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4 Reasons Why Coconut Oil Is Good for Hair Loss

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When searching for a good hair oil on Uncle Google, the one oil that pops up on almost every result is the infamous coconut oil. This oil has easily been the “talk of the town” through centuries and across all cultures. Coconut oil has been considered a superfood as it has been used for a wide variety of health benefits, including skin, nail, and especially hair. It is a widely used oil to make meals with as well!

But is coconut oil good for hair loss? In this post, we will learn four reasons why coconut oil can do wonders to your hair!

Every female friend I have come across over the years, has either used it or talked about how their mother or grandmother have sworn by the health benefits coconut oil provides. 

This is not to say that men have not equally praised the uses of this hero oil. I mention ‘females’ so it is easy to make my next point. 

Speaking from my own experience, I can say for a fact that the women in my family have always raved about the uses of this oil.

Growing up, my mom always applied coconut oil to my hair to make it healthy and for it to grow stronger. She used to say this is what her mother did and her mother’s mother and so on and so forth. 

However, when I moved away to live on my own, life got in the way and I did not continue to incorporate this childhood habit into my hair care regimen and soon began to see my hair get weaker, dry-er, and easier to break. Even as I type this, I can hear my mom say: I told you so! 

Don’t you hate it when mom’s are always right? Arrgghh…

Coconut Oil Hair Loss Treatment

Hair fall can be quite stressful; however, treatment or management doesn’t have to be. There could be multiple factors causing our hair to shed unnaturally like excessive use of hair styling tools, harsh hair care products, lack of right kind of nutrition, hormonal imbalances, and so much more. The list could endlessly go on but for everyone, the reasons for hair loss are different.

Although, it is always a good idea to get a doctor’s opinion on why you are losing an abnormal amount of hair, natural & at-home remedies can help a great deal if you are looking to stay away from medications. Isn’t it more fun to try out a DIY hair mask from simple ingredients that you can easily find in your pantry?

No need to go out grocery shopping looking for an exhaustive list of ingredients! Sometimes, the best remedies for hair thinning can be as simple as using the right hair oil!

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Oiling your hair is an easy at-home treatment that most women resort to when it comes to combating hair loss.

But what type of oil do you choose- there are so many! (Speaking of which, here are my top 8 hair oils if you are interested to know more)!

Amongst all available oils on the market, coconut oil is the go-to choice when it comes to hair oiling. It is available everywhere and is super affordable. Besides, who doesn’t love the smell of coconuts?

Aside from smelling like you are on a tropical island, massaging the oil onto the head can not only help relieve stress & anxiety but it also aids in stimulating blood circulation to your scalp area, which then encourages hair growth. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

This is why I want to talk about what makes coconut oil so good for hair health, along with being so therapeutic.

Benefits of Coconut Oil For Hair Loss

Coconut oil is the oil extracted from pressing the edible, white “meat” found inside of the giant nut(fruit). As delicious as the fruit tastes, the oil is naturally jam-packed with various nutrients and vitamins that are fabulous for root health.

Massaging the oil regularly to your head will ensure proper blood flow to the roots (more on this later). When hair and scalp are healthy, hair loss is dramatically reduced.

Photo by by elif tekkaya from Pexels

Let us look at a few reasons why coconut oil ranks so highly amongst most oils for hair.

1. Nourishes & Conditions Hair

One of the top reasons why coconut oil is so good for hair is its ability to penetrate deep into the hair follicles. Due to its low molecular weight and high moisture content, the oil deeply nourishes and conditions each strand, instead of just coating the strands like most carrier oils do.

This is incredible for dry hair because all the amazing nutrients soak effectively into the hair, leaving it hydrated, healthy, and silky smooth! Next time you feel like your tresses look dry as a hay-stack, use some coconut oil to give it back the nourishment it deserves!

2. Protects From Damage & Prevents Hair Breakage

Hair is made up of protein and regular use of hot hair styling tools or harsh hair care products can sometimes strip away the hair strands of its natural protective protein layer. This in turn, causes hair to become weak and break easily, stunting hair growth and causing hair thinning or hair loss.

Coconut oil contains a fatty acid called lauric acid that helps to retain the protein in hair and the other antioxidants and vitamins like E, K, and iron work together to protect the hair from any kind of damage. Because of this, coconut oil is an excellent heat protectant and also protects hair from sun damage!

Don’t forget to apply this on the next time you blow-dry your hair! (Just remember that a little goes a long long way; so use only a drop. Really, that is all you need!)

Photo by by Dana Tentis from Pexels

3. Stimulates New Growth

Massaging coconut oil onto the scalp is a great way to boost blood flow and bring oxygen to the area so that new hair growth is encouraged. Applying the oil to the scalp once a week is like deep conditioning the scalp by allowing the hair follicles to open up wide, to absorb all the goodness from the oil, and to encourage thicker new hair growth. Dormant hair follicles return to life as a result of this scalp treatment.

Turn your lights down, light your favorite candle/s, and give yourself a spa day with a coconut oil head massage! Add in a few drops of essential oils to take the magical experience to another level!

4. Scalp Inflammations

Coconut oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties that help rid the scalp of inflammations like dandruff, dermatitis, scalp acne, or even psoriasis. It is easy to have scalp buildup due to the harsh chemicals contained in our everyday hair styling & hair care products. Coconut oil helps to soothe and protect the scalp from these infections.

If you have a dry and itchy scalp and are really tired of constantly scratching your head (literally) to figure out a solution, look no further and allow coconut oil to save your mane!

And there you have it. The top 4 reasons why you must start using coconut oil to combat hair loss.

You can easily find coconut oil in your local supermarket but since there are so many out there, it might confuse you as to which one to get. If you would like to buy it online, hassle-free, then you can buy it here

Dangers With Coconut Oil

Even though I have talked about how good coconut oil is for hair, I do want to take the time to point out that this oil may not be for everyone. For starters, if you know you have a nut allergy, you may want to do a patch test first just to be sure you don’t run into any problems with using coconut oil on your hair.

You may love coconuts (like me) and consume them all the time but when it comes to application on skin and hair, it is a whole different ball game. Always do a patch test!

Photo by No Glory’s Images

Another danger with coconut oil is that it is highly comedogenic. This means that it can easily clog pores on your scalp with regular use. If you typically have oily skin and are prone to breakouts, using coconut oil can bring out scalp acne- yes, that is actually a thing!

You may want to steer clear of this oil if that is the case and maybe opt for a lighter one instead like jojoba or argan oil. These oils are much similar to our scalp’s sebum (natural oils).

Additionally, I would not recommend sleeping with this oil applied to your head for the same reasons as above. Use the oil in the day time for a few hours and maybe two -three times a week with rest days in between applications.

You can feel free to mix other carrier oils that repair hair further or even use it as a base for other DIY hair masks. Check out my natural hair masks that work to repair and grow hair here.

Final Takeaway

It is always a good idea to work on your hair’s health from the inside out. Make sure to incorporate both healthy eating and hair care habits. Foods high in omega 3-fatty acids and packed with vitamins and proteins can help build your hair shaft stronger from inside; whereas including coconut oil in your hair care regimen can help protect your hair from outer damage.

Regardless of how you plan to use coconut oil for your hair, the key to remember is to be consistent. This is to say, whether you use the oil as a detangler, a deep conditioning or a scalp treatment, or even a heat protectant, please be persistent.

No change happens overnight and if you truly provide your hair with the care it needs, you will notice your hair get stronger, longer, and silky smooth with the use of this hero oil! So yes, coconut oil can really help reduce hair loss

How many of you are going to use this oil or have already used it and seen great benefits?

Let me know in the comments below, as I always love hearing from you!

What would you like me to cover next?

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Sasha

Sasha

Hair-enthusiast turned blogger helping women achieve their hair goals with natural and sustainable haircare methods.

19 Responses

  1. Hi, great article! I am a huge fan of coconut oil and now I have another reason! I’ve been suffering hair loss for years and never thought of using this on my scalp. I’ve heard that if you use refined coconut oil on your skin that there is less chance of irritation. Do you know if one type of coconut oil is better than another for this condition or treatment?
    Thanks for such a great article. I’m going to start using it tonight!

    1. Hey Jamie, using refined or unrefined coconut oil essentially has the same nutritional benefits. I would highly suggest using unrefined coconut oil, mainly because it is less processed and more gentle on the scalp and hair. However, most people prefer the refined type as it is a clear oil and less aromatic. In terms of irritation, I would recommend you to do a patch test before you apply it on your scalp, just to be sure. Remember: less is more when it comes to oils for skin (and the scalp is an extension of our skin). Hope these tips help! Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂

  2. While I definitely enjoy the taste of coconut
    I never realized that it actually had any health benefits
    such as being full of nutrition and protecting your hair
    from damage, considering where I live usually has a lot of UV light from the sun,
    it might make sense to consider coconut oil in the future as well.

    P.S I really enjoyed the article, because coconut has always
    been one of my favourite foods to eat and I definitely enjoyed
    your website layout as well. Good job! 

    1. Hi Leon, great to know you enjoyed the article and thank you for your compliments on my website layout! 🙂 Definitely, do try out the oil but if you are trying it out for the first time, make sure you do a patch test first! It is always a good idea to test out products to see how your skin will react even if they are natural. Good luck! 🙂

  3. Sasha,
    Thanks for this article about the use of coconut oil for the hair. After reading you article I see that I have been using coconut oil wrongly – I use it everyday rather than your recommended once a week and worse still, have wondered why my scalp felt sore as I developed what i now know to be painful “scalp acne”!.

    Thanks for the enlightenment. I will give it a try again, but this time following your recommendations and hope i don;t develop clogged pores again.

    Thanks

    Ceci

    1. Hi Ceci, oh no! so sorry to hear you have scalp acne- that is totally a thing and I know how painful that could be. I will be doing a few posts on scalp conditions soon so please be sure to check back.

      As far as oils are concerned, I would suggest you stay away from them for now since oiling your scalp will only make your acne worse. Maybe try a lighter oil like argan or jojoba oil but only for the ends of your hair not your scalp. Also, be very careful not to aggressively brush your hair. As far as shampoos are concerned, try ones that are “gentle” on the scalp and allow your scalp to breathe (meaning stretch out your wash days). Hope these tips help you in your acne-free-scalp journey. I know you didn’t ask but I couldn’t help but share tips- hope you don’t mind.

      Cheers,
      Sasha

  4. I am really glad I found your article! I see cocunut oil being recommeded for conditioning your hair all the time, but I never new it could prevent hair loss too! It never occured to me that I would have to keep applying it consistantly though — but I guess it makes sense when you are trying to take the natural route to preventing hair loss.

    I’m only twenty-nine-years old and am already starting to lose hair! I think I might give this method a try.

    Do you provide information on how to cut your own hair too?

    Keep up the great work!

    1. Hey Darcy, glad to read you will be trying out coconut oil more consistently! Age is probably not the reason behind your hair troubles. It could be so many things at play: our lifestyle, foods we eat, hair care habits, hair tools/products we use, weather, etc. I will be doing a mini series on hard water effects on hair next, so make sure you check back! It was the number one reason for all my hair problems!

      I have not yet touched on the topic of DIY haircuts but that is an interesting idea… Here is a video that I found super helpful during these on-going Covid times. https://youtu.be/kgYVImOwYiI

  5. This is an excellent and well rounded post.  I appreciate that you have taken the time to look at it from all angles.

    I didn’t know that it has antibacterial and antifungal properties, so it is well worth marketing to men as well as women.

    I appreciate that you have pointed out the disadvantages with it, as it is important to know these.  I wouldn’t have known either, that people with a nut allergy should not use but products externally, but that only stands to sence as the skin would absorb it.

    An excellent and enlightening post.  

    1. Thank you Geoff, for your thoughts! Yes, our skin absorbs anything we put on it since it is porous. This is why it is important to always use oils with a little bit of discretion, especially if you have any known allergies. Thank you again for your comments and for stopping by!

  6. Thank you for outlining the benefits of coconut oil to our hair. I always knew that it is great for the hair but did not have enough facts about its benefits. I looks like it  has to be a must add on to my hair care products. 

    I have also heard about it benefits to the skin, what is your take on that?

    1. Hi Bogadi, yes coconut oil has great skin benefits as well. Most of the ones I listed here apply to the skin as well …as the scalp is an extension of our skin. To add to this, I personally use coconut oil mixed with sugar as a hand scrub and I feel it does wonders to the look and feel of my hands. I wouldn’t suggest applying it directly to the face though because the skin on our face is much thinner than that on the body. Hope this helps! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂 

  7. Hi Sasha. Very interesting article. I have problem with hair for a while and I already tested multiple different supplements. To be fair I was not fully satisfied with results, and its not easy to choose proper specific with so many options on market. I haven’t heard before about using coconut oil on hair but Im willing to give it a try. Not sure if its best option for my hair, but I will test and hopefully it will be what Im looking for. Thank you for your post!

    1. Hey Cogito, you are right about so many options available on the market. It really can get confusing! Do give coconut oil a try and if you want you can mix it with other oils as well. I have some DIY natural hair mask articles that you can try as well. Give this a read and I hope you find it helpful:  https://sashashairopshub.com/category/hair-loss-solutions/

      Good luck and let me know if you have any questions! 🙂

  8. Thanks for the article. Coconut oil is actually very effective in hair care and treatment. It nourishes and Conditions, prevents damage and breakage, stimulating new hair grow and healing inflammation on the scalp. Personally use of the oil causes headache and I would rather prefer palm kernel oil. This is a better alternative to coconut oil. Alternatively,the Antioxidants in the oil makes it an even better carrier oil for other essential oils.

    1. So good to hear that you have found an alternative that works for your hair! Everyone is different and can react differently to oils. It is never a good sign if you get headaches from using a certain kind of oils.

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 🙂

  9. Thanks for the article. Coconut oil is actually very effective in hair care and treatment. It nourishes and Conditions, prevents damage and breakage, stimulating new hair grow and healing inflammation on the scalp. Personally use of the oil causes headache and I would rather prefer palm kernel oil. This is a better alternative to coconut oil. Alternatively,the Antioxidants in the oil makes it an even better carrier oil for other essential oils.

  10. Hi Sasha.

    Appreciate you for sharing and listing all the amazing, enormous benefits of coconut oil. Coconut oil is an extremely versatile health and beauty product. Everyone in my family swears by it and I myself grew up reaping the benefits of using this oil.

    No doubt coconut oil is a magic potion of all hair tresses and the unsung superhero of all hair and beauty troubles.

    Thanks
    Cheers!

    1. That is true- aside from hair benefits, it is also a top ingredient in most beauty products as well! Thank you for leaving your thoughts and stopping by! 🙂

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Sasha's Bio
hi, I'm Sasha

Covid-19 changed not just the world but my hair too. Unfortunately, for the worse.

As I struggled to try everything under the sun to tame my mane (while being in lockdown), I noticed that natural remedies were most effective!

Here I am now,  sharing my tried & tested haircare methods to help women who are in the same boat as me.

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