Have you thought about hair oiling? It’s a process that has been used for centuries to provide nourishment and moisture to the scalp. This method has been used by many people to improve their overall hair quality and reduce annoying frizz, thinning, and other damage. Yet, if you are going to use hair oiling, you’ll need to ensure you do it properly. The wrong methods – and these mistakes – could lead to a bigger problem with bacteria and a difficult to treat condition. There are several hair oiling mistakes you need to avoid.
Do Not Oil Your Hair At Night
Some people recommend applying oils at night rather than during the day. However, that is a worrisome decision. If you apply oils to your hair at night and they remain there long term, that creates a higher risk for the pores of the scalp to become clogged. More so, the oil itself works to attract dust and debris, which can then easily end up in the pores, causing a risk for infection. Simply, doing this overnight simply puts your hair at risk for too many hours in a row.
Instead, you’ll want to do hair oiling during the day and only for three to four hours at a time. More than this puts your scalp at risk. After that timeframe, wash your hair thoroughly.
Be Sure Your Hair Is Right for Hair Oiling
Not all types of hair benefit from this process and in some cases, doing it may cause damage to your scalp that’s even more worrisome. If you have oily hair, for example, there’s no need to oil your hair. Adding oil to oily hair will just make it harder to clean and that means more buildup of dirt and debris, which leads to the ideal environment for microorganisms.
If you have dandruff, you may be tempted to use this method as well. However, this is not a good idea. Adding the oil to your scalp will only inflame the area more so, which means it will be even harder for you to keep it clean. The key is to understand why you have dandruff. Hair oiling may be helpful if you know that dryness is the problem. However, if it is due to bacteria or a reaction to substances, oiling will worsen the situation. Consult with your doctor to determine what is causing your hair dandruff.
Avoid Combing Your Hair After Oiling
Many people are tempted to comb through their hair after they complete the hair oiling process. Avoid doing that. If you are going to comb through hair that is oiled or wet, that is going to increase the risk that you’ll have hair breakage, which is further damaging to the way your hair looks and feels. Instead, comb through your hair prior to applying the oil treatment. After the process, wash your hair thoroughly and use conditioner on it. Then, you can brush through your hair.
Treat Your Hair Well Afterwards
There are a few things to remember during this process. First, after applying the hair oil, do not put your hair up. You do not want to tie your hair during this process because it is vulnerable to damage. This can often lead to the development of split ends, and, in some situations, it could cause more hair to fall out.
The second thing not to do is to put your hair in a towel when using hair oiling. That may seem like a simple and straightforward step to take especially if you don’t want the hair oil to get onto your clothing. However, if you’re not careful during this process, it can lead to too much pressure on your hair, causing it to break. Instead of using a towel for this, consider the use of a cotton t-shirt that will absorb more of the oil and will not damage your hair.
Hair oiling can offer some benefits to your scalp if you have a significant amount of dryness. Yet, for many people, there are risks to using it if you don’t fully understand the process and follow the recommended steps for caring for your hair after use.
Do you have a dry scalp and want to know if oiling your scalp will help? Contact the team at Unique Hair Concepts for a complimentary hair and scalp analysis to learn more.
