• 07 Sep 22

Keep your scalp healthy with coconut oil

Besides cooking, coconut oil is packed with benefits for your scalp and hair. It’s extremely effective in eliminating dandruff and has been used for thousands of years as a natural treatment for this. The unique nutrient composition of coconut oil can counteract or neutralize not only the worst symptoms of dandruff but also the underlying cause of this irritating and unsightly condition.

Coconut oil can help fight dry and itchy scalp. The oil moisturizes the skin and helps to correct redness and irritation. Coconut oil soothes scalp conditions, including dandruff. Its antibacterial properties reduce folliculitis, an infection of the hair follicles. Coconut oil can also fight fungal infections, such as ringworm of the scalp. Daily washing strips hair of its sebum, which can lead to dry, frizzy locks. Coconut oil acts as a protective barrier between washes so hair stays soft and silky.

Coconut oil’s medium-chain fatty acids, including lauric acid and capric acid, have strong antiviral, antimicrobial and antifungal properties that target the fungus and help to kill it, as well as viruses and bacteria that may be lurking on your scalp.

Many prescription and over-the-counter dandruff shampoos can actually make dandruff worse and don’t fix the root cause of the flakiness. If the problem is fungal, or if you are struggling with dry skin, topical applications of coconut oil will make a difference.

Many commercial shampoos contain chemicals that are harmful. These include parabens, propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate, and many others. Dandruff shampoos are even worse, as they contain ammonium laureth sulfate, magnesium aluminum silicate, and selenium sulfide.

And the majority of the time, these preparations simply do not work. The goal is to make the scalp healthier, free from fungus and moisturized, to get rid of dandruff. Treating with coconut oil will not make dandruff go away overnight, but many can see results in just a week or so.