Leaving oil on your hair everyday for too long can cause product build-up on your scalp. It may also clog your pores, attract dirt and accumulate dandruff. Oiling your hair everyday also means that you have to wash it with shampoo everyday. This is not ideal to achieve healthy, lustrous and soft hair.
Generally, you can consider oiling your scalp once a week. You can modify this regimen depending on your lifestyle. Folks with dry scalps & hair can choose to oil their scalp every other day. You should be consistent with your hair care by using natural hair oils at least once a week or every 15 days.
The dermatologist stated that hair oil promotes hair growth is a pure myth. Oils may nourish your hair but they cannot initiate hair growth.
But other experts, such as Dr. Khetarpal, advise against putting oil directly on your scalp. It turns out, hair oiling could actually put you at higher risk for seborrheic dermatitis — essentially, dandruff. Overall, it's best to steer clear of oiling your scalp.
The moment your hair is left to soak in oil for more than 12 hours, your scalp collects dirt and mixes with your scalp's natural oil. Leaving oil on your hair overnight can make it greasy and sticky, and it will also attract dust from your pillow and bed. As a result, it can lead to hair loss and other hair problems.
1. If you have seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis or eczema then DO NOT use scalp oil until your condition is healed. Applying oil to broken skin can lead to a secondary sensitivity. This means you can develop an allergic reaction to a product you were previously not sensitive to because you applied it to damaged skin.
For most men and women, the application of oil to their scalp will not cause instant damage. It will not create a scenario where your hair will fall out.
Oiling already oily scalp can lead to seborrheic dermatitis
Hence dermatologists don't recommend using oil too often,” explains Dr Daflapurkar. “If the scalp is already oily then there are more chances that it will trap dust, lead to itching, and other skin infections as well. This can lead to severe hair fall.
"Tea tree, peppermint, ginger, and cade oil can help alleviate itchy scalps and reduce inflammation," she tells Byrdie. "Coconut oil is sometimes recommended as an emollient to help with dry skin and dandruff, and there is some evidence that rosemary oil may help with hair growth."
“You can oil when your hair is damp or dry, but your hair and scalp have to be clean, or the oil won't have a chance to be absorbed,” says Dr Gupta. For heavier oils like coconut oil, applying it on dry hair is best, as the larger molecules may not penetrate the shaft of wet hair as well it can dry hair.
Can you oil your scalp every day? Those who have dry scalp and no dandruff or those who just want to hydrate their scalp and roots may benefit from daily oiling. For those with more oily hair adding more scalp oils may not be the best option.
To make sure that your hair gets cleaned but still remains nourished and frizz-free, apply oil every time before you wash your hair. Even if it is difficult to keep up with it every time, try to oil your hair at least twice a week. However, if you have an oily scalp, you can reduce the frequency of oiling your hair.
A number of essential oils including lavender, rosemary, thyme, and cedarwood are effective in boosting hair growth. Some carrier oils like jojoba oil, coconut oil, olive oil, almond oil, castor oil, etc. can also be used to improve hair growth.
Avoid leaving oil in overnight
The longer, the better — that may be true for some hair treatments but not for hair oiling as the oil can block your hair follicles. Unless an ayurvedic doctor or expert has asked you to leave a medicated oil overnight, wash out the oil within 3-4 hours.
Always apply oil before washing your hair
“We all know that oil is a great moisturizer and if you want to keep your mane hydrated and frizz-free then you must apply oil before washing your hair,” explains Dr Kapoor. She also adds that hair oil protects the scalp from harsh chemicals.
When you apply oil to an oily scalp, it traps the natural oils that are being secreted. Along with this, dirt and germs also get trapped and end up clogging your pores. This allows the dandruff-causing fungus to multiply and increase your itching. This is the answer to 'why does my scalp itch after applying oil'.
As a regular practice, it is natural to reach out for your comb right after oiling your hair to remove tangles. But this is a common mistake and you should avoid it. After a good oil massage, you scalp becomes relaxed and fragile, combing your hair immediately after can cause hair breakage and hair loss.
Oil your hair no more than 1 to 2 times a week. Leave it on for approximately an hour or two but you don't need to leave it on longer than that. When you leave oil on too long you run the risk of zits because oil will run down onto your skin and you also don't add any real benefit by leaving it on longer.
In general, it is not recommended to leave oil on for more than 6-8 hours, as that might make things tricky. The oil can attract a lot of dirt, dust, grime and get them to stick to your hair! So, it will take a lot more effort to wash your hair with all this added stuff to wash off.
Oiling your hair 30 mins before shampoo.
If you don't have enough time to go through with an elaborate routine, then you can always oil your hair just before you shampoo. Leave the oil for 30 minutes and then wash it off.
Applying oil on wet hair means less shine, but there are other benefits, such as detangling and heat protection before blowdrying.
Causes of greasy hair after washing
Overly greasy hair may be due to seborrhea, which is a relatively common skin condition. Seborrhea occurs when the sebaceous glands create excess oil, or sebum, making the skin and scalp oily. Most people with seborrhea do not have any underlying health problems.