Essential plant oils have been used for thousands of years for many purposes. Today, one main use of these oils is to stimulate hair follicles, promote hair growth and solve common hair and scalp conditions.
History
Aromatherapy or the use of essential oils for mental and physical wellness, can be traced back to ancient Egypt. Ancient Egyptians used essential oils for a myriad of purposes including spiritual rituals, perfumes, medicinal healing and embalming. At this time, the process of distilling these oils from their plants of origin was fairly crude. The Egyptians are thought to have only had a distillation process for the cedarwood plant. Over time the distillation processes became more sophisticated, eventually leading to the processes used today.
Types
There are four main categories of essential oils based on the functions each performs. Nutritive oils contain essential lipids and vitamins, and are used to nourish the hair follicles for healthier hair. Examples of nutritive oils include carrot root and sea buckthorn. Immune supporting oils are used for healing and infection-fighting, these are often used to treat conditions such as alopecia areata. Examples of immune supporting oils include myrtle, tea tree and cedar. Stimulating oils like rosemary and sage are used to stimulate new cell growth or to increase the oxygen and nutrients delivered to, and used by cells. When used on the scalp these oils are thought to stimulate hair growth. The last group of oils, balancing oils, includes green myrtle and lavender. These oils are used to return a state of "balance" to the scalp by moderating the scalp's natural oil production or soothing an inflamed scalp.
Indications
These oils can be used on the scalp and hair in a number of different ways. They can be massaged directly into the scalp individually or in a mixture of oils from different categories. Essential oils can be added to natural or homemade shampoos or hair tonics. Another indication involves the use of essential oils along with "carrier" oils, oils which help the scalp the absorb the essential oils. Examples of carrier oils include jojoba oil, primrose oil and rosehip.
Time Frame
When using essential oils for promoting faster hair growth, patience is important. These oils do not work immediately. In fact, it may take several weeks or months of daily use before any noticeable results appear.
Considerations
It is important to remember that most of these oils are not regulated by the FDA so it is wise to purchase them from a reputable source. Some of these oils may cause allergic reactions, so you will want to test each oil before applying it all over your scalp. Just rub a little bit of the oil on a sensitive part of your skin, such as the inside of your wrist. Wait a day or so and if no reaction occurs, use the oil on your scalp.
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