You can’t talk about hair care without mentioning coconut oil anymore. Everyone and their mom is telling you to do a coconut oil hair treatment to use it for whichever hair problem you might have.
But the question is: what are the actual, researched benefits of using coconut oil on your hair? This is something we’re gonna look at today. I’ve looked through the studies, collected all the information and experiences of people. And so today, we’re gonna look at the things you can use coconut oil for, and which often talked-about benefits might rather be rumors.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are so-called provision links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Benefits of coconut oil for damaged hair
One of the biggest benefits of coconut oil is that it can prevent damaged hair. This is because coconut oil can actually prevent protein loss from the hair.
Why does that matter? Well, our hair is made up of protein. And when we lose some of these proteins, for example through heat damage, it means our hair becomes brittle. We suffer from breakage and our hair just doesn’t feel alive anymore. It’s not a nice feeling!
That kind of damaged hair also really is a problem for hair growth. So if you’re struggling with damaged hair you will definitely benefit from coconut oil!
Another way coconut oil can help prevent hair damage is its ability to prevent swelling when water enters the hair cuticle. As this swelling leads to hygral fatigue over time, preventing it is extremely beneficial for hair health!
So is coconut oil good for hair breakage? Yes, it can absolutely help prevent it! Just keep in mind that you can’t “heal” hair once it’s split or broken.
So the answer to the question “Can coconut oil fix damaged hair?” is technically “No”. Prevention, absolutely. “Healing”? No!
Benefits of coconut oil for hair thickness
The “protein effect” of coconut oil on hair can also make it feel like your hair is getting thicker. In that way it could seem like coconut oil does work in giving you thicker hair.
But keep in mind, no oil can make your hair thicker – it can just prevent it from thinning out. So, if any, coconut oil has benefits for thinning hair IF the reason for the thinning is damage to the individual hair strand.
If you are struggling with age-related thinning or another medical issue, a doctor will be able to help more than this oil.
Coconut as a moisturizer for your hair
Another benefit of coconut oil is that it can act as a conditioner if you apply it to your hair after washing it or just in between to keep it moisturized. While this is not specific to coconut oil (it works with pretty much any hair oil), everyone is different. So if your hair specifically likes coconut oil definitely go for it!
Related: How to fix crunchy hair – all the solutions
Coconut oil for scalp benefits
Some of the biggest benefits of coconut oil in hair care are the effects it can have on your scalp.
We all know how scalp health is closely related to hair health. In that sense, coconut oil will benefit your hair, too!
The simplest way coconut oil can benefit your scalp is its effect as a moisturizer. If you’re suffering from a dry scalp or even dermatitis, applying coconut oil can help.
Because of its anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties, it might also help with other skin issues, like eczema, psoriasis, or even some fungal issues.
But keep in mind that lots of people can get breakouts from coconut oil (I am definitely one of them!) and if you have any issue with your scalp, like psoriasis, dermatitis, or eczema, definitely talk to your doctor before experimenting with coconut oil!
Coconut oil benefits hair loss
Speaking of scalp health: This brings me to the next alleged benefit of coconut oil. Many many people are looking for an answer to the question if there are any benefits of Coconut oil for hair loss.
And the answer is: there could be. It depends a little bit on your situation. Some conditions of the scalp will cause hair loss. So if your hair loss is due to a skin condition that coconut oil can help with, then it can, in a roundabout kind of way, also help with your hair loss.
For all the other causes of hair loss, coconut oil cannot do anything, unfortunately, because these are not issues of the scalp.
As usual when it comes to these things: ask your doctor if coconut oil is good for hair loss in your specific case.
On the other hand, if you wonder if coconut oil causes hair loss: super unlikely. Obviously, never say never, your doctor can find out if there is something that might cause that for an individual. But, in general, the answer to “Can coconut oil cause hair loss? is: It shouldn’t.
A common misconception where people THINK coconut oil makes hair fall out is when they start using it on their scalp. Rubbing ANY oil on your scalp can loosen hair follicles that are getting ready to “let go” anyways.
So it might seem like rubbing the oil on your scalp makes your hair fall out, when, in reality, the hair would’ve come out anyways. You just helped it along.
Hair growth & coconut oil
Similarly, when it comes to the benefits of coconut oil for hair growth, there are some ways in which coconut oil can support. If you are looking at all the benefits of coconut oil above, you can see how it can help for your hair and scalp to stay healthy.
With coconut oil treatments your hair isn’t breaking off. You’re not suffering from any damage. Your scalp is well-moisturized and illness-free. All of these things could otherwise slow down your hair growth.
Other than that coconut Oil cannot speed up hair growth though. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misunderstanding about that out there, but there aren’t really any real hair growth oils.
Coconut oil in hair benefits
In conclusion, coconut oil does have lots of benefits for your hair. The biggest of it will be that it helps with protein retention in your hair, thus preventing damage. It can help support your scalp health and therefore help prevent hair loss and support your hair growth. It will not make your hair grow faster, though.
So what are you waiting for? Get yourself some coconut oil here
Related: How to use witch hazel on hair & its benefits
*These links are so-called provision links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
