We have all been there, standing in the mirror and realising we look a little older than we remembered. It can be incredibly disheartening if you notice your hair receding or thinning, especially if you are not of an age where you expect it to happen. Does Hair oil work? Will it save your hair?
Many online gurus advise you use hair oil to stimulate new hair growth and fill out any thinning areas.
Let’s explore whether hair oil works and how you should use it.
Does Hair Oil Work? Can Oil Help Hair Growth?
The answer is yes, and no. Some hair oils do work, and others do not. It probably won’t be surprising when I tell you some hair oils can damage your hair and cause further trouble.
Hair Oils You Should Avoid – Risk of Damage to Your Hair
Below is a list of hair oils that do not work and will likely cause your hair to become more damaged.
- Lemon Oil
- Camphor Oil
- Olive Oil
These three oils are very reactive to sunlight and can strip your remaining hair of colour and its natural protection.
Lemon Oil and Camphor Oil can also cause irritation to your skin, causing rashes and acne, especially if left on your scalp for a prolonged period of time.
Hair Oils that Do Work – Does Hair Oil Work?
There are several oils that benefit your hair, all to varying degrees of success, and some with more risks than others.
The oils that do promote hair regeneration and thickening are:
- Rosemary Oil*
- Argan Oil
- Coconut Oil
- Peppermint Oil*
- Jojoba Oil
The oils with an asterisk beside them should only be used if you DO NOT have sensitive skin as although they improve hair coverage, they can be an irritant and cause breakouts of spots – something particularly nasty to have on your scalp.
Oil Blends that Work for Hair Growth
The best known and most effective oil blend for hair is Amla Oil.
This is a combination of various ingredients including:
- Mineral Oil
- Canola Oil
- Amla extract (a fruit extract).
The Dabur Amla Oil is by far the best Amla blend I have tried. Showing results faster than other hair oils and achieving the best quality outcome too.
How to Apply Hair Oil
There are two ways you can apply hair oil, the first is to simply pour the oil onto your hair and allow it to soak into the strands, roots, and follicles. This method provides great coverage but can be a little messy.
You may opt for the cleaner but more time-consuming method of using a dermaroller. These rollers are designed to coat your skin evenly and have small needles that puncture the surface layer of your skin to effectively inject the oil.
Dermarollers, like this highly-rated AKIYRO option, are clinically effective and pain free providing you do not use them vigorously and have been shown to stimulate cell regeneration.
How Many times Should I Apply Hair Oil?
The number of applications you will need to see the results you desire, depends entirely on how thin or receding your hair is at the moment.
It is typically advised you use hair oil for a period of at least two months, applying the hair oil twice a day if using a dermaroller and once daily if dousing your hair in oil.
Bear in mind, for the period of time you are oiling your hair, it will appear a little thicker, be heavier and retain more grease, even after washing. This is because oil naturally has this effect on hair.
Do Not Wash Immediately After Use
It can be tempting to wash your hair once you have applied the hair oil however this will be detrimental and be a waste of the oil. The idea is to let the oil soak into your hair and give it time to work its way down to the follicles. You should aim to leave the oil in your hair for at least 2 hours after application.
If you can, leaving the oil in for several hours is the best option and will lead to the best results.
After a two month period you should see noticeable signs of improvement. If you can’t see any improvement, it may be due to an underlying medical condition that causes hair loss, or more commonly, a genetic loss of hair which is much harder to tackle.
How Does Hair Oil Work?
Hair oils are fantastic for building out areas where your hair is beginning to show signs of ages, such as thinning or a receding hairline.
Using hair oil can’t replace entire patches of lost hair such as male-pattern baldness. This is because the hair follicles have likely stopped working entirely and can’t be stimulated by a hair oil regimen.
Hair oils work by preventing water damage. Water although crucial for hygiene has side effects such as causing damage to hair follicles and washing away key nutrients in the hair.
When your hair is wet, the strands expand giving a fuller aesthetic. As your hair dries, the strands shrink and can become unrooted. What’s more, the dry areas left by using a hair dryer tend to be much drier than your scalp would be under natural conditions.
Oil is excellent at creating a barrier between moisture and the strands and roots of your hair. As you might know, oil and water don’t mix, and this is exactly how using hair oil protects your hair.
Further, the use of oil allows your cells to recover in a calmer environment, without being bombarded with more water. This is how oil can help stimulate hair growth.