Sometimes, the most standout beauty solutions are also the simplest. Using coconut oil for hair that’s hydrated, lustrous, and flake-free may sound like too easy a fix, but for many the naturally occurring fatty oil rivals even the most cultish of products. “During COVID, I started experimenting and using natural products and I was using coconut oil on my hair once a week,” says celebrity extensionist Priscilla Valles. “The hydration and shine it provides is beyond amazing.”
Applying coconut oil to tired strands makes sense. The oil is derived from raw, mature coconuts and composed of 100% predominantly unsaturated fat. Fatty acids in coconut oil (principally lauric acid) can contribute to hair health when employed correctly. There are, of course, caveats and limits to what coconut oil can offer, but its all-natural status and affordability make testing the treatment for yourself entirely worthwhile—especially for those whose hair has been looking lackluster. “Coconut oil has benefits for all hair types but is best used on dry, damaged, or color-treated hair to lock in moisture and prevent breakage,” says celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons.
Whether you’re already a convert or are just coconut curious, here’s what you need to know about coconut oil for hair health—and how to incorporate it into your hair-care routine.
- Coconut oil comes with many hair benefits, including strengthening strands to reduce hair breakage and protecting hair from heat damage.
- While coconut oil doesn’t directly help hair growth, its benefits help boost hair health overall.
- You can use coconut oil for hair in many ways, such as a prewash treatment, conditioning mask, and scalp treatment.
What Are the Benefits of Coconut Oil for Hair?
For fans of natural products and ingredients, coconut oil is close to magic. The oil is commonly used topically to moisturize skin and calm dermatitis; swished around the mouth to the benefit of gums and teeth; and easily incorporated into a healthy diet. And, of course, the efficacious oil’s mane benefits are myriad.
“Coconut oil is a great ingredient to implement into your hair routine because it has nourishing fatty acids, which help moisturize and strengthen the hair and prevent breakage,” says Fitzsimons. According to research, coconut oil actually reduces protein loss in both damaged and undamaged hair. Its makeup allows it to penetrate the hair shaft, the better to deliver hydration, leading to softer and shinier strands and enhanced texture.
Has Antifungal and Anti-Inflammatory Properties
In addition to boosting your mane itself, coconut oil’s moisturizing, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties make it a scalp-health hero too. The oil helps to treat fungus and subsequent flaking in the short term, and some research says that it can help repair the scalp’s moisture barrier over time.
Protects Hair From Heat Damage
And finally? “Coconut oil can also be used in your styling routine as a natural heat protectant to reduce hot-tool damage,” says Fitzsimons. He’s right: Coconut oil’s penetrative properties condition hair, seal the cuticle, and lock in moisture, protecting hair from potential damage that comes with your go-to dryers and irons. The oil also helps to tame frizz, resulting in sleeker, softer styles.
Can Coconut Oil Help Hair Grow?
According to Hadley King, MD, a New York City board-certified dermatologist, there are no credible studies that link the use of coconut oil to hair growth. “It does not directly affect hair growth,” Dr. King says. “But it may provide benefits that improve the health of the hair overall.”
She explains that because coconut oil has emollient properties, it reduces hair breakage and makes hair less brittle. This results in longer hair over time. So while you shouldn’t be using coconut oil for the sole purpose of growing hair back, using it comes with other helpful benefits.
Can Coconut Oil Damage Hair?
Though coconut oil is a cure-all for many hair woes, it’s not necessarily a universal solution, and certain application factors should be considered before you start slathering strands in the fatty oil.