Hair Oiling: Everything You Need To Know About Oiling

Healthy, shiny, and long hair adds to the overall appearance of an individual. Poor hair quality can mar the self-esteem of any individual. To add to the woes one is flooded with all kinds of information on haircare routines and products. This article will throw light on some important hair care tips and particularly the role and benefits of hair oiling for having good hair quality

What are the common causes of hair loss?

1. Pattern baldness

The cause of female pattern baldness is not completely understood as yet. The cause of male pattern baldness is due to a combination of the hormone dihydrotestosterone and genetics.

Infection e.g. fungal infection of the scalp or secondary syphilis

2. Medications

Medications such as those prescribed for high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and cholesterol as well as those medicines that can affect the hormonal balance of the body such as steroids, and contraceptive pills can cause hair fall.

3. Trauma

Rigorous hair brushing, heat styling as well as making hairstyles such as cornrows and tight ponytails that cause an excessive pull on the hair can lead to hair loss. A psychological problem called trichotillomania is characterized by compulsive bending and pulling of the hair leading to hair loss.

Trauma due to major surgery, childbirth, or poisoning causes a large number of hair to enter the resting phase simultaneously which causes them to shed and thin out subsequently. This is also seen as a side effect of chemotherapy for cancer treatment. Even radiation due to radiotherapy can cause hair loss from the irradiated areas.

4. Pregnancy

Three months after delivery the estrogen level in the blood drops, resulting in hair loss.

Autoimmunity disorder alopecia areata which cause patchy hair loss that may range from a single spot to hair loss from the entire body.

Hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid causes hair loss and hair loss is also seen as one of the side effects of medications given for its treatment.

5. Genetics

Tendency for early hair loss can run in the family due to faulty genes.

Also Read How Homeopathy Can Help You To Prevent Baldness

What are the symptoms of alopecia?

It is considered normal to shed on average 100 hair strands in a day. The lost hair must be replaced at the same rate in order to maintain a normal hair volume. The common alopecia symptoms and signs are:-

• More than usual hair strands are left in the basin after washing hair or in the hairbrush after combing hair.
• A thinning crown or wider parting on styling hair
• Hair loss in circular patterns and in unusual areas such as the backside of the head, eyebrows, or above the ears.
• Thinning and falling out of hair beginning at the temple and the crown in male pattern baldness and frontal and parietal area in the female pattern baldness.
• Associated skin conditions such as dandruff, cystic acne with blemishes on the face, limbs and back that arises from the same imbalance in the hormones that result in hair loss
• Psychological symptoms such as loss of self- confidence, loss of control and even feeling of isolation. The patients worry that they look older and less attractive. Even in patients who loose hair due to cancer chemotherapy the body image does not get back to the previous state after the hair re-growth.

What are the tips to prevent baldness?

1. To avoid damage to the hair due to environmental factors such as sunlight, dust and pollution one should:-

• Regularly oil hair
• Wear hats, scarves and bandanas
• Regularly wash hair with good quality shampoo followed by using a conditioner.

2. To avoid damage to hair due to stress either at home or at work on should practice stress management techniques like yoga and meditation
3. Exercise regularly
4. Diet- Eat a balanced diet and drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. A diet rich in proteins is considered good for hair
5. Follow certain grooming techniques such as:-

• Don’t use too hot or too cold water for hair wash
• Avoid rubbing towel to dry wet hair after hair wash. Just dab dry
• Avoid using hair dryer or blower
• Avoid brushing or combing wet hair
• Avoid using hair styling products
• Avoid running hand through the hair often

What are the benefits of hair oiling?

Our hair is exposed to dirt and pollution on regular basis. In addition, modern lifestyle exposes the hair to a lot of chemical treatments as found in colouring agents, hair dyes, hair straighteners and other hair styling products and methods. These harmful agents erode the lipids and essential fatty acids found in the hair shaft.

Hair oils on the other hand are rich in fatty acids that help to replenish lipids in the hair. They add gloss and shine to the hair and make hair look healthy. Oiling is particularly of benefit to those who have dry and frizzy hair as oils help to strengthen the hair strands.

Hair oiling on regular basis decreases hygral fatigue which refers to swelling up and drying of hair strands. Oils fill in the gap between the cuticle cells and thus protect the hair follicles from the harmful effect of surfactants found in the hair shampoos.

In addition to strengthening the hair strands, oiling also helps in improving scalp health. Gently massaging the scalp helps to exfoliate it and improves the blood circulation of the scalp which in turn helps in reducing hair fall.

Applying oil regularly on the scalp may also help to prevent dandruff.

Also Read Hair Thinning: Can Hair Grow Back After Thinning?

What is the best way to do hair oiling?

For best results it is recommended to oil the hair in the following way: –

• Apply oil on the scalp and then massage with your fingertips in a circular motion.
• Apply the remaining oil in the palm to the hair.
• Cover the head with a shower cap or towel and then leave overnight.
• The next day shampoo your hair and rinse thoroughly.
• Apply conditioner as normal.
• It is advisable to oil hair overnight at least twice in a week. Where overnight oiling is not possible it is advisable to oil hair at least an hour before bathing and then use a hot towel to wrap the head. This helps to extract nutrition from the oil within a short time frame.

Which oil is the best for oiling?

Which oil is the best for an individual depends on the hair’s needs. Also, it is important to ensure that the person should not be allergic to given oil. One should do a patch test by applying the given oil on a small area of the skin before using the oil liberally on hair.

Commonly used hair oils are: –

• Coconut
• Almond
• Sesame
• Argan
• Jaborandi
• Amla
• Moringa
• Bhringraj

Also available is Dr Wilmar Schwabe’s B&T Hair Growth oil which helps to prevent baldness and to have healthy and shiny hair. It is endowed with the richness of Arnica Montana, Sabal Serrulata, and Jaborandi which are well known to nourish the scalp and promote hair growth and even prevent premature greying of hair. Also, olive oil is used as a base in making this hair growth oil which makes it non-sticky.

For those who are prone to dandruff, they can use Dr. Wilmar Schwabe’s B&T Antidandruff Hair Growth oil.

Both Dr Wilmar Schwabe’s hair growth oils are scientifically proven and dermatologically tested. These oils are safe to be used on a regular basis and can even be used by pregnant and lactating females as well as children without the risk of any side effects.

As an effective treatment for androgenetic alopecia and hair fall, one can use Boericke and Tafel Zauberol Premium weekend and weekdays hair oil. It contains arnica Montana, thuja orientalis, and jaborandi as key ingredients to treat baldness by countering the bad effect of testosterone and stimulating hair cells to reproduce at a fast rate. This helps to maintain follicular density and eventually leads to better hair growth.

For best results, it is advised to use Dr Schwabe’s B&T shampoo for hair wash.

CONCLUSION

Alopecia or hair loss is a common problem these days. Several factors are known to help promote healthy hair such as a healthy diet, adequate water intake, regular exercise, stress management, following right hair care practices, and regular hair washing. Apart from these, regular hair oiling is known since time immemorial for promoting good hair growth. Oiling helps by replenishing the hair shaft with lipids and essential fatty acids as well as improving the blood circulation of the scalp. Almonds, coconut, amla, and sesame are commonly used hair oils. However, which oil is best for an individual depends on individual hair needs. Dr Wilmar Schwabe’s B&T Hair Growth oil and Antidandruff Hair Growth oil have proved their efficacy and safety for regular use to promote healthy, shiny, and long hair. For best results, it is recommended to massage the scalp with fingertips in a circular motion after applying the oil. One must oil the hair overnight at least twice a week and then wash the hair thoroughly the next day with a good-quality shampoo. Applying conditioner after hair wash and then rinsing thoroughly is also recommended as part of a good hair care routine.