warm, keep brushing your hair gently to remove tangles.
- Now that the coconut oil is thinned down, take some on your fingers and start massaging your scalp gently.
- Try to divide your hair into sections to easily access the scalp. In this way, you will get the best results.
- Now cover your head with a shower cap or wrap a towel
- Leave it that way overnight for the most effective results
What is organic coconut oil?
Coconut oil is, therefore, a healthier alternative for any purpose including cooking, skincare, haircare, and other health issues. However, you must understand that there are grades and categories of coconut oil too. All of these are not the best quality that you can apply to your skin and hair.
So, you must know about the best variety, which is the organic one. This is the unrefined variety of coconut oil that contains zero preservatives or added substances. Apart from that pure smell, there are several other benefits that you can derive from organic coconut oil.
Organic coconut oil is what is derived from coconuts right at the time they are brought into a mill. There is a lot of difference between organic coconut oil, and the variety that is widely available in the market. In most cases, the ordinary one contains even the slightest bit of preservatives or added chemicals.
Besides, the oil is often diluted and blended with perfumes and other oils for a more synthetic result. In a big spoonful of organic coconut oil, just a gram is monosaturated fat, and the rest is entirely saturated.
Which one to use for your hair?
Out of all the varieties, how do you recognize the best coconut oil for hair growth? Well, it is not very difficult to understand if you know the basic tricks. You must know that the best variety of organic coconut oil will not be completely watery in color when melted. Instead, you will find it a little on the yellowish side. However, once you cool down the oil, it will again form a white color. Also, organic coconut oil is not soluble in water, but it somehow blends well if you try with just a few drops of water.
Apart from these tricks, you must also know why you must choose it over the other varieties. Of course, you will get the best coconut oil benefits for hair when you use the best version of it. Besides, the microbial properties of coconut oil remain intact in its purest form. Therefore, it becomes indispensable for scalp cleanser, moisturizer, and de-tangle.
For the most-effective results, you should apply coconut oil on a clean scalp right after rinsing your hair. Also, leaving it overnight is even better as your hair gets a deep moisturizing. Applying the oil on damp hair helps to lock-in all the moisture, thus preventing any dryness. Now for a lot of you, coconut oil may cause allergies which are mainly due to the presence of lauric acid. So, the best idea is to ditch the refined version and shift to the organic version for no side-effects. The unrefined version contains much lower levels of lauric acid, thus causing fewer rashes.
Hair mask using coconut oil
Most of the commercially used coconut oils can be used in hair masks for temporary improvement and shine. However, the hidden truth is that these contain only a small quantity of pure coconut oil and the rest are all chemicals. Now, these substances are harsh and can make your hair dull. In the worst scenario, such varieties of oil can damage your hair forever. So, the best solution to such a problem is to spend a bit more money and go for the organic variety of coconut oil. After all, spending a little more is better than risking your hair.
In most of the cases, the commercial coconut oil varieties only hide the breakage and dehydration for a few days. These add an outer layer of moisturizer to your dry hair to make it look soft and shiny, but the same does not long last. Ultimately, none of these products are capable enough to fulfill the nutritional requirements of your hair. In this section, you will get to know about the best way of using coconut oil in a hair mask.
Ingredients for the mask:
- Organic coconut oil- melted and warm- 200 ml
- medium ripened avocado- ½ nos.
- egg- 1 whole
How to apply?
- Beat the whole egg in a bowl till it fluffs up
- Use your hands or mixer to mash the avocado into a fine paste
- Now blend all of the ingredients along with the warm coconut oil
- You should preferably apply the mask on damp hair
- Apply the paste evenly covering every inch of your hairs and scalp
- Leave the paste for 30-45 minutes
- Shampoo, condition, and rinse according to your routine
- You must follow the regime at least once a week
Let’s count coconut oil benefits for hair growth
Even though the benefits of coconut oil are countless, we have tried to list down the major ones here. Not just hair, but coconut oil works wonders for the skin, and health as a whole. However, since we are highlighting haircare in this article, let us get back to the same.
Most importantly, coconut oil is a rich source of Vitamin E and A that nourishes your hair from within. Therefore, your locks become shiny, luscious, and healthy. Now let’s look into the list of benefits for more information-
- Coconut oil protects our hair from any kind of damage caused due to exposure to sunlight. You may already know that the harmful UV rays of the sun are harmful to the skin and hair. So, coconut oil forms a strong layer around your scalp and hair for the best protection.
- There is more than one kind of vitamin present in coconut oil along with an ample amount of fatty acids. As a result, you can get rid of follicle sebum build-up.
- When coloring and application cause harm to the hair, coconut oil helps in proper nourishment.
- It is a good option for deep conditioning and detangling
- Applying coconut oil also gives you luscious eyebrows and healthy eyelashes.
Final thoughts
Amongst hundreds of benefits of coconut oil, here are a few tips and suggestions that will work well for your hair. Also, remember that regular use is a must if you are looking for consistent results.