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Since time immemorial, olive oil is being used for cooking and other purposes. Its importance has gained prominence in the last few years. Ranging from hair to skin, olive oil provides nourishment to all. Let’s dive into benefits of Olive Oil for Hair.
Olive oil has monounsaturated essential fatty acids in high quantity and the further presence of Vitamin E ensures that your hair remains shiny and gorgeous. Using Olive oil topically provides numerous benefits and including it on your diet improves your hair and skin’s elasticity.
Read on with us to know more about the impact Olive oil has on your hair.
What are various kinds of Olive Oil?
We can divide the different varieties of olive oil into various grades. In most cases, the highest grade of Olive oil is extra virgin olive oil, virgin oil, and refined oil. The grades are defined by the method of extraction used.
Extra virgin oil can be obtained by cold pressing the olives and then extracting the juice.
On the other hand, the standard virgin oil is extracted by cold pressing too but its acidity level is less than 2%.
Refined oil is extracted from chemical processing in the plant. The processing is done using heat, filtration, and chemicals.
What are the benefits of Olive Oil on Hair?
Apart from having multiple benefits on our overall health and skin, Olive Oil is extremely beneficial for hair as well.
Let us have a look at some of the most important ones.
1. Dandruff
Use of Olive oil moisturizes the hair and thus reduces any signs of scalp irritation. This obviously affects dandruff too.
For desired effect, a massage with warm olive oil and leaving it on for 20 minutes would produce the desired results.
2. Moisturizing hair
Apart from that, you can use an Olive oil pack to provide strength and moisture to your hair.
Mix ½ teaspoon Olive oil with 2 tablespoon honey and an egg yolk to create a paste. Apply this paste on the hair and leave for 20 minutes. Later wash it off with water and the results are amazing indeed.
3. Split ends
When your hair follicles are nourished, the scope of having split ends is reduced. Especially during the winter months if you use Olive oil on your hair the moisture is retained and your hair feels strong.
4. Softening hair
Pollution and stress have a direct impact on the quality of our hair.
Usage of olive oil works by reducing the damage done to them thus giving them a luscious texture and growth.
5. Managing unruly hair
Has your hair become so unmanageable that it is difficult to control them in any manner?
You would be pleased to know that Olive oil can be used for hair styling. Just apply some hot olive oil to your hair for 30 minutes. Later you can style your hair as you please.
6. Length of the hair
When you use olive oil it eliminates the excess build-up of sebum. When that happens there is nothing to inhibit the growth of your hair and you can get really long tresses.
7. Shine and strength
Olive oil penetrates to the inside of your hair, locks the moisture and provides nourishment. Once your hair starts getting mended, its shine comes back. Mono-unsaturated fatty acids and essential nutrients in Olive oil also provide your hair strength and it is able to withstand the damage caused by external factors.
How you should choose Olive oil for your hair?
As discussed Olive Oil is available in different grades but it is important to know which one is suitable for your hair.
Extra virgin olive oil has the least possible impurities and thus you should prefer its application when it comes to your hair.
If you have some of it in your cupboard do make sure to smell it before you apply it on your hair.
If it smells rancid it means the oil is old and not fit for use. Place some teaspoons of the oil in a bowl and leave it inside the fridge.
If it has solidified it means that the olive oil is monounsaturated and fit for use.
However, if it is still a liquid after 24 hours of keeping inside then the oil is not pure and should not be used.
How to use Olive oil on my hair?
The wide benefits of Olive oil for hair cannot be denied in any manner. Normally when we face hair loss or any similar hair ailment, it is because of a hormone named dihydrotestosterone, which is responsible for making your hair follicle weak. Olive oil can come to your rescue at this point of time.
Olive oil improves the health of your scalp, fights fungi and bacteria and improves blood circulation. Once your blood circulation improves your hair follicles get stimulated thus resulting in stronger and thicker hair.
Experts have been able to prove the relation between hair growth and Olive oil. Its regular use does restore the shine in your hair. However, to achieve those results it is important that you use the correct application method for the same.
If you want to use olive oil for increasing hair growth you can follow the below steps.
Method 101
- Take 20-30 ml olive oil in a container and add 10 ml coconut oil to it.
- Warm the mixture in a microwave. You have to ensure that the oil is hot but not so hot that it burns your scalp.
- Divide your hair into sections and start applying the oil to them one by one. Move from one section to another till you have been able to cover up your entire scalp uniformly.
- Next, take some oil on your tips and apply it to the roots of each section that you have created. This provides conditioning to your hair thus making it strong.
- Soak a towel in slightly hot water and squeeze any excess water present in it.
- Wrap the towel around your head and leave it on for around 20 minutes. This procedure steams your scalp and enhances the blood circulation.
- If it is summer, you can wear a shower cap on the oiled hair and leave it on for 30 minutes and thus achieve the same results.
- You can now wash the oil off using a mild shampoo. By repeating this procedure once or twice a week for a few months you can ensure a visible improvement in the overall health of your hair.
Method 102
There are certain herbs which also benefit your hair.
- By adding a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds to olive oil and heating the mixture you can get a tonic which removes dandruff and improves hair growth.
Method 103
Add some essential oils and see the miracle !
- By blending olive oil with other essential oils, the benefits that you get can be increased. Mix lavender, peppermint and rosemary oil to increase the growth of your hair.
- For regular hair fall, you can mix Olive oil with cedar wood and thyme oils.
- If Lemongrass oil can be added to Olive oil you can remove dandruff
- Clary sage oil prevents breakage and increases the strength imparted.
Use of essential oil, however, may have an adverse reaction and therefore having a small test before proper use is recommended.
Apply a drop of the oil on your hand and see if there is any kind of allergic reaction. If you see everything is smooth you can proceed ahead.
Can Olive oil grow hair faster ?
In today’s times, the use of chemicals on your hair has led to them becoming weak and brittle in the long run. Moreover, the stress of everyday existence ensures damages not only to the hair but to the skin as well. Olive oil which is staple oil from the Mediterranean region not only provides flavour to meals but acts as a stimulant for hair growth as well.
As has been mentioned before hair loss is caused by an increase in the quantity of the hormone dihydrotestosterone.
According to studies conducted, Olive Oil actually reduces the same in your body and thus the growth of your hair receives a boost. Apart from that Olive Oil has anti-oxidants which promotes scalp health.
Intake of Olive oil in any method would reduce the damage of an itchy scalp and reduce dandruff as well. When you massage Olive oil on your hair on a regular basis, the blood flow improves and hair follicles are able to grow thicker strands of hair.
Satisfied Much ?
Olive oil is not called the treasure trove of health for nothing.
If used effectively, you can use it to completely overhaul the quality of your hair. However, like other treatments you have to be regular with this, else the results would not be so satisfactory.
Combine this with a healthy diet, lots of water, good night’s sleep, and routine exercises and pretty soon you would be basking in the glory of having reinvented yourself.
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