I used to be one of those girls blessed with tons of hair. So much hair that I would often complain about how heavy it made my head feel. I actually got headaches from my long, thick hair!
Somewhere between adolescence and pregnancy, I noticed that my ponytail holder was able to twist around my hair 4 or 5 times where before it barely made it around twice! I was seeing my scalp through my hair around my crown and hairline and was, honestly, freaking out! In a culture where hair is revered as a sign of overall health and beauty, I was spending most of my time in distress over my quickly vanishing tresses.
So, I did what any educated American would do, I turned to Google. I read many blogs and posting boards about people’s struggles with hair loss and their devastating stories. However, my attention was caught by a woman claiming that Coconut Oil not only saved her hair, it made it grow back!
After spending hundreds of dollars on supposed “miracle” products that were full of chemicals, I knew that this natural approach was something I had to try. Through some research I came up with the following regime that I now use up to three times a week.
First, it is imperative that you use only Organic Virgin Coconut Oil for your hair, as it contains no additives and is in the most natural, refined form. I suggest using Spectrum Organic Coconut Oil, which you can find at any health food store (even Whole Foods if you’re one of the lucky ones to live near one!)
- Coconut Oil comes in a solid form, but melts into oil when in contact with heat. Do not microwave this oil. Instead, place the jar in hot water until it turns to a liquid.
- Dampen hair with warm water.
- Spoon Coconut Oil from the jar into your hands and apply directly to your roots covering your scalp. Use two tablespoons of oil for shoulder length hair and three to four tablespoons for longer hair.
- Massage the oil into your scalp for at least two to three minutes. It is possible that you may see hair fall from the massage, but do not fret–your scalp is adjusting to the stimulation. If it bothers you, skip this step.
- If you desire, you may cover the length of your hair with the oil as well for an overall conditioning treatment.
- Put your oiled hair in a shower cap to let the treatment set.
- Leave the oil treatment on your hair for no less than 20 minutes. It is optimal if you leave it in overnight, but 20 minutes is enough for a treatment if you’re short on time.
- After your desired length of treatment, wash the oil out with a sulfate free shampoo. You will not feel the need to condition your hair, as silky softness is an immediate benefit of this treatment.
After one to two weeks, you will see an improvement in your overall hair quality and possibly some new growth! I have been using Coconut Oil treatments for almost three months and have had four inches of new growth on my scalp in that amount of time! While results will most likely vary, science has proven it effective in case studies thus far and have even dubbed Coconut Oil a REAL miracle product! (You’re welcome to Google the evidence for yourself!)
