Oiling the hair & scalp

[lapushka]

Found a video by LilithMoon on scalp oiling with castor oil. If you use an oil on your hair, discuss:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qfi8cwJG8O4

[animetor7]

I oil every day, but only on my ends, my scalp produces enough oil on its own. But I have heard of many of our members having great success with scalp oiling. So I suppose YMMV.

[martyna_22]

Ugh, no. When I started growing, everybody kept telling me that scalp oiling would be good. So I believed it's for everyone.. Except my scalp is easily irritable and whenever I pulled a stunt like that oil wouldn't wash out completely and I'd get really nasty dandruff. And I thought: "What am I doing wrong? Scalp oiling is supposed to be amazing!". And so kept experimenting, with different oils, different time of oiling.. Nothing worked. My scalp hates oil and so be it.
My length and ends like oil, though.. So I just apply it below chin and it works like a charm. Practically any oil, but in moderation. Non-porous hair hates too much oil :D

[BonnieU]

I've been experimenting with scalp oiling recently for my dry scalp issue. My scalp is dry and flaky right out of the shower, no matter if I clarify (it's certainly less so when I do) and just gets worse throughout the week. I started with coconut oil, but I don't use nearly as much as she does! She appears also to have fine hair, so I'm wondering if I can get away with this method as well and get even better results than my current method...

Does anyone have opinions on which oil/oils are best, or does it really matter? I know she uses the castor for growth/thickening purposes, so I'm wondering if there is something particularly better for dry scalp pre poo....

[meteor]

Does anyone have opinions on which oil/oils are best, or does it really matter? I know she uses the castor for growth/thickening purposes, so I'm wondering if there is something particularly better for dry scalp pre poo....

I suspect she uses a combination of burdock root oil and castor oil simply due to tradition - both castor and burdock root oils are extremely popular "hair oils" in Russia. Our grandmas used the same... it's kind of a tradition, like coconut or sesame oil in India. Sure, castor oil has lots of benefits, but it's they are not exclusive to this oil. It's very viscous, so it can be tricky to apply, so I appreciate LilithMoon's recommendation to use syringes and special applicator bottles.

I think it's important to find the right kind of oil for your own scalp and hair. Oiling scalp in case of xerosis, or dry scalp, could probably be useful. But it's unnecessary if you have a healthy scalp, and can even be detrimental if you have seborrheic dermatitis, for example.

I don't oil my scalp anymore, due to sheer laziness. Oiling length and ends is easier and more important than oiling scalp and roots (after all, my natural sebum is probably enough for my scalp).

I personally like infused oils, enriched with herbs/plants like henna, brahmi, curry, neem, chamomile... because I think they are good for promoting healthy scalp. They can be made from scratch or found in many Indian stores. But there are lots and lots of oils that can be quite beneficial for hair and scalp, including the much demonized mineral oil - it's a more effective occlusive and is less likely to irritate/cause a reaction than natural oils.

There is also a concept of "artificial sebum" (which mimics natural sebum and includes several different types of oil and oil related compounds) that you might find interesting:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19134124
http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2010/02/best-oil-to-use-is.html
"1. Squalene (around 15%) - If you google it please check out the safety information from WHO, it is naturally occuring and safe.
2. Wax esters (around 20-25%) - Sadly this comes from spermaceti in research but there are plant derived wax esters such as jojoba oil
3. Triglycerides (around 40-60%) - You can find these in olive oil, coconut oil , cotton seed oil. Typically ALL these oils will be added, not just one
4. Fatty acids (around 0-15%) - Coconut oil is a good source
5. Cholesterol and related esters( around 3%) - Cholesterol can be bought"

[BonnieU]

Awesome information, thank you! I'm definitely going to check the article out, I'm very interested in the artificial sebum idea......something very close to your natural secretions seems like a great idea for dry scalp issues...

[Panth]

Scalp oiling exacerbates seborrheic dermatitis. For me, that's reason enough not to do it.

Be wary, all of you with "dry scalps". You may well end up making things worse.

[lapushka]

Scalp oiling exacerbates seborrheic dermatitis. For me, that's reason enough not to do it.

Be wary, all of you with "dry scalps". You may well end up making things worse.

Same here. I am curious about it though, but so far only the lengths are ever oiled here.

[veryhairyfairy]

I've been experimenting with scalp oiling recently for my dry scalp issue. My scalp is dry and flaky right out of the shower, no matter if I clarify (it's certainly less so when I do) and just gets worse throughout the week. I started with coconut oil, but I don't use nearly as much as she does! She appears also to have fine hair, so I'm wondering if I can get away with this method as well and get even better results than my current method...

Does anyone have opinions on which oil/oils are best, or does it really matter? I know she uses the castor for growth/thickening purposes, so I'm wondering if there is something particularly better for dry scalp pre poo....

I had the same kind of dry and flaky scalp (right after wash, too) and heavy scalp oiling completely got rid of it. I only did 2-3 overnight treatments and my scalp has been happy for months without any more treatments. I think I used: unrefined coconut oil, maybe a bit of castor oil I had laying around, and a few drops of peppermint oil. And I used a lot, too, the scalp hair looked wet.

But as others have said; scalp oiling is the absolute wrong thing to do if you have SD or other fungal scalp issue, so please do some test patches for those of you trying it for the first time!

[Firefox7275]

Scalp oiling exacerbates seborrheic dermatitis. For me, that's reason enough not to do it.

Be wary, all of you with "dry scalps". You may well end up making things worse.

This. Aside from the link with SD research suggests oleic acid may also be a penetration enhancer and skin barrier disruptor: plenty of natural oils and butters are loaded with it. They may go on my hair but not on my scalp, I don't want preservatives and whatnot given a free pass into my skin.

[gustavonut]

This girl is one of my favorites https://youtube.com/watch?v=O_sC9gyEER0

[gustavonut]

Also, I have not yet tried to do the coconut oil scalp thing but plan to do it tonight before I go to bed :3

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I have never tried scalp oiling and am curious about it, however my scalp is perfectly happy as it is, producing its own oils, so I won't upset it while it's happy.

[urs]

I have noticed of recent that when I do oil my scalp, I experience a lot of hair fall in during washing, when compared to a day when I haven't oiled my scalp.

Never experienced it before, as used to oil scalp and hair from school days.

Do you guys think that ones scalp can get to prone to oiling and start having an adverse reaction to something as having lots of hair fall outs and also, with the small pimples coming out?

Just something to ponder on hey.

[urs]

I have noticed of recent that when I do oil my scalp, I experience a lot of hair fall in during washing, when compared to a day when I haven't oiled my scalp.

Never experienced it before, as used to oil scalp and hair from school days.

Do you guys think that ones scalp can get to prone to oiling and start having an adverse reaction to something as having lots of hair fall outs and also, with the small pimples coming out?

Just something to ponder on hey.

[dottodot]

I have noticed of recent that when I do oil my scalp, I experience a lot of hair fall in during washing, when compared to a day when I haven't oiled my scalp.



I experienced a lot of hair fall during washing on days I would oil my scalp. I continued oiling in hopes the hair fall would stop and the oil would do it's thing. However, the oil quickly aggravated my SD and my extreme SD caused some really bad hair thinning issues I'm dealing with now. Not saying I think you have a scalp condition like mine but I think adverse reactions are possible. It could also be a different part of your routine you weren't doing in your school days that's affecting hair fall. Respect what your scalp wants, things gets ugly when it gets angry. Maybe try a different oil?

[urs]

I experienced a lot of hair fall during washing on days I would oil my scalp. I continued oiling in hopes the hair fall would stop and the oil would do it's thing. However, the oil quickly aggravated my SD and my extreme SD caused some really bad hair thinning issues I'm dealing with now. Not saying I think you have a scalp condition like mine but I think adverse reactions are possible. It could also be a different part of your routine you weren't doing in your school days that's affecting hair fall. Respect what your scalp wants, things gets ugly when it gets angry. Maybe try a different oil?

Probably dottodot.

Well, you can say that certain shampoos that I used to use then, are not in the markets anymore. Also, those shampoos were herbal.
But, as the people in the says, could be due to the hair being up all the time, so that is the only time that the lose hairs are able to free themselves.
I have my hair up every day, straight after washing when hair is dry to max and has little dampness it goes up into a bun.

[Pat]

Probably dottodot.

Well, you can say that certain shampoos that I used to use then, are not in the markets anymore. Also, those shampoos were herbal.
But, as the people in the says, could be due to the hair being up all the time, so that is the only time that the lose hairs are able to free themselves.
I have my hair up every day, straight after washing when hair is dry to max and has little dampness it goes up into a bun.

I recently started oiling my scalp in an effort to stimulate my hair follicules and gain some thickness after experiencing thinning in my crown area. Just like you, wnenever I oil, I wash my hair and experience 3-4 times more shedding than when I don't. I think it could be because I wash with shampoo to remove the oil, and I've noticed that every time I shampoo I shed a lot more in tne shower than when I don't and only use conditioner. I also notice shedding/breaking when I apply the oil. I thought it was just me but after reading your post I think I am going to stop oiling ....

[Ilax]

Before going to sleep I put warm coconut oil on the scalp, massage for 5 minutes and then stretch on the roots. Before I used coconut oil to wet hair with ugly results. Now I use it to dry and the next morning is almost all absorbed.
Once I put too much but I was able to remove the ghassoul taking posing for 30 minutes with a teaspoon of vinegar. Perhaps it may come in handy.
For the rest I am not exaggerating if I can wash them once a week with herbs. The oil helped me a lot Falling years ago. They are now grown back :)

[LauraLongLocks]

I tried castor oil, jojoba oil, and olive oil. I tried with and without essential oils. I didn't see any benefit to it. It took a lot of conditioner to wash out, and even after doing several co-washes the heavy oil would still be on my scalp and hair another day until I co-washed again.

[Ilax]

Laura trial with coconut oil and heated with dry hair;) Unlike other oils, coconut and palm oil penetrate into the hair and skin a lot. In theory if you do not abound and you have very fine hair should not have need to wash ;) Excuse my bad english

[Alma Petra]

If I oil my scalp and then leave the oil on without washing it out, will I have to apply it again on the following days, or will one application be enough till it is wash day?

[gustavonut]

I love scalp oiling mainly because it stimulates my scalp and feels sooo good when it's warmed up. I don't think I'll ever stop really. I mean, even if it isn't helping growth, (which I REALLY hope it is..) I still like the feeling of it. :D My hair itself doesn't seem to really react to oil, other than get a little stringy. Hmm..wonder what it means :eek:

[gustavonut]

If I oil my scalp and then leave the oil on without washing it out, will I have to apply it again on the following days, or will one application be enough till it is wash day?

This is just how I do it but as always, YMMV. I wait till the day before washing my hair to oil my scalp. And massage it really good but gently, so you don't cause damage. Then I bun it gently (I say gently because my hair is prone to breaking really easy when oiled. Claw clip it, then sleep on it till the morning and do a CWC wash. So easy, and such soft hair. :cheese:

[lapushka]

This is just how I do it but as always, YMMV. I wait till the day before washing my hair to oil my scalp. And massage it really good but gently, so you don't cause damage. Then I bun it gently (I say gently because my hair is prone to breaking really easy when oiled. Claw clip it, then sleep on it till the morning and do a CWC wash. So easy, and such soft hair. :cheese:

I would do it like that as well, oil then wash with your choice to leave it overnight or not (if my scalp could stand oils, it doesn't due to seborrheic dermatitis (SD)).

[Melika]

My scalp loves olive and castor oils. I noticed a lot of fallout with coconut oil, and it seemed to irritate once I had used it a few times. I did come across some information that indicated coconut oil in particular can irritate seborrheic dermatitis.

To apply the oil, I basically do what Lilith showed in the video but I purchased perineal irrigation bottle specifically for applying oil to my scalp. It works great- much like the store-bought hair oil bottle Lilith had but round and easy to hold/squeeze. I usually leave the oil in several hours

To remove the oil, I beat several eggs and strain them through a fine mesh sieve (to remove the eggy bits and strings that will congeal in your hair). I apply to any areas that have been oiled and let sit for at least ten minutes (I just put my hair up in the shower and wash everything else up while the time goes by) before rinsing out. If I have been applying a lot of oil, it might take two egg washes to cleanse all the excess oil out, but usually one wash is enough.

I recently learned about emu oils for hair and scalp and am interested in trying it.
Next time I wash oil out, I think I am going to try a yogurt mask to see if it will remove the oil like an egg-wash will.

[spidermom]

I let my scalp oil itself, then I oil the length.

[luxurioushair]

Funny enough I was just talking about this in another thread. Well my hair and scalp are always dry naturally. So I oil both daily and I don't wash it out. If I oil my hair + scalp in the morning, it is completely dry by midday! My scalp NEVER oils itself OR my hair. I don't know where all the oil goes either, best guess is that my hair is very greedy and drinks it all up!

Just like others said above, YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) so do what's best for your own hair...

[gustavonut]

I let my scalp oil itself, then I oil the length.

That's a great idea. But since my scalp isn't too oily and doesn't produce a whole lot of sebum, I oil my scalp as well. Just for added effect I guess?!

[Alma Petra]

Wow it's amazing how everybody's hair and scalp react differently to oil.
I'm interested in oiling my scalp for the stimulating effect of the oil mix and of the scalp massage.



This is just how I do it but as always, YMMV. I wait till the day before washing my hair to oil my scalp. And massage it really good but gently, so you don't cause damage. Then I bun it gently (I say gently because my hair is prone to breaking really easy when oiled. Claw clip it, then sleep on it till the morning and do a CWC wash. So easy, and such soft hair. :cheese:

This exactly is my issue. I'm worried about repeated massaging and oiling because my hair is very fragile. But I know I should try it before I dismiss it. How often do you wash your hair?


Funny enough I was just talking about this in another thread. Well my hair and scalp are always dry naturally. So I oil both daily and I don't wash it out. If I oil my hair + scalp in the morning, it is completely dry by midday! My scalp NEVER oils itself OR my hair. I don't know where all the oil goes either, best guess is that my hair is very greedy and drinks it all up!

Just like others said above, YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) so do what's best for your own hair...

Hehe your entry in that thread was very intriguing. I'm wondering how much oil you use on your hair and scalp.

[gustavonut]

Wow it's amazing how everybody's hair and scalp react differently to oil.
I'm interested in oiling my scalp for the stimulating effect of the oil mix and of the scalp massage.




This exactly is my issue. I'm worried about repeated massaging and oiling because my hair is very fragile. But I know I should try it before I dismiss it. How often do you wash your hair?



Hehe your entry in that thread was very intriguing. I'm wondering how much oil you use on your hair and scalp.

I wash my hair at least 2 times a week. I usually wash my hair on Fridays or sometimes Mondays. However long my hair can stay normal. My hair used to be washed every day but that was wayyyyy too much for my scalp and it just kept getting oilier and oilier. My hair now takes approximately four or five days to get REALLY greasy.

[lapushka]

I wash my hair at least 2 times a week. I usually wash my hair on Fridays or sometimes Mondays. However long my hair can stay normal. My hair used to be washed every day but that was wayyyyy too much for my scalp and it just kept getting oilier and oilier. My hair now takes approximately four or five days to get REALLY greasy.

That is awesome progress. I went through something similar, needing to wash 2/3 times a week, and now being able to go for a week (longer and my SD complains). But going from every day to every 5 days is *amazing*!

[luxurioushair]

Hehe your entry in that thread was very intriguing. I'm wondering how much oil you use on your hair and scalp.
I just squeeze out small amounts onto my hands and apply until my hair feels soft enough. I guess some days I'll need more (on oppressively hot days like today) and other days I need less. If I need to drink more water and use more facial moisturizer on a really hot day, it tells me my hair is probably roasting too and it needs extra water, maybe a 2nd helping of oil, you get the idea.

Speaking of today, you guys might've heard there's going to be an amazing super-moon Total Lunar Eclipse. A big red moon, don't miss it!

[lapushka]

Speaking of today, you guys might've heard there's going to be an amazing super-moon Total Lunar Eclipse. A big red moon, don't miss it!

Yes, between 2 & 5 at night over here (Belgium).

[Stiria]

Interesting thread! I find it so fascinating that some people can put oil on their hair and scalp and it will actually absorb. Oil never did anything for my hair or scalp, except making it look greasy.

Though my hair did survive bleach with minimal damage, and I am sure it was thanks to coconut oil. But regular oiling never did anything, good or bad.

[Winter Fox]

When I started taking care of my hair I used to oil my scalp regularly before every wash with coconut oil. But about 3-4 months ago my scalp started to itch and burn when I oil it so I had to stop.
Nevertheless I still enjoy oiling my lengths + ends, I just leave out the scalp. :)

[Hairkay]

I just squeeze out small amounts onto my hands and apply until my hair feels soft enough. I guess some days I'll need more (on oppressively hot days like today) and other days I need less. If I need to drink more water and use more facial moisturizer on a really hot day, it tells me my hair is probably roasting too and it needs extra water, maybe a 2nd helping of oil, you get the idea.

Speaking of today, you guys might've heard there's going to be an amazing super-moon Total Lunar Eclipse. A big red moon, don't miss it!

I oil my hair everyday. Occasionally I'll do parts of the scalp if it is itchy since I do have a skin condition. Sometimes I'll just soak in a bath with a little coconut oil/olive oil/almond oil and just dunk my head, scalp and body sorted. If I've used just coconut oil/olive oil then when I'm dried I'll give the very ends of my hair a bit of almond oil. When hair is wet I may see some of the oil but then it all dries up and disappears.

We had a very cloudy sky so I couldn't see the moon. The next one like that is in 2033 I think.

[LauraAlaina]

I oil my hair, scalp and all, maybe 3x a week. I just use coconut oil mostly, I find it works well so if it ain't broke don't fix it. I leave it on anywhere from 30mins to over night depending on my laziness. haha.

[Granger Mane]

I use coconut oil as a pre-wash treatment once in awhile, argan oil as the O for LOC method (used coconut oil for a bi when I ran out of argan. Worked well but left my hair crunchy no matter how little I used). I only use essentials like tea tree and lavender on my scalp since it's oily enough on its own.

[Namratha]

I always tend to apply a lot of coconut oil on my scalp as well as my hair. I feel coconut oil is the best as being Indian, I have always used coconut oil on scalp and hair. Sometimes I even massage my face with coconut oil after a very heavy oiling. Oiling both the scalp and hair is very important.

[Alma Petra]

Today I made an oil mixture for my scalp to aid with growth. 1 Oz castor oil, 1 Oz rosemary oil, 1 Oz peppermint oil, and 20 g of a miconazole cream. I am excited to see how it will work...

[Namratha]

Oiling is the best treatment for the hair :)

[lapushka]

Oiling is the best treatment for the hair :)

It truly is. I avoid my scalp (because: SD), but ever since I went back to the rinse-out oil method, my breakage is reduced more than half. I've gone from 5 hairs to about 2 (2 that I caught this week). It's definitely worth it for those 10 drops that I do put in there (and I use a serum on top later, on my damp hair).