Coconut oil can be used for a variety of different applications. From cooking to hair care, it’s versatility has proven to be useful in many people’s lives. Extracted from coconuts, the oil has a sweet taste and distinctive aroma which can be found in countless cuisines around the world. For the purposes of this blog, we’ll be going over its use in helping your hair and scalp and answer if coconut oil is good for hair growth.

Coconut oil’s benefits extend all the way to helping your hair and scalp. However, coconut oil itself doesn’t grow hair. However, coconut oil can help create the optimal conditions for growing new and healthier hair. Coconut oil can even protect the hair that you already have or the new hair your about to grow. Coconut oil helps to moisturize your scalp and also provides a coating that protects your hair from further damage caused by irritants or dirt. The lauric acid that is present in the oil is responsible for moisturizing your hair and preventing hair loss through dried out hair.

Coconut oil can deal with dandruff

Dandruff occurs when dead skin cells build up in the scalp and flake off. Sometimes, dandruff can be caused by a fungus that can dry the skin and create dandruff flakes. Coconut oil can help with moisturizing your skin so that it won’t have a chance to dry out and flanked off.

Can help protect the hair from heat damage

As a natural moisturizer, coconut oil is a fantastic conditioner for soothing some of the pain that may come from sun damaged skin. Applying the oil before and after exposure to the sun is an excellent way to reduce any damage accumulated from too much sun. That's why many sunscreens products on the market contain coconut oil in them already.

Fights fungal infections

Some fungi can grow on your scalp and absorb nutrients that would've gone to your skin cells, so they end up drying out and flaking off. Coconut oil not only cleans, but doesn't provide the necessary environment for these fungi to grow.

Coconut oil can help fix split ends

In much of the same way as coconut oil can help with heat damage, it can help with split ends. Split ends can come about from the tips of your hair drying out. As we've learned, coconut oil is a very good moisturizer, so coconut oil can help prevent further hair from splitting.

Can help get rid of lice

Lice are blood-sucking insects that thrive in your hair that cause multiple irritations and can be a pain to deal with. The viscosity of pure coconut oil can suffocate the lice in your hair. A trial of using coconut oil for treating lice showed that it was able to kill nearly three quarters of all lice on the scalp. We do recommend that if you situation is serious, to look into proper medication and guidance from a doctor.

When it comes to treating the skin, coconut oil is an excellent and safe way to moisturize and protect existing hair and help promote growth for any new hair. Using the recommended amount that bottle or container state will ensure that no undesired effects will show themselves. Coconut oil has shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and acne treating properties that also aid in promoting optimal hair growth.

Even though we've spoken very highly of coconut oil, and it's true that it's a wonderful oil for treating hair and skin conditions, that doesn’t mean that there aren't some drawbacks. The oily nature of coconut oil can potentially cover up pores in your skin and lead to blackheads. For those that have very sensitive skin, we recommend speaking to a doctor before applying coconut oil, as it could potentially be harmful if not used properly.

So how should you use coconut oil for your hair? There are plenty of articles online that go into a lot fo depth as to how to use coconut oil for your scalp, so here's our version:

1. Step 1

2. Heating coconut is one of the best ways to get the best of what the oil has to offer, so place a small amount in a bowl and hear it in the microwave for 15-30 seconds (or just enough that its warm, but not enough to burn you). The coconut oil should be soft to the touch, and not in a liquid state.

4. Step 2

5. When at a temperature that is comfortable for you, use your finger to place the coconut oil into your scalp, or if you're targeting a specific area of your hair, right on the area that needs the oil. Work from the root to the tips of your hair making sure to cover as much as possible.

7. Step 3

8. Once applied and satisfied with the coverage, cover your hair with a towel and leave it on for at the very least 30 minutes and leave it on for at most 2 hours.

10. Step 4

11. Whenever you're ready, carefully wash out the coconut oil. We recommend timing the application of the oil to when you're going to shower, as it is best to use your shampoo to clean out your hair of any additional coconut oil that didn’t get absorbed.

The best part about natural remedies is that you can mix them up with other natural remedies to have an even more potent effect on your hair health. Combining your coconut oil with aloe vera gel, argan oil, avocado, whole eggs and olive oil work together well treating dryness or damage to the scalp.

Unless any of the remedies that you use in your hair explicitly state that minoxidil or other proven hair growth medications are active, treatments like coconut oil will set the stage and assist the body in developing healthier hair. Many hair growth products on the market aim to do just this. From shampoos to laser hair growth devices, they serve as a way to encourage hair growth - not be the cause of it.

Hair growth with Capillus is easy. We've taken the work out hair growth, and provide a system of treatments that stimulate your scalp so that new and healthier hair can grow. Our laser caps are he premier way to start gaining your hair back. With only 6 minutes a day, Capillus can help you see fuller hair using low-level laser therapy.