How to Apply Coconut Oil to Prevent Hair Loss

Coconut oil can help prevent conditions that lead to hair loss.

Coconut oil can help prevent hair loss in two ways: It reduces protein loss, which can eventually lead to hair thinning, and it penetrates the hair shaft. Coconut oil's ready absorption also helps keep hair from swelling, a condition that can cause damage, a 2001 research study published by the Journal of Cosmetic Sciences shows. Applying coconut oil to the hair -- before or after shampooing -- can be an effective means of preventing hair loss.

Things You'll Need

• Coconut oil
• Comb

Instructions

1. Part your hair from front to back of scalp.

2. Take a dab of coconut oil and apply it to the scalp, along the part. Repeat the process of parting at 1-inch intervals and applying coconut oil until you have applied oil to your entire scalp.

3. Massage the coconut oil into your scalp with your fingers. Work for five to 10 minutes, taking care to distribute the oil evenly over the whole scalp. As you massage, the oil will also start to seep up the hair shaft to coat the inch or two nearest the scalp.

4. Apply the oil to any part of the hair that has not been coated by oil. If your hair is less than two inches long, this step will likely not be necessary. For hair from three to eight inches long, be sure to coat the ends of strands. If you have long hair, you may need to rub a dab of oil between your hands and smooth it along the shaft, working in sections, until all the hair is coated.

Tips & Warnings

• If coconut oil makes your hair unacceptably greasy, apply it 30 minutes to an hour before shampooing. You can also massage it in at night and wash it out in the morning. Otherwise, leaving the oil in your hair is just fine as it reduces protein loss post-wash as well.

References

• PubMed: Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage; Rele, A.S.; Journal of Cosmetic Science; March-April 2003
• PubMed: Secondary ion mass spectrometric investigation of penetration of coconut and mineral oils into human hair fibers: relevance to hair damage; Journal of Cosmetic Science; Ruetsch, SV; May-June 2001
• Hair Loss Research: Hair Loss and Topical Coconut Oil