“Be careful not to use it in excess,” cautions Fitzsimons. “Coconut oil will sit on top of your strands, which will not allow essential nutrients to penetrate the shaft and cause your hair to feel dry and brittle—the opposite effect of what you're looking for.”
Your lips might be dry after using coconut oil if you're allergic to it, or if it's not sealing in moisture effectively. Coconut oil can sometimes act as an occlusive without providing enough hydration. It's also possible that environmental factors like dry air are contributing to the dryness.
Coconut oil is not good for low-porosity hair because it will prevent water from moving out of the hair, so it doesn't allow water to move in and out of the hair. It will become dull and dry. Just the opposite, high-porosity hair is more open to moisture flowing in and out, thus having room for both.
Using oil alone may not be enough to hydrate and moisturize your hair, especially if your hair is naturally dry or damaged. While oil can help to seal in moisture and protect your hair from environmental factors, it may not be enough to provide the hydration that your hair needs.
It also has the potential to clog pores and create a build-up on both the hair and scalp. “Using too much coconut oil on your hair may weigh it down, so start off with a small amount and adjust as necessary,” advises Anabel.
It doesn't penetrate the hair.
Coconut oil sits on top of the hair and doesn't penetrate the hair at all, no matter how long you leave it on. This is because the molecules are simply too big.
“For less porous types, coconut oil can prevent moisture and make hair feel a bit more like straw.” If you have very fine hair, opt for an oil that stays liquid at room temperature, like argan or jojoba.
To keep coconut oil from solidifying, maintain it above its melting point of 75-77°F (24-25°C) using methods like coconut blankets for consistent heating, mixing with low-saturated fat oils, or storing in a warm environment.
They state that oils and butter can be moisturizing as long as they are not applied to dry hair. This means that you should dampen your hair with water or any other moisturizer before applying your oil. Also, some naturals may find that penetrating oils like coconut oil dry their hair, among other problems.
Increased risk of heart disease and stroke
Coconut oil is full of saturated fat, which can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol and your chances of cardiovascular disease and stroke. The American Heart Association recommends you to eat low-saturated fat foods and use healthier oils when you cook.
Coconut oil falls on one side of this spectrum - the primary fatty acid in Coconut oil is Lauric Acid. The chemistry of lauric acid makes it one of the driest, most astringent fatty acids we know of.
While leaving oil on your hair may seem beneficial, prolonged exposure can have adverse effects. If hair growth oil is left on for extended periods, it can attract dirt, clog pores, and lead to dandruff and itching. Over-saturation may also weaken hair strands, making them prone to breakage.
“Be careful not to use it in excess,” cautions Fitzsimons. “Coconut oil will sit on top of your strands, which will not allow essential nutrients to penetrate the shaft and cause your hair to feel dry and brittle—the opposite effect of what you're looking for.”
If you've applied it while hair is wet or after just drying it, you're on the right track to smooth hair. If though, you've let hair dry and left it for several hours then applying oil you risk creating frizz. This is because as time passes the hair cuticle opens up.
It's possible that you gave your hair more oil than it can handle. We're curious to know how much coconut oil you applied to your hair, and how long it was left on for. If you applied a whole lot of oil to your hair and left it on for hours and hours, your hair might have absorbed too much oil, leaving it glutted.
Low porosity hair: If you have low porosity hair, meaning your hair cuticles have a hard time absorbing moisture, coconut oil may not be the best choice.
Myth: Coconut oil is a heart-healthy cooking alternative.
The reality: Coconut oil has been shown to raise cholesterol levels — the good and the bad kinds — more than other plant-based oils like olive or canola. And in truth, medium-chain triglycerides make up only a small amount of the fatty acids in coconut oil.
Coconut oil can weigh hair down: It can make fine hair appear limp, flat, and greasy. Overuse can make coarse hair stiff: It's essential to avoid buildup and rotate use with other oils. Clogged pores: Do a skin test before use to see how your skin will react.
Lack of moisture could be from any number of reasons, including the environment, the hair products you're using (and might be overusing), and hair texture. For one, dry climates contribute to dry hair because the molecules in the air are thirsty for water molecules, and thus pull them out of the hair.
“Look for products with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or aloe vera, which hydrate without leaving a greasy residue,” says Garshick. “Use a lightweight conditioner and avoid heavy oils or creams.
Aging causes hair to thin, lose pigment, and become drier due to changes in hormones and reduced oil production in the scalp. While you can't stop natural thinning, regular scalp care, a healthy diet, and using thickening products can help slow the process and improve volume.