Hair shedding panic - first scalp oiling

[Sarden]

I've been using coconut oil in the ends of my hair for a good while now but I was reding about how good scalp massage is meant to be for a healthy scalp, so thought I would try massaging some into my scalp ahead of my shampoo in the morning. I followed the directions I read - using only my fingertips in a circular motion and although I used firm pressure I didn't feel like I overdid it. However, I've never lost even close to that much hair in one go before. It was terrifying as I don't have much hair to begin with and it felt like it was coming out in clumps!! I counted after (it took ages) and it was about 55-60 hairs.

Most of me thinks that this is ok and that these were hairs that were "loose" anyway and would have come out but i really can't seem to stop obsessing about it, it this normal?

Sorry if this is a classic newbie question/worry!

[Madora]

Hmmm. 55 to 60 hairs is really quite normal. Did you brush your hair before you started the massage? With brushing you remove the hairs that might be ready to come out already, not to mention fallen hairs that might be stuck among your strands.

When you massage, there might be a few hairs dislodged, but not quite as many as 55-60. That's why I think this hair "loss" is because your hair just needed brushing before you started the massage.

I've never heard of a massage, be it ever so vigorous, where that many hairs came out.

ps. I would not recommend for you to put oil directly on your scalp. Oil on your ends is fine. The scalp has its own set standards (for lack of a better description). If you add something to it, you run the risk of upsetting the hair's acid mantel (as Heidi W used to say). An upset scalp is nothing but trouble.

[cocolover]

This is the tricky thing about scalp oiling, in my opinion; your scalp may not like all oils and may shed more as a reaction. That was my experience, at least. I have found that the only oil my scalp really likes is Ramtirth, which has a coconut oil base, but then also lots of Indian herbs. I can only lightly oil, or my scalp gets mad and seems to shed more. However, I don't brush or comb my hair, so when I "mess" with my hair doing oiling, or shampooing, lots of hair sheds since it is not being removed with brushing in between. I try to keep that in mind when evaluating how my hair is reacting to something. Maybe brush/comb beforehand and then try again in a few days and see if you get the same result.

[Sarden]

Hi again - thanks for your responses. Madora - yes, I had combed but only lightly with a wide tooth comb, so maybe it was that. I used a mixture of aloe vera gel and coconut oil as I thought oil on its own might be a bit much, I don't think to be honest I'll be doing it again anyway - maybe I'll just stick to my ends in future.

As I said, thanks for your help!

[meteor]

Yes, don't worry about it. Lots and lots of shedding the first few times you do a scalp massage (especially with oils) is absolutely normal! It's the hair that was ready to go anyway. However, if, after a few times, the shedding doesn't subside, then something is wrong - like, maybe you are way too aggressive with your massage, or maybe it's something that's a health issue, rather then caused by a massage, or you are using an oil that causes a reaction.

From my experience, the more scalp stimulation and manipulation (washing hair, scalp massages, etc) happens, the more shedding you can get ... but after a while it really subsides and even if you routinely massage your scalp, you will not shed more than your norm.

Oh and by the way, that shed rate sounds very normal to me... I've always shed a lot more than that: around 100-150 hairs if everything is fine and I'm not on a shedding cycle.
This stuff is very individual though.

[Sarden]

Hi again! Just to update I washed the oils out this morning and all was fine - I actually had a bit less shedding during washing despite two shampoos.

However, I definitely won't be scalp oiling again - I slept with it on (as I do when I oild my braid), and I kept waking up in the night with an itchy scalp. I tried not to scratch it but I obviously did in my sleep as I have a couple of scabby sores on my head this morning. Definitely not for me!

[urs]

Hi Sarden

Then I think you shouldn't do it again if that was the reaction that you got.

Sometimes certain things are not for everyone. Certain things work and some don't. We just gotta find that special magic that works for our unique self.

My mum was said that sometimes 100 strands of hair does fall, but depending on an individual just as meteor said.

[Sarden]

On the plus side, when my hair dried it was super shiny and soft! Still not worth the hassle for my scalp I think though...

[Sarden]

Sorry, messed up with the photo link... Try again;

On the plus side, when my hair dried it was super shiny and soft! Still not worth the hassle for my scalp I think though...

[StellaKatherine]

Beautiful hair Sarden! I personally only oil the lenght of my hair and never put any oils on my scalp. I noticed that oils on my scalp only make my hair go greasy much faster !