6 Good Oils for Hair Growth

Oils are used in shampoos and conditioners to improve hair texture and scalp health, but did you know that they can also help with hair growth? While famous for their scent, essential oils have chemical properties that can work in your favour regarding your hair.

Eastern medicine has used essential oils for centuries as an herb, but you need to be cautious to get the benefits. Oils can help lock in moisture, protect the hair structure, and energise hair follicles.

In this article, we’ll share the best oils for hair growth and how to use them. We’ll also let you in on how Hairy Hair can help improve your hair growth.

How Do You Apply Hair Oils for Growth?

Natural oils can be used singly or along with other hair products, depending on the concentration, key ingredients used and the effect you want to achieve. Some of the ways you can use oils in your hair treatment are as follows: 

• Apply diluted essential oils to the ends of damp hair before styling.
• Combine a few drops with your shampoo or conditioner
• Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil and blend it into the hair before shampooing

Leave-in treatments work better on dry or dense hair and can be of more value because of the increased exposure time. Fine hair benefits from a pre-shampoo treatment that won’t weigh locks down.

Safe Application

The essential oils are irritating and can cause allergic reactions when used on the skin undiluted; therefore, they have to be blended with a second, more viscous oil before being used. Irritation on the skin will present itself as contact dermatitis, colour change, burning, discomfort, or scalp itching. 

If you suspect that you are having an allergic reaction, call emergency help right away. An allergic reaction occurs with tongue swelling, throat tightness, breathing trouble, and widespread skin irritation.

Do a patch test before using any of the essential oils to check if they are suitable for your skin, especially if you have sensitive skin and easily break out. Apply a small amount to your skin and wait to see how you react to it. 

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender oil has many applications for the hair—aside from being anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal, it actually boosts antioxidants. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Archives of Pharmacology  found that half of patients with autoimmune hair loss (alopecia areata) who were treated with lavender oil had improved hair growth.

While lavender is used in a thousand things, studies such as the one above include oils like lavender essential oil, among others, so it has not been determined whether or not it’s useful independently yet. Since lavender is used in many topical skin and homeopathic treatments, it’s safe to use in most cases unless someone is particularly sensitive, in which case they can break out using it.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is used in many products to protect strands from sun damage and heat styling. It also hydrates strands. Coconut oil is a carrier oil, so it is used without distillation, like essential oils. Coconut oil and other carrier oils can simply be mixed with essential oils to prevent irritation.

Cedarwood Essential Oil

Cedarwood can help people with oily scalps by balancing sebum production and creating a healthy environment for hair growth. Its antifungal and antibacterial properties can also help combat dandruff. Cedarwood essential oil can be taken in combination with other essential oils as a treatment to promote hair growth, but it is not always easy to source. Small health food stores or online retailers are worth a try.

Tea Tree Essential Oil

Tea tree oil can help increase hair growth thanks to its antibacterial, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Research from Drug Design, Development, and Therapy found that tea tree oil combined with minoxidil and diclofenac (an anti-inflammatory) worked better than minoxidil alone.

Tea tree oil comes in different strengths and may, therefore, need to be combined with a carrier oil, while other treatments include it in serum, liquid, or cream form. The essential oil can be used to treat dandruff and psoriasis, which can inhibit hair growth. 

Grapeseed Oil

The less dense texture of grapeseed oil makes it ideal for fine hair textures. It is also utilised as an antioxidant to help fix split ends and tame frizz. Untamed frizzy hair can be the culprit that holds back healthy hair growth. Dry and brittle hair caused by extreme weather or intensive heat styling can lead to split ends that may cause breakage. 

If you have oily hair, you may be reluctant to use oils, but grapeseed oil can help enhance brightness and colour without making strands greasy. 

Ylang-ylang Essential Oil

According to research from Cosmetics, Ylang-ylang can help in tissue regeneration and thus encourage your hair growth. It is also anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and an antioxidant, which will help prevent dandruff and scalp psoriasis. Researchers say ethanol in ylang-ylang flowers can further induce hair growth.

Oils for Hair Growth and Treating Hair Loss

Carrier oils and essential oils may be good for your hair health. They have very little risk of side effects and can quickly be added to your hair care routine. Mixing essential oils with a carrier oil or shampoo can help increase hair growth, promote shine, or improve strand strength.

But if you want to regain your hair growth because of increased shedding, you may need more targeted treatment. Carrier oils and hair care products combined with essential oils do work, but if there is an underlying condition involved, these types of treatments will not be sufficient to stop shedding and recover lost hair growth.

Contact Hairy Hair today if you want to tackle your hair loss comprehensively. Our hair growth treatment contains powerful ingredients designed to fight the root causes of hair loss. This includes a potent DHT blocker to prevent hair follicle shrinkage, which leads to thinning, and a vasodilator to help increase nutrient delivery to the scalp.

Getting started is simple. Just fill in a short online form so we can get to know you and your hair loss. One of our Australian GPs who is a hair loss expert will create a personalised treatment plan based on your needs and give you a call to outline the details. Your prescription will then be ready to ship straight to your door, meaning no clinic or pharmacy visits.