Coconut Oil For The Skin And Hair.

 I'm sure you've either used coconut oil on your hair or had a friend recommend it.  My sister always drenched her hair in coconut oil before washing it so it stay more hydrated.  I use it between washes but I have to be careful otherwise, my hair gets too oily and it looks horrible.  

Coconut oil is actually quite good for both your skin and your hair.  It is 100 percent fat of which 80 to 90 percent is saturated fat. The saturated fat is what keeps the coconut oil solid above 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Furthermore, 47 percent of the fatty acids in coconut oil is lauric acid which is a medium chain fatty acid.  Lauric acid when eaten increases your bad cholesterol but when used on your skin provides antimicrobial facets which kills bacteria. 

As far as your hair, coconut oil protects both your scalp and hair.  It helps protect your scalp from bacteria and irritants which can damage it. The lauric acid nourishes the stands of hair as the coconut oil seeps into the strands. Coconut oil is absorbed quickly into the hair and can help keep the frizzy under control while cutting down on breakage. 

Furthermore, it is said that coconut oil protects your hair from loosing protein so it stays healthier. It works for all types of hair from normal to bleached, to chemically treated, to UV damaged. Since lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid, it helps the coconut oil a long, straight structure so it is better absorbed into the hair strands. 

If coconut oil is applied to your hair before you wash it, it will protect the hair from damage caused during the washing and combing processes. When hair is wet, it absorbs water into the thick central core of the hair itself, thus causing the strand to undergo a structural change. The cuticle or scales that cover the thick center, normally lay flat and over lap but when the central core absorbs water, these scales suddenly point outwards.  The scales pointing outward is what causes the hair to become weaker when wet and more prone to damage.  The oil keeps the hair from absorbing so much water.

When you apply coconut oil after you wash your hair, you are hydrating it, making it softer and less likely to be damaged when you fix your hair. It is possible that using coconut oil can help you grow your hair longer because it moistures your hair, cuts down on breakage, protects your hair from protein loss, and damage when wet, and protects your hair from environmental damage such as smoke, UV, and wind. In addition, it is suggested you apply coconut oil to your hair before you swim to protect it from either salt or chlorine to prevent additional damage.

When you buy coconut oil to use in your hair look for the extra virgin coconut oil because it has had nothing added to it to preserve it or bleached.  Check it out if you want a more natural alternative.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.