Some hair care advice has been around so long that we may not even know why we’re doing it. With all the advice about not overheating your hair with curling irons, flat irons and relaxers, why is a hot oil treatment any different? Here’s why hot oil treatment for scalp improvement differs from other products that dry out your hair.

What Is a Hot Oil Treatment Made Of?

The choice is yours for the oil to use while preparing for a hot oil treatment. Options include olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, argan oil, batana oil, carrot oil, rosemary oil or sesame oil. However, every oil does not work for every hair type nor every skin type. While some love the smell and enjoy the feel of any of the oils above, there’s also the risk of an allergic reaction. Be careful with seed oils or any plant-based oil that’s unfamiliar to you.

Consider a patch test on your skin first to make sure this is OK to put on your scalp beforehand. Additionally, if you’re not creating your own hot oil treatment, store-bought options often include emu oil, essential oils, honey, panthenol, soy protein and/or wheat protein. Look for hot oil treatments that advertise essential fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants, all of which nourish the hair.

How Do You Give Yourself a Hot Oil Treatment?

This is not a treatment that must be done in a beauty salon. If you decide to do it yourself at home, pour two to three tablespoons of oil into a glass bowl. (Avoid plastic bowls, which have pollutants in them that you don’t want to mix in with the oil.) Then, place the glass bowl into a larger bowl of hot water. Let the oil warm, but do not let it get hot enough to burn your scalp. Microwaving is another option, but you must be careful with avoiding a mess from heating it too long and, again, avoid single-use plastics or “microwave-safe” plastic containers (which release billions of nanoplastics).

Once it’s warm, section your hair and apply the oil to your scalp with your fingers or a comb. Start from the roots and work your way to the ends of your hair strands. Then, gently massage the entire scalp for a few more minutes to stimulate blood circulation. When your scalp and hair is fully saturated with oil, cover your hair with a shower cap, plastic wrap or warm towel to trap the heat in. Relax, and let the oil work its magic for up to an hour. After up to 60 minutes, rinse your hair thoroughly with warm water. Then, wash and condition your hair as you usually would. The oil should be completely washed out to avoid stringiness or a “dirty” appearance.

How Often Should You Get a Hot Oil Treatment?

Because you’ll be washing this oil out of your hair and then washing and shampooing your hair, the hot oil treatment should never be done more than your routine wash-and-shampoo routine is. Otherwise, you could end up drying your hair out from over-washing. The minimum wait time between hot oil treatments is seven days though.

How Does Hot Oil Treatment Benefit Hair?

If the oil is OK for your skin type, ideally, a hot oil treatment will strengthen, soften, shine and moisturize hair. The warm oil seals and moisturizes the hair cuticle, which can repair and prevent split ends. The treatment should also result in a shiny, smooth appearance.

Woman looks up at camera with curly strands blocking her eyes
Honey Yanibel Minaya Cruz

For people with curly, coarse or textured hair, this can significantly help to restore dry, damaged or brittle strands. And depending on who’s doing it, massaging hot oil not only improves blood circulation, but it feels amazing. Instant stress reliever for that “me time” moment.

For women with curly hair types, a hot oil treatment can also reduce frizzies. This comes in handy for vacation pics without the flyaways and static. However, for women who like to have a full head of thick hair, go easy on hot oil treatments that can make natural hair look limp. Women with fine hair may also notice stringiness when using heavy oils.

How Does Hot Oil Treatment Benefit the Environment?

For women who use a lot of heat-styling irons, hot oil treatments can also be eco-friendly. By skipping chemically heavy products with plant-based products, you’re avoiding washing and flushing them into the sewer system. It may not seem that one little container is doing much, but consider how much hair is being washed, rinsed, shampooed, dyed and conditioned in a week. Now multiply it by the number of people in the world. The hair products you choose make a difference every day.

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