Do you remember when your grandmother or mother would sit you down to oil your hair? A lot of times, they would add various herbs to it as well. They had a good reason for it. Not only does a good massage feels amazing, but oiling your hair also has multiple benefits. Here are some:
1. Promotes Hair Growth
Oil with the right herbs is like food for the hair. When you massage your hair with oil, the vitamins and micronutrients get absorbed in the scalp. Herbs like ashwagandha and extracts of the banyan tree (ficus benghalensis) help increase hair growth and decrease hair loss. Ayurvedic hair oils with camphor also promote hair growth.
2. Adds Shine and Strength
The oil penetrates deep into the skin and revitalizes the hair follicles. Vatajata (banyan tree aerial root) which is a banyan tree extract has immense medicinal properties. It increases the tensile strength of the hair and reduces hair fall. Sesame oil which contains high levels of antioxidants adds shine to the hair.
3. Prevents Premature Greying
Premature greying of hair occurs because of vitamin deficiency in the body. To be more specific grey hair is the result of deficiency of Vitamin B12. Massaging hair with oils containing hibiscus extracts work wonders on controlling greying of hair.
4. Relaxes your Mind and Relieves Stress
A good head massage with an ayurvedic oil having the goodness of ashwagandha and pudina acts as a stress buster. Jatamansi also helps reduce stress and improve sleep. Massaging increases blood supply to the scalp thereby relaxing the nerves there. After a tiring and stressful day at work, a scalp massage can reduce stress and relax your mind. It also reduces headaches and relaxes you when you have a migraine attack.
5. Boosts Memory
When the oil is spread evenly around the scalp, it provides nutrients directly to the hair roots. It relaxes our brain and slows us down. Because of our erratic schedules, we often suffer from short term memory loss. A head massage helps rejuvenate the brain cells and reboots it.
6. Protects Scalp
Do you oil your hair before you shampoo? Following this regimen helps in reducing damage to your hair. Besides, applying a little bit of oil after you shampoo adds a protective layer over your hair preventing it from tangling as well as from damage and breakage.
You might want to move away from the traditional practices and go for fancy oils full of chemicals, but there is merit in remembering why grandma insisted on oiling your hair herself. So, if you want your hair shiny, smooth and strong, let’s go back to it.
