Shedding while applying coconut oil?

[SnowDancer]

Does your hair shed when you apply oil?

Every time I oil my hair, (I usually let it sit for a few hours) my hair sheds tremendously. It's only when applying the oil though.
Could it be because my hair is curly and the normal shed hairs are stuck in it throughout the day until I run my fingers through it to apply the oil?
I oil this way maybe twice a month.

Thoughts?

[lapushka]

It's well-known that some people can't tolerate oils on their scalp. It makes itself known by shedding profusely. If that happens, you *cannot* use an oil on your scalp. Just never do it again. Lengths? Fine, but scalp? No way!

You might experience the same thing with conditioner.

[Obsidian]

I shed when I oil too and I don't oil my scalp. It's like the oil creates drag and pulls out hair that is coming loose.
I know it's not regular shed either since I always brush my hair before I start to oil.
I don't worry about it since I don't oil often.

[irisa2005]

It's well-known that some people can't tolerate oils on their scalp. It makes itself known by shedding profusely. If that happens, you *cannot* use an oil on your scalp. Just never do it again. Lengths? Fine, but scalp? No way!

You might experience the same thing with conditioner.

I didn't know that!! the last two weeks I was trying to oil my scalp with a castor oil+some other oil+Rosemary EO mix and my hair start to shed really bad while I'm massaging, I thougth it was normal, I'm gonna stop now.

[Aredhel]

This has happened to me every single time I've tried putting oil on my scalp. In hindsight, it was pretty unnecessary; I already have an oily scalp so I guess I was just trying to make it work because everyone else swears by oils like coconut and castor oil on the scalp. It's not for everyone though. As Lapushka said, a lot of people actually cannot tolerate oils and conditioner on the scalp.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

This happens to me too and I never put the oil on my scalp. It's just the oil being a bit "grabby" and pulling out a few hairs which were ready to come out any way, nothing to worry about :)

if you are oiling your scalp and getting lots of shedding, that may be different.

[Dendra]

I thought that oiling simply dislodged hair that was on it's way out anyway?

I shed a lot when I oil too, but then when I shampoo I seem to shed less than I would have if I hadn't just oiled.

Is there an article or anything on oil related shedding because I'm interested in finding out more?

[Nique1202]

I thought that oiling simply dislodged hair that was on it's way out anyway?

I shed a lot when I oil too, but then when I shampoo I seem to shed less than I would have if I hadn't just oiled.

Is there an article or anything on oil related shedding because I'm interested in finding out more?

Unfortunately, there have been no scientific studies on the subject. But, if you've heard of the big lawsuits against WEN haircare for making hair shed, it seems to be the same phenomenon. For some people, any conditioner or oil (and sometimes it's just certain ingredients, other times it's really ANY conditioner or oil) that touches the scalp will cause additional shedding, so much that it's definitely not just hairs that were getting ready to shed on their own, because the hair visibly thins if they continue to do so in the long term.

As far as mechanisms for it, I would guess that it's something related to a localized skin allergy or contact dermatitis issue, but without any scientific studies, it's impossible to guess the actual reason.

[Crystawni]

I shed when I oil too and I don't oil my scalp. It's like the oil creates drag and pulls out hair that is coming loose.
I know it's not regular shed either since I always brush my hair before I start to oil.
I don't worry about it since I don't oil often.


This happens to me too and I never put the oil on my scalp. It's just the oil being a bit "grabby" and pulling out a few hairs which were ready to come out any way, nothing to worry about :)

if you are oiling your scalp and getting lots of shedding, that may be different.

Same for me. And the hairs then love to stick around (my hand, arm, wherever...).

[RavenRose]

Any oil near my scalp makes for horrific shedding...

[LizzyGrant]

I'm having this same problem. I don't oil my scalp, only the ends. I don't want to give up oiling but ugh I hate that terrible shedding :no: I also like to oil quite often, 1-2 times a week (when I wash my hair), so maybe this is too much.. But if those are just hairs that would have pulled out anyway soon, I guess I don't need to be worried.
I put up my hair with a claw clip when I oil - maybe that way the oil gets to the scalp also? But it's difficult to put it up in a way that the oiled ends don't touch my scalp at all :confused:

[lapushka]

I'm having this same problem. I don't oil my scalp, only the ends. I don't want to give up oiling but ugh I hate that terrible shedding :no: I also like to oil quite often, 1-2 times a week (when I wash my hair), so maybe this is too much.. But if those are just hairs that would have pulled out anyway soon, I guess I don't need to be worried.
I put up my hair with a claw clip when I oil - maybe that way the oil gets to the scalp also? But it's difficult to put it up in a way that the oiled ends don't touch my scalp at all :confused:

No we're talking about big time -hair thinning- shedding. So not just a little more, hairs that would have come out anyway, but abnormal amounts of shedding.

There are gals around (haven't heard about a guy with this issue yet) that have this from CO-washing, where their hair had visibly thinned from doing it for more than a year.

[lapushka]

Unfortunately, there have been no scientific studies on the subject. But, if you've heard of the big lawsuits against WEN haircare for making hair shed, it seems to be the same phenomenon. For some people, any conditioner or oil (and sometimes it's just certain ingredients, other times it's really ANY conditioner or oil) that touches the scalp will cause additional shedding, so much that it's definitely not just hairs that were getting ready to shed on their own, because the hair visibly thins if they continue to do so in the long term.

As far as mechanisms for it, I would guess that it's something related to a localized skin allergy or contact dermatitis issue, but without any scientific studies, it's impossible to guess the actual reason.

Yes, WEN is an example of this, but it is a CO-washer, so that might explain things. You can get this from any old conditioner. Might be that the ingredients aren't exactly designed to go on the scalp (in case of WEN: no idea).

I can't do it because of SD (and also, I will shed more). Obviously I haven't tried this a lot, because as soon as I did, my SD flared.

[Dendra]

Unfortunately, there have been no scientific studies on the subject. But, if you've heard of the big lawsuits against WEN haircare for making hair shed, it seems to be the same phenomenon. For some people, any conditioner or oil (and sometimes it's just certain ingredients, other times it's really ANY conditioner or oil) that touches the scalp will cause additional shedding, so much that it's definitely not just hairs that were getting ready to shed on their own, because the hair visibly thins if they continue to do so in the long term.

As far as mechanisms for it, I would guess that it's something related to a localized skin allergy or contact dermatitis issue, but without any scientific studies, it's impossible to guess the actual reason.

Thank you for the info :flowers: I will look up the WEN lawsuits, I had no idea about them.

Now I'm on the fence about whether to continue oiling my scalp weekly.

[lapushka]

Thank you for the info :flowers: I will look up the WEN lawsuits, I had no idea about them.

Now I'm on the fence about whether to continue oiling my scalp weekly.

Maybe skip one time, and see what difference it makes in the shedding. Then see if that can't convince you. :)

[Dendra]

Maybe skip one time, and see what difference it makes in the shedding. Then see if that can't convince you. :)

Will do :) Next oiling is due for Monday so I'll report back after that.