Coconut Oil Hair Treatment

Coconut oil has been used in hair treatments for thousands of years. From South and Central America, to Africa, to India and most of Asia, the benefits of coconut oil in hair have been discovered and utilized by indigenous people. Plush spas often use coconut oil in expensive scalp and hair treatments. Coconut oil treatments add shine and strength to all hair types. Preparing and using coconut oil hair treatments at home is easy, effective and affordable.

How to Buy

Some beauty supply stores sell coconut oil conditioner and other such products. These products are not pure and are usually expensive. For coconut oil hair treatments, buy pure, organic, virgin coconut oil at a health food store. Virgin coconut oil is produced from raw coconut meat. The resulting product has a fresh smell and is colorless. Coconut oil is in a solid buttery form at room temperature and melts to a clear liquid around 77 degrees F. There's no need to heat the oil before use; simply rub it between your hands to melt.

Straight Hair

If you have straight to slightly wavy hair, use a coconut oil treatment before washing your hair. Apply the coconut oil liberally, starting at the scalp. Rub coconut oil into the entire scalp to help cure and prevent dandruff and promote hair growth. Work your way down the hair, squeezing gently into the hair ends, where split ends usually occur. Leave it on the hair from 30 minutes to overnight, wrapped in a towel or shower cap. Don't use your best towel; the oil will stain in the form of grease marks. Wash it off with your favorite shampoo. Try using just a drop of coconut oil after drying your hair, as a shine serum. Use it sparingly as a leave-in to avoid a greasy look on straight hair.

Curly Hair

Coconut oil can also be used as a leave-in conditioner on curly, thick hair. The curlier the hair, the more coconut oil can be used without a greasy look. Curly hair absorbs the oil. Start with a small amount in clean, dry hair and add more until the hair is glossy. Rub some into the scalp and into the ends of the hair. If you currently use hair grease, it's most likely made with mostly mineral or petroleum oil, plus chemicals and dyes. These products clog the hair shaft, prevent hair growth and might cause a dry or itchy scalp. Coconut oil has anti-fungal properties that heal the scalp and hair.

Cradle Cap

Babies often develop a fungal condition known as cradle cap. Coconut oil can prevent and eliminate the scaly fungus. Simply rub a small amount all over the head and brush it with a soft baby brush for about five minutes.

Proven Hair Damage Prevention

The benefits of coconut oil hair treatments are more than an old wives' tale. The effects of coconut oil on prevention of hair damage were studied in 1999 at the Research and Development Department, Nature Care Division, Marico Industries Ltd., Mumbai, India. The study found that even on chemically damaged hair, coconut oil provided a lubricating film and penetrated water into the hair, preventing the lifting of the surface cuticle and its breaking by the force of a comb. The same institution published a 2003 study entitled "Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage." This study found that of all three oils, coconut oil was the only oil found to "reduce the protein loss remarkably for both undamaged and damaged hair when used as a pre-wash and post-wash grooming product." The results were believed to be caused by the presence of lauric acid, a fatty acid found in human breast milk, which "has a high affinity for hair proteins and, because of its low molecular weight and straight linear chain, is able to penetrate inside the hair shaft."