Oil Replacement

Oiling or Oil Replacement as some people call it, is a popular method of conditioning the scalp and the hair. It is used to promote healthy growth of hair, to moisturize dry scalp and dandruff issues too.

Oil used for oiling is usually groundnut, olive or coconut oil. In most cases people apply it as hot oil treatment which they leave on their hair for hours and then wash it off with normal shampoo. Hot oil conditions your scalp and nourishes it, thus allowing the sebaceous glands to produce more oils. The extra oil is then absorbed by your hair. If you are using cold oil for replacement, you can leave it on overnight and wash off with shampoo next morning.

To use oil for replacement, you need to heat the amount of oil in a microwave or in warm water. Then apply it all over your hair making sure that oils are at least 2 inches away from your scalp. Massage gently until they are absorbed by the scalp and the whole length of the hair. Make sure they are not hot, as it might burn your scalp.

Then cover your head with a shower cap or warm cloth to retain heat. Leave it for half an hour and then wash off with mild shampoo. Do not use harsh shampoo at this moment as it will remove oils from the hair strands, leaving them dry and rough. You can also do oil replacement overnight which you can leave on without washing off in the morning.

When choosing a replacement oil for your hair, first consider the purpose of the treatment. When you are looking to nourish scalp and provide moisture to dry hair, use groundnut or olive oil. You can also use coconut oil as it is very effective in treating dandruff issues. However if you have oily hair that looks greasy after application of oil, then use castor or mustard oil. Castor oil is very light and gets absorbed by the scalp within a few minutes. Mustard oil is also a natural fungicide which can prevent dandruff problems if used regularly.