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What is a hot oil massage?

Hot oil massages relax your scalp and help increase the health of your hair. Incorporating hot oil massages into your regular hair care regiment has numerous benefits.

According to Style Craze, hot oil massages cause hair growth because massaging your scalp with hot oil increases the circulation of blood, leading to a better distribution of nutrients to your hair follicles. The routine also prevents dandruff because oiling your scalp and hair stimulates the follicles and helps them produce more natural oil – oil made by your body. This natural oil fights off the flaky dead skin cells (dandruff).

Hot oil massages also protect your hair from sun damage. The oil forms a shield over the strands of your hair, protecting it from the UV rays which damage hair and lead to over-drying.

a hot oil massage in easy steps

You can choose to use a variety of oils: coconut, almond, castor or olive oil. However, coconut oil is often recommended because it has protein preserving properties.

Ensure that your hair is washed clean on the day you plan on doing a hot oil massage. There should be no products (hairspray, gel, cream) in your hair before the hot oil massage.

directions

Boil 250ml of water in a pot.

Turn 2 teaspoons (30ml) of coconut oil into a small mug and place the mug in the pot of boiling water. You can choose to add 1 teaspoon (15ml) of olive oil if you have dry scalp or dandruff. You can also add 1 teaspoon of jojoba oil for fungal scalp problems.

Let the oil sit until it is thoroughly warm (not hot).

Your hair should be wet (it should be damp, not soaked, and remember it must be clean, otherwise the oil won’t work its way into your scalp).

Dip your fingers into the warm oil and massage it into your scalp using your fingertips. Work your way through from the scalp and roots of your hair to the tips. Massage all (30ml) the hot oil into your hair. Take your time with this process.

Cover your hair with a clean shower cap (a nylon bag will also work). If you have a steamer, you can sit under it for 15 to 20 minutes. If you don’t have a steamer, you can just allow your hair to sit under the shower cap/nylon bag for 30 minutes.

Wash and rinse out the oil.

Do this once or twice a month.

These instructions were culled from Wikihow.