We spike, color, tease and curl it. We heat, gel, straighten and spray it. We worry and vex over it, spend tons of money on it and cry when we lose it. Its a vital sign of our health, youth and beauty and we want it to look great. I imagine that some of you still believe that if you smother your hair with oil, it will give you the shiny, soft hair that we all desire. Most oil (not all), if they are not essential oils, do not have the capacity to penetrate into the hair shaft. What they will accomplish, however, is to lie on top of the cuticle and smother it. It may give you some short-term luster, but it will also coat the hair and cause product build up. When this happens, the problems begin. Initially, the moisture that our hair so badly requires will not be able to filter through the wall of product build up. The moisture is consequently not able to unearth the cuticle layer. What is the end resultthe hair cannot be conditioned! In 1998, a study was done by a doctor named Isabelle C. Hay on patients with alopecia areata (sudden hair loss). She used the essential oils of thyme, lavender, rosemary and cedarwood in a carrier oil of jojoba and grapeseed. The 84 volunteers were given a two-minute scalp massage daily with the oils for a period of 7 months. The control group was simply massaged with the carrier oils alone. At the end of the trial, 19 people in the essential oil group had re-grown hair, as opposed to six in the control group. Oil treatments, that have the appropriate ingredients, and used at least once a week, will enhance the condition of your hair and scalp. The key is to locate products that contain ingredients such as: Jojoba oil, neem oil, avocado oil, cold pressed oil, and evening primrose oil. In addition, essential oils are a must, such as: lavender, rosemary, St. Johns Wort, myrrh, frankincense, cedar-wood, juniper and thyme. These are all naturally wonder oils for the hair and can reward you with a silky lustrous shine. |
