People need to go back to natural oils to get thick and healthy hair as oiling the hair is a blanket solution for most hair woes, including lifeless tresses, split ends, and even headaches.
But why does your hair fall while oiling your hair?
Article Contents
Why Do You Lose Hair While Oiling?
You lose hair while oiling it for different reasons, such as the stage of the hair growth cycle, clogged pores, dandruff, and oily scalp. (1)
Oiling your hair gives life to limp strands, and as long as the hair fall is within the numbers of 80–100, you don’t need to worry. (2) However, if the hair fall is beyond 100, then it is a cause for concern, and you need to check with a physician regarding it.
Here are the reasons why you are losing hair while oiling:
1. Over oiling
Oiling your hair with too much oil can clog your pores and trap the dirt within it, thus forestalling hair growth.
You should oil your hair twice a week only and then wash it off after 3–4 hours with a good-quality shampoo and conditioner. (3)
2. Not using cotton balls to apply oil
When applying oil to the scalp, part your hair and then dip a cotton ball in the oil and gently apply it to the scalp. Cotton balls have a high absorption capacity so they prevent oil spills. (4)
Avoid using your fingers as your nails can damage the soft skin of the scalp.
3. Rubbing the hair too hard
Some people rub their scalp and hair too hard while oiling. This causes great damage to the scalp and hair follicles and eventually hair fall.
When oiling your scalp and hair, apply the oil gently and massage it well with your fingers for a few minutes in circular motions. (5)
4. Keeping the oil for too long in the hair
Keeping the oil on your head for a long time can lead to hair fall as the excess oil blocks the scalp pores, leading to scalp pimples, rashes, and hair fall. (6)
5. Using hot oil
Heating the oil before applying it to the tresses can be helpful as it encourages hair growth, reduces split ends, moisturizes the hair, and helps maintain a healthy scalp.
However, heating the oil to a high temperature and applying it to the scalp and hair can cause blisters and bumps on your scalp and can damage the hair follicles.
In one case study, using hot castor oil can cause hair felting/matting, and the hair can appear as a compact hair mass like a bird’s nest. (7)
Instead, use warm oil for the scalp and hair to reap its benefits.
6. Massaging in the wrong way
Massaging the oil in the scalp and hair should be done in circular motions for 5–10 minutes. Doing so allows the oil to penetrate the scalp well and also improves blood supply to hair follicles, resulting in healthy hair growth. (8)
7. Using a poor-quality shampoo
Using a shampoo that contains ingredients that are harmful to the hair would result in further hair loss.
But using shampoos with natural ingredients such as coconut oil, onion juice, aloe vera, and tea tree oil provides several benefits including moisturizing the hair, stimulating hair growth, strengthening the hair follicles, and preventing hair thinning. (9)
8. Tying the hair after oiling
Tying the hair tightly in a bun or braids after oiling may seem like a good idea, but it can cause undue pressure and friction on the roots of the hair and thus leads to hair fall.
To control hair fall after oiling your hair, don’t tie the hair after oiling, but leave it loose, so that hair fall will not occur. (6)
9. Combing the hair after oiling
It’s a common practice for people to comb their hair after oiling, but doing so puts pressure on the hair follicles and scalp and causes hair fall.
The scalp becomes soft after oiling and massaging it, and so it is prone to hair fall if you start combing the hair immediately after oiling. (9)
10. Not using conditioner
After washing their hair with shampoo, many people skip the all-important step of conditioning it. They think that because they have oiled their hair before washing it, there is no need to condition it again.
However, this practice has to be corrected. Conditioning the hair after oiling and shampooing adds moisture and nourishment to the hair; thus, it should not be skipped. (10)
11. Dandruff
It’s best to avoid putting oil in your hair if you have dandruff, scalp pimples, or other scalp disorders.
If your scalp is oily then you should not apply hair oil to it as it would lead to clogged pores and hair fall. (1)
General Queries on Hair Fall While Oiling
Which hair oil is good for hair growth?
Use coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil, and onion oil to oil your hair, as they are rich in vitamins and minerals for good hair growth.
Coconut oil has shown to be the best for hair as it has a high affinity for hair proteins (11) and has a higher protection factor than the other hair oils. (3)
Is hair oil a boon for curly hair?
Hair oil is a boon for dry and frizzy hair, as it smoothens, hydrates, and nourishes the hair to achieve healthy and smooth tresses.
Will mixing onion juice with coconut oil help my hair grow?
Onion juice is a very potent ingredient and may not suit everybody’s skin, so first, conduct a patch test on your skin to find out if it causes rashes.
If you are not allergic to it, then go ahead and use it on your hair. Simply add 2 teaspoons of onion juice to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, and massage it in your scalp and hair to experience improved hair growth and other benefits. (12)
Final Word
Hair fall doesn’t happen due to oiling your hair, but if you are oiling it incorrectly, it can cause hair fall.
So when oiling your hair, keep in mind the reasons mentioned above that can cause hair fall and avoid them. Properly oiling your hair can give your hair the nourishment it deserves and can lead to good hair growth.
References
- Trüeb RM, Henry JP, Davis MG, Schwartz JR. Scalp condition impacts hair growth and retention via oxidative stress. International journal of trichology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6369642/. Published 2018.
- Martínez-Velasco MA, Vázquez-Herrera NE, Maddy AJ, Asz-Sigall D, Tosti A. The hair shedding visual scale: A quick tool to assess hair loss in women. Dermatology and therapy. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5336434/. Published March 2017.
- Kaushik V, Chogale R, Mhaskar S. Alternative protocol for hair damage assessment and comparison of hair care treatments. International journal of trichology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7276157/. Published 2020.
- Shin Y, Han KS, Arey BW, Bonheyo GT. Cotton fiber-based sorbents for treating crude oil spills. ACS omega. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7301594/. Published June 4, 2020.
- Song S-H, Lim JH, Son SK, Choi J, Kang N-G, Lee S-M. Prevention of lipid loss from hair by surface and internal modification. Scientific reports. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6614367/. Published July 8, 2019.
- Are your hair care products causing breakouts? American Academy of Dermatology. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/causes/hair-products.
- Maduri VR, Vedachalam A, Kiruthika S. “Castor oil” – the culprit of acute hair felting. International journal of trichology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5596646/. Published 2017.
- Koyama T, Kobayashi K, Hama T, Murakami K, Ogawa R. Standardized scalp massage results in increased hair thickness by inducing stretching forces to dermal papilla cells in the subcutaneous tissue. Eplasty. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4740347/. Published January 25, 2016.
- Gavazzoni Dias MFR. Hair cosmetics: An overview. International journal of trichology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4387693/. Published 2015.
- D’Souza P, Rathi SK. Shampoo and conditioners: What a dermatologist should know? Indian journal of dermatology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4458934/. Published 2015.
- RB; RASM. Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. Journal of cosmetic science. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12715094/.
- Hosking A-M, Juhasz M, Atanaskova Mesinkovska N. Complementary and alternative treatments for alopecia: A comprehensive review. Skin appendage disorders. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6388561/. Published February 2019.