Oil bad for hair?

[goldenwaves]

I know this girl who recently gave me a huge lecture about oil (we were talking about olive) being bad for hair. She said that it replaces the natural oil and then your hair relies on it and doesn't produce its own oils. However, she straightens her hair (with a product) and says there's nothing damaging about that (maybe there isn't?) so I'm not sure how much she knows. I'm almost certian she was going from advice by her very good hairdresser though...so I'm not sure! Anyone have any ideas? Suggestions? Knowledge? Advice? Are some oils better than others? Thanks heaps!

[Loreyanne_H]

When I hear about hairdressers' advices, summed with miracoulous product, summed to "every-natural-thing (aka henna, oils...)- is- bad I get suspicious. Actually...I don't oil my scalp but only my length: if I won't oil (or butter) them, they won't either get the natural oil from my scalp so...

[goldenwaves]

Yeah, good point! The hair on the length doesn't really get the scalp oil anyway! Thanks

[Phalaenopsis]

The only thing olive oil did for me was make my hair frizzy. So I think the oil only added some protein, not replace the sebum or something.

[Missie]

reading this post made me remember something, sometimes if you put too much oil on the length it goes sort of crunchy ? I wonder what is happening when our hair goes crunchy and if its risky.

[Nat242]

Phalaenopsis: Oils don't add protein, though some can help prevent protein loss

Goldenwaves I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think your friend really knows what she's talking about. If you have an oily scalp, it may not be wise to add extra oil (although oil does dissolve oil, so in some circumstances it may be beneficial), and oiling the scalp can be beneficial to those that suffer from dry or itchy scalps.

Oiling the length of your hair helps seal in moisture, nothing more. When your hair is long, chances are that the oil your scalp naturally produces doesn't reach the ends of your hair, so those ends may need additional protection from moisture loss.

In addition, straightening your hair with a product is only marginally less damaging than straightening without. Heat styling is probably fine from time to time for most heads of hair - however frequent heat styling, with or without product, is bound to cause damage. If your friend keeps her hair short, then it's likely that she trims her hair before the damage becomes too apparent. For most long hairs, this isn't really an option.

If you (or your friend) need further convincing, you only need to look at the beautiful, healthy, long hair of many of our members who incorporate oils in their routines.

--Natalie

[rapunzhell13]

She says oiling your hair is damaging, but heat styling is not? I'd take her advice with a grain of salt...

Even hairdressers don't always know everything. I know, because I used to be one.

[Riot Crrl]

I was also wondering how the oil glands would investigate my ends and find out there was oil on them.

[Nat242]

reading this post made me remember something, sometimes if you put too much oil on the length it goes sort of crunchy ? I wonder what is happening when our hair goes crunchy and if its risky.

This "crunchiness" may be due to using an oil that your hair doesn't "like". Also, as oils seal moisture in, they also seal moisture out. This is why some people find that oiling damp hair reduces crunchiness, because the oil has some moisture to trap in.

Also, some oils are absorbed by the hair better than others. Some oils aren't absorbed at all - they just "sit" on top of the hair.

HTH!

-- Natalie

[Missie]

thanks Nat, that was a really good answer