You would most likely not find olive trees only in the Mediterranean Region, but the oil from these trees is probably one of the most used in the world. There are just so many uses you could effectively put the oil to. And using it in hair products is one of its many uses.
However, there has been research that tried to look into the effects of the oil on the hair. Does it make hair grow? Or does it just give the hair a glow?
While some of these researchers have found some correlation between olive oil and healthy hair growth, some others have returned inconclusive. These different results might raise some levels of concern regarding the potency of olive oil for the hair.
Here in this article, I will shed some more light on the use and benefits of olive oil on the hair by answering some most asked questions about the oil. Here we go.
Olive Oil FAQs
Does Olive Oil Improve Hair Growth?
Unfortunately, there hasn’t been enough scientific evidence to conclude that olive oil helps the hair grow faster. But you may then wonder why there is a lot of news about olive oil being used for hair growth on the Internet.
This may have been spread after some researchers used olive oil on a group of mice. Actually, olive oil did stimulate hair growth on the animals. They not only had long hair but also thicker hair.
And there is a high chance that olive oil would do the same for human hair growth. Although the test was carried out on mice, there is a very high likelihood that the same could apply to hair growth in humans.
Can I Apply Olive Oil To My Hair?
Yes, you can apply olive oil to your hair. As a matter of fact, olive oil helps to soften the hair and lessen hair breakage.
When you use it in your hair, olive oil helps to maintain the moisture content in your hair fiber, which leads to a more elastic and less breaking texture. Also, the oil can help your hair absorb less water thus lessening shrinkage.
You should be careful when using olive oil on your scalp, though. This is because the oil can increase the growth of dandruff on your scalp. That is why many trichologists recommend that you only use olive oil on your scalp if you have a dry scalp.
This is because, with dry scalp, olive oil can be of significant help when applied in reasonable quantities.
3. Can I Mix Olive Oil With Other Oils?
Yes, you can. Apart from olive oil, there are other oil extracts that are not only beneficial to your skin, but also to your hair. For instance, you can mix olive oil with castor oil to stimulate healthy hair growth.
4. What Type of Olive Oil Should I Use On My Hair?
Olive oil comes in types, and these variants have varying effects on the hair. However, it has been found that extra virgin olive oil is best for hair treatments. But since extra virgin olive oil is usually quite expensive, you could settle for virgin olive oil.
5. What Hair Type Benefits the Most From Olive Oil Treatments?
While olive oil treatments stimulate significant changes to some hair types, it has no noticeable effects on some others.
The hair types that benefit the most from olive oil treatments are dry and coarse hair. If you already had soft, oily hair, applying olive oil to it would make it feel heavier and greasy. And that is not a comfortable feeling.
Olive Oil Hair Treatments
Many hair products have olive oil as their active ingredient. However, buying these products could be somewhat expensive.
But there are some DIY hair treatments you could use to get impressive results as you would if you had used actual olive oil-based products.
Of these DIY treatments, here is the best that there is:
Olive Oil Hair Mask
All you need is a little amount of olive oil, about a quarter of a cup or even less. Remember that olive oil should not be added in excess quantity to the hair. Apart from feeding dandruff on your hair, excess olive oil on your scalp could be really hard to get rid of.
Next, put some on your palm and rub your two palms together to heat up the oil a little bit. Gently massage your hair down to the scalp with the oil. Do this slowly and carefully.
After you massage your hair with the oil, wear your shower cap while giving your hair some time to absorb the oil. Fifteen minutes or less should be enough for this.
The next thing to do is wash the oil off your hair with shampoo and lukewarm water. Don’t use hot water as this may damage your hair. Do this only once or twice a month. Applying the oil on your hair once is enough to give you the shine you want for about a month.
You can also add ingredients like egg and honey to boost the toughness of your hair. You can mix egg yolk, for instance, to your olive oil before you apply it on your hair. Yes, this might be quite sticky and feel quite messy, but it works well to protect and improve hair quality.
The Bottomline
Olive oil is great for repairing hair damages, especially for dry and coarse hair. However, don’t forget to use it in moderation. And you do not necessarily have to use it often, once you have used it the required number of times, you’re good.
