Olive oil is rich in antioxidants and it contains monounsaturated fatty acids. Monounsaturated fatty acid is considered to be healthy fat. Unsaturated fats contain double bonds, and monounsaturated fats contain one double bond.
Olive oil is common in the Mediterranean diet; because of its health benefits, the olive has attracted attention throughout the world. Not only does it provide many health benefits but also for hair and skin.
Benefits of olive oil for hair
Thick hair
When we reminisce about our young age, the first thing that comes to our mind is the long and thick hair. It was because our mothers and grandmothers took the utmost care to give the healthy shine our hair needed.
Due to our busy routines, we are not able to maintain our hair, and most of us go for trimming. As a result of damage, there is no growth and healthy shine.
Olive oil can restore a healthy shine and repair the damage. Olive oil reduces the production of dihydrotestosterone.
The dihydrotestosterone hormone is responsible for hair fall. It attacks the hair follicles and causes hair fall. Olive oil reduces the production of dihydrotestosterone and promotes hair growth.
It also nourishes the scalp and also reduces the breakage of hair.
Processes hair becomes very porous and dense. Overprocessed hair is very difficult to maintain. The damage to the hair shaft can be fixed.
These damages may be caused because of hair dyes, bleach and other reasons like pollution. Olive helps to reduce the damage. It cannot be fully reversed but still may reduce the damage to a considerable rate.
The goal is to restore the protein and shine the hair lost. You can apply olive oil to your scalp and hair. Give it a nice massage and shower in the morning.
Avoid any hot dryers and after the shower, try to apply coconut oil to stop your hair from losing moisture.
Split ends
Split ends are caused when your hair becomes dry, brittle and frayed. Split ends happen when your hair is exposed to extreme conditions like straightening, blow-drying and curling.
Over usage of chemical products can also result in such damage. Olive can help you to reduce the damage and fix split ends.
Take a few drops of olive oil and apply them to the hair ends where there is damage. Olive oil acts as a serum and helps to repair the damage.
Olive oil, when used regularly, may prevent the damage of split ends. Massage soem warm olive oil, into your scalp and leave it overnight. This helps to moisturise your hair fibres and supports hair growth.
Lice
Lice are tiny parasitic insects that live on the human scalp and feed on blood. They are frustrating and require a long process to remove. It is very much common in children.
Lice cannot be left untreated because they might cause unwanted infections. They get transferred from head-to-head contact. Lice do not carry any bacterial or viral infection.
Olive oil may help with the removal process. Apply enough olive oil to suffocate the lice and leave it overnight. Comb in the morning so that the lice are killed.
Olive oil can only kill the lice and not its eggs. So, to completely get rid of the lice, repeat it for 2-3 weeks.
Dandruff is a fungus that lives on the human scalp. There is no cure for dandruff, but you can control the scalp. Flakes will be produced when you have a dry scalp.
Mix a few drops of lemon juice with olive oil and massage into your hair. Leave it for a few minutes and wash your hair with lukewarm water.
Repeat the process once a week for the treatment to be effective.
Treat split ends
Olive oil helps to treat split ends effectively. Apply a few drops of warm olive oil to the split ends and leave for a few minutes and wash your hair.
Olive oil contains Vitamin A and Vitamin E, which effectively treats damaged hair.
Soften your hair
When there is no proper maintenance for hair, your hair becomes very brittle and frizzy. You have to just apply some olive oil generously throughout your scalp.
Massage the hair and leave it overnight. Then wash your hair. Olive oil acts as a natural smoothening agent. It gives a natural shine to your hair and avoids breakage of hair.
Make your hair more manageable
When you often makeover your hair and put your hair through various blow dryers and curling procedures, it becomes tangled.
The texture of the hair also gets affected. You can make your hair healthy again with the help of olive oil.
Do not comb your hair when it is tangled. It might damage and break your hair. Apply olive oil throughout your hair. Massage your hair and leave it for some time till it gets untangled.
Comb your hair in the morning. Your hair would be smooth and easy to comb. Always apply oil to avoid it from getting dry.
Olive oil strengthens your hair and promotes hair growth. Oleuropein, a compound found in olive oil, promotes hair growth and strengthens your hair.
The oleic acid and Vitamin E in olive oil help to reduce oxidative stress. Oleuropein is rich in antibacterial effect that helps to maintain a healthy scalp.
Olive oil helps to cover the gaps between the follicles. This keeps the foreign agents away. It also strengthens the hair within.
When olive oil is applied to hair, it retains moisture and prevents your scalp from becoming dry. It nourishes your hair naturally.
Help your hair grow longer
The sebaceous glands secrete an oily substance, namely, sebum. When there is an uncontrolled secretion of sebum, you might face hair loss.
Olive oil helps to arrest excess sebum secretion and helps in hair growth.
Hair growth tips
Olive oil with honey acts as a conditioner and helps your hair grow long. Blend honey and olive oil. The mixture should be warm. Apply the ingredients and leave it for some time. Wash your hair in lukewarm water.
Olive oil with onion juice helps to fight dandruff and strengthens your hair. Mix olive oil with onion juice. Apply this mixture for 20 minutes, and then wash your hair.
Repair damaged hair
Hot oil treatment goes best for damaged hair. The chemical elements present in olive oil are palmitic acid, oleic acid and squalene. These compounds have smoothening qualities.
Olive gives a natural shine to hair. This is because it has a natural moisturising effect. Olive oil penetrates your hair shaft and preserves the moisture.
There is a certain way to apply oil. Always start from your hair and then to your scalp. It prevents damage and nourishes your hair.
Rinse your hair with a mild shampoo. Rinse it in lukewarm water and dry your hair naturally. Do not use any blow dryers.
Olive oil, in combo with an equal amount of coconut oil, acts as a wonderful remedy for damaged hair.
Frizzy hair is because of dryness. Hydration is important to keep your hair frizz-free. Olive oil hydrates your scalp and prevents dryness.
It also controls excess oil secretion. To seal the moisture in your hair, apply olive oil to towel-dried hair.
Olive oil mask also helps to control frizz. Warm some olive oil and apply it to your hair. Wet the towel in warm water and wrap it around your hair. Leave for some time and wash your hair.
These techniques help to retain moisture and prevent frizz. You can also add essential oil to add a natural smell to your hair.
Reduce scalp irritability
There are many reasons for your scalp irritation. They may be due to dandruff, dry scalp or over secretion of sebum. During the winter season, this irritation aggravates.
The scalp irritation leads to itching and may cause infection. Olive oil may work to reduce the irritability of the scalp and reduces itchiness.
Olive oil mixed with tea tree essential oil can be an effective remedy for dandruff. Olive oil effectively fights bacterial and fungal infection and keep them at bay.
Olive oil, when mixed with Rosemary essential oil, may promote hair growth and reduces breakage.
How to use olive oil for hair
Massage
Like your body hydrating by drinking water, it is also important to hydrate your scalp. Your scalp does not drink water but oil. It is always important to massage oil into your hair.
When you massage your scalp with oil, blood circulation increases and promotes hair growth.
Take equal quantity of coconut oil along with olive oil. Mix it and warm the mixture. Now part your hair into segments.
Gently apply the warm oil to your scalp with your fingers. Give a gentle pressure. Make sure you don’t break the hair follicles. The massage should be in a circular motion.
Leave it for a few minutes, and then wash your hair.
People with dry hair can benefit a lot from moisturising masks. Along with olive oil, you can use some ingredients to prepare the hair mask.
A whole egg, honey and olive oil. The egg would give your hair natural shine and boosts hair growth. Honey would help to capture the moisture your hair needs.
Crack open an egg and wish it. To the egg, add two tablespoons of olive oil and honey. Blend it well till they are combined.
Apply the mixture to your hair and wash it after ten minutes. This helps to provide natural shine to your hair.
Conditioner
There is no harm in conditioning your hair. The shampoo is meant to clean your hair and wash off the dead cells. A conditioner makes your hair softer and protects the hair shaft from damage.
Natural hair conditioners can be made at home. The ingredients you need are shea butter, coconut oil or olive oil and argan oil. Mix olive oil and shea butter and warm the mixture.
To the mixture, add argan oil and whip it. Apply the mixture to your hair and let it sit for 15 minutes. Wash it with your regular shampoo.
Use this hair mask twice a week to get effective results. It conditions your hair naturally and also provides moisture.
Nourishing mask
Olive contains vitamin E, which nourishes your hair. Baking soda, when mixed with olive oil, can prevent any infection and also nourishes your hair.
Mix baking soda and olive oil together. Apply the mixture for a few minutes and wash your hair. Baking soda helps to remove dirt from your hair and protects your hair follicles from damage through external agents like shampoo.
You can also use avocado with olive oil. Mash half of an avocado and add olive oil. Blend it well and apply it to your hair.
Leave it for a few minutes and then wash off. This mask nourishes and moisturises your hair naturally. The biotin, vitamin B5 and E help in hair growth and strengthens your hair.
Anti-dandruff cure
Olive oil can be an effective anti-dandruff agent. Mix half spoon of almond oil with one spoon of olive oil; before blending, warm both the oils.
Apply the oil with your fingertips to your scalp. Give a good massage and cover the hair with a mask. Wash your hair after 15 minutes.
Repeat the process twice a month to get rid of dandruff. However, dandruff cannot be fully treated. There may be recurrences, and you can use this mask.
Downside of olive oil for hair
One major downside of olive oil is that it may make your hair too greasy. Another disadvantage is that it may cause a drop in blood glucose and blood pressure levels for some people.
Though olive oil has antibacterial properties, some dermatologists suggest that olive oil may feed dandruff and make it worse.
However, hair is a dead cell, so it cannot absorb nutrients like our skin. It is always better to eat healthy food to promote hair growth and health.
Summing up
Always keep your hair clean. Wash your hair at least once a week to get rid of pollutants and toxins.
Your food intake defines your health, so always focus on what you eat. It is also important to get enough sleep to maintain healthy hair.
