Ayurvedic Hair Oil

Choosing an oil, and how long to give it

The classical sequence is oil first and wash second, and the oil is the part that matters. It goes on the scalp, not the lengths, and it is worked in with the fingers rather than poured. Somewhere between twenty minutes and overnight, then out with a herbal shampoo. Twice a week is a normal rhythm and more is not better.

The honest part is the timescale. Hair grows at roughly a centimetre a month, so nothing you do to a scalp shows up quickly — two to three months of consistent use before there is anything to judge, and people who stop at three weeks have not run the experiment. The choice between the oils here matters far less than whether you keep using one. Pick the base you will tolerate: sesame is warming and heavy, coconut kera thailams are lighter and wash out more easily.

Three things that decide whether this works

1. Scalp, not lengths — The follicle is the target. Oil on the ends conditions the hair and does nothing else.
2. Two to three months — The minimum honest trial. Judge it at twelve weeks, not at three.
3. The base you will tolerate — Sesame is classical and heavy; coconut is lighter. The one you keep using is the one that works.

See also Hair & Scalp and Herbal Oils & Balms.

Always read the label and directions on the pack you receive, and speak with your physician before starting anything new — particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, managing a health condition or taking prescription medicine.