Will Vegetable Oil Help My Dry Scalp and Hair

Will Vegetable Oil Help My Dry Scalp And Hair | Benefits And Disadvantages

Wondering “Will vegetable oil help my dry scalp and hair?” In this article I’ve explained how to apply vegetable oil to hair and if it’s a good idea. 

Battling dry scalp and lackluster hair can be a frustrating experience, often leading us to explore a myriad of remedies in search of relief and restoration.

Natural solutions are increasingly sought after for their simplicity and lack of harsh chemicals. Among these, the humble kitchen staple, vegetable oil, emerges as an unexpected ally for hair care enthusiasts.

But does it really hold the key to alleviating dryness and breathing new life into your tresses?

Join us as we delve into the efficacy of vegetable oil as a treatment for dry scalp and hair at HairEveryday, where we unravel the potential benefits and provide insights for healthier, more vibrant locks.

Key Takeaways:

  • Vegetable oil can be used as a moisturizing treatment for dry scalp and hair.
  • Apply the oil to slightly damp hair to improve absorption.
  • For deep conditioning, leave the oil on for a few hours or overnight, wearing a shower cap.
  • For a quick treatment, 15-30 minutes is sufficient.
  • After treatment, shampoo thoroughly to remove excess oil.
  • Adjust the frequency and duration of treatments based on your hair’s response.
  • Start with shorter treatments to gauge your hair’s reaction.

So Will Vegetable Oil Help My Dry Scalp And Hair?

Vegetable oil can help moisturize a dry scalp and hair due to its emollient properties. It can act as a sealant, locking in moisture when applied to the scalp and hair strands. However, the effectiveness may vary based on hair type and the specific oil used. It’s recommended to use it sparingly to avoid a greasy residue and consider patch testing to ensure there’s no adverse reaction before applying it fully.

Will Vegetable Oil Help My Dry Scalp And Hair

To answer the question in short…yes! Vegetable oils do help in moisturizing dry hair and scalp. Fatty acids and triglycerides form the base of most vegetable oils and these are immensely beneficial in adding and retaining moisture in hair and scalp skin.

However, the reason why most cooking oils haven’t been traditionally used as hair oil is because they are highly processed. Sometimes this is necessary to make the oil more fit for human consumption.


how to grow your hair overnight with vegetable oil

But this process can remove several nutrients from the oils as well.

However, you can still use vegetable oil for hair and scalp as there are several benefits, especially if you choose a less processed, more organic brand. 

Benefits Of Vegetable Oil For Scalp And Hair

So how exactly does vegetable oil benefit your scalp and hair? Well even with processing a lot of nutrients survive in cooking oils and help you with the following.

It Helps Condition Hair, Reducing Frizz

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Vegetable oils are formed of vegetable fats that stay liquid at room temperature. These contain triglycerides, fatty acids and compounds like linoleic acid that help retain the moisture content in your strands and skin cells.

So using vegetable oil as a sort of leave-in conditioner or hair mask can improve dryness on the scalp and prevent hair from getting frizzy too. 

can i use sunflower cooking oil on my hair

Boost Scalp Health

A lot of vegetable oils (especially if they are unprocessed) are rich in tocopherols, which are essentially antioxidants that are formed from Vitamin E. 

These antioxidants can help reduce inflammation on the scalp by reducing oxidative stress and helping scalp cells heal better. 

According to research, tocopherols can also help shield skin cells from UVB radiation as well. So it can add a layer of protection during summer months.

A lot of people also use vegetable oil as an overnight lice treatment as they can help suffocate lice!

vegetable oil benefits for hair

Can Help With Hair Growth

Now this isn’t true for ALL vegetable oils but there are certain oils such as olive oil or grapeseed oil that do have compounds such as oleuropein that are shown to have effect on hair growth. 

Apart from directly affecting hair growth, vegetable oil application on hair can reduce tangles, breakage, dryness, and other factors that contribute to hair loss. So they can also help you get longer hair in a roundabout way.

How To Apply Vegetable Oil To Hair

If you’re wondering how exactly you start applying vegetable oil to your tresses, here are some tips.

Use it as a leave-in conditioner: Yes, the easiest way to use vegetable oil is to simply take a few drops and apply it to your dry hair and scalp. You should, however, keep in mind that the oil you use must suit your hair type and texture. 

I suggest going for sunflower oil if you have wavy, thick hair as it’s both moisturizing and sort of lightweight, grapeseed oil if you have thin, fine hair as it’s very lightweight and heavier oils like coconut oil for curly hair. 

how to apply vegetable oil to hair

Apply it with a hair mask: If you’re not a fan of the way cooking oil feels on your hair, why not use it in your weekly hair mask? Add other ingredients to the hair mask mixture to help your hair. 

I usually add egg whites for damage repair, beer for shine, and sometimes other carrier oils like olive, argan, almond oil, etc. If needed, you can even add a few drops of essential oils for fragrance and other benefits. 

As a deep conditioner: If you’re out of time or do not have a lot of these DIY ingredients at hand, simply apply a coat of your choice of vegetable oil for hair and leave it on for a while to help it deeply conditioner your hair. 

You can even wrap a hot towel around your head or use an electric hair cap to ensure the oil penetrates better. 

I recommend leaving vegetable oils on your hair for no longer than 5-6 hours. These oils tend to be very rich and viscous and might clog pores if left on for longer. They also tend to drip down and attract dust and grime which is not good for your hair or for your skin. 

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Also, make sure you’re using warm water to wash the oil off as it will not come off easily with cold water. 

Disadvantages Of Using Vegetable Oils For Hair

vegetable oil for dry scalp

While you CAN use vegetable oils to treat dry scalp and hair there is a reason why most people do not do it. 

Firstly, vegetable oils are very processed and this isn’t always a bad thing as the process is required to remove certain compounds that cannot be consumed by humans. 

However, this process, especially hydrogenation, removes a lot of nutrients from oil as well.

Some of the fat-soluble vitamins in the cooking oils will get absorbed by the body when you’re eating your food, but the topical application of these oils are unlikely to have any benefits. 

Furthermore, vegetable oils that are most popular for cooking are peanut oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, canola oil, etc. 

These oils are very rich and heavy, something which helps add texture to the food. But this can mean the oils are too heavy for hair, especially if you have fine, straight hair and can make it limp and greasy. 

Some of these oils are also comedogenic, which means they clog pores easily leading to issues like scalp acne, pimples around the forehead, blackheads, etc. 

How Long Should I Leave Vegetable Oil On My Hair?

The duration for leaving vegetable oil on your hair can vary depending on your hair’s condition and the treatment’s intensity. For a deep conditioning effect, you can apply the oil and leave it on for a couple of hours, or even overnight, ensuring that you cover your hair with a shower cap to avoid staining your linens.

If you’re using it as a quick pre-shampoo treatment to add some extra moisture, 15-30 minutes should suffice. Always apply the oil to slightly damp hair to enhance absorption and effectiveness.

After the treatment, thoroughly shampoo your hair to remove any excess oil, as leftover residue can weigh your hair down and make it appear greasy.

Remember, the frequency and duration of oil treatments should be tailored to your hair’s specific needs, and it’s often best to start with shorter treatments to see how your hair responds.

Why You Should Trust Haireveryday?

The author of this article, Leah Marie Priest has a degree in Cosmetology with years of experience in dealing with hair care, scalp care, and hairstyling. As someone who extensively deals with all kinds of hair textures, products, styling methods and more, hair Leah Marie knows what kind of products and procedures suit each hair type and person. We have also tested these hair products and processes ourselves to provide you an unbiased review about every product. Each of our articles are also reviewed by a team of medical professionals so that you get the most accurate and expert-reviewed information.

FAQs about Vegetable Oil For Hair

How to grow your hair overnight with vegetable oil?

There is no remedy to help you grow your hair overnight. There are certain vegetable oils like olive oil that are known to boost hair growth but it won’t happen overnight. 
You need to consistently use these oils as they help prevent breakage, dryness, etc. that stifle hair growth. 
Also, regular massage of vegetable oils on the scalp can increase blood circulation on the scalp which helps the hair follicle get more access to nutrients and oxygen that are essential for it to begin a new hair growth cycle.

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Does vegetable oil get rid of dandruff?

Using vegetable oils on the scalp can certainly reduce dryness-relating flaking and dandruff issues. Also, the tocopherols in vegetable oils can help control inflammation on the scalp, reducing itching and dandruff-like symptoms to a considerable extent. 
However, not all vegetable oils are equally effective on dandruff. Some, like coconut oil, have specific compounds that help control Malasezzia, a fungus that is responsible for dandruff.
So if you have a dandruff issue, it’s best to know which vegetable oil is most effective in this regard. 

Can you use cooking oil on dry hair?

Yes and no. There are some cooking oils like coconut oil or olive oil that are just as safe to apply topically on hair.
But a lot of other cooking oils like palm oil, mustard oil or canola oil, for example, are heavily processed (a necessary feature to make it more edible), removing a lot of the nutrients. 
These processed cooking oils are also very heavy and can also clog pores on your scalp. 
So to sum it up, you can use cooking oil on dry hair, provided you use the right type of cooking oil.

Summary On Using Vegetable Oil For Dry Scalp and Hair

Vegetable oils like coconut oil, grapeseed oil, etc. have always been used for hair as a moisturizer. However, when we talk about vegetable oils most people often think about cooking oils such as peanut oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, etc.

While these are also moisturizing to some extent, they are highly processed to make them better for human consumption. This hydrogenation process removes a lot of nutrients from the oil making them not as effective as other oils for hair health.

A lot of them have a thick, viscous texture that makes them great for searing, frying, etc. but render their usage on hair very difficult. This heavy texture can make them clog pores on the scalp and forehead and also make your hair look limp and greasy.

So the bottomline is that yes, vegetable oil or rather cooking oils can hydrate your dry scalp and hair. But they aren’t as effective or safe as olive oil, argan oil, etc. And if you do use cooking oils for hair, make sure they are non-hydrogenated and unprocessed. 

Also Read:

Best Oils For Low Porosity Hair

Grapeseed Oil For Hair

Sunflower Oil For Hair

Vitamin E Oil For Hair

Jamaican Black Castor Oil For Hair Growth

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