Is applying coconut oil to the hair as good idea? Can coconut oil be harmful? Is coconut oil really just made of saturated fatty acids? Over the years, many myths have arisen about this particular cosmetic ingredient. It’s time to see where the scientific facts mix with subjective feelings.
By now, everyone has probably already heard about the wonderful properties of coconut oil. It is an ingredient that not only smells and tastes great, but also has an effective way to deal with the problem of dry skin or damaged hair. Every once in a while, the scientists are proving that the fame of coconut oil is not as well deserved as it might seem.
Here are the most popular myths regarding coconut oil:
1. Coconut oil kills viruses. MYTH. A good-quality coconut oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties, therefore, it works great at acne-prone skin care or healing dandruff. This is due to the lauric acid content found in this oil. Unfortunately, giving it credit for the antivirus properties is far from the truth.
2. Coconut oil is a good UV filter. MYTH. Of course, coconut oil, the same as many other natural oils, provides protection against solar radiation. However, this is a very delicate shield, because the coconut oil sunscreen does not exceed 4 SPF. It is not true that coconut oil will replace the UV filter – it can only be an additional support.
3. Coconut oil moisturises the hair. MYTH. Coconut oil used regularly is a good way to prevent water loss, however, classifying it as a humectant is not correct. It is a component that protects hair and hinders evaporation of water from inside, but does not provide moisture by itself.
4. Coconut oil is suitable for damaged hair. MYTH. The use of coconut oil to high porosity hair is a mistake that can result in increased dullness, roughness and frizziness. Due to the fact that coconut oil contains only small amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, it brings benefits only to low and medium porosity hair (normal, wavy or straight, thick).
5. Coconut oil is harmful. MYTH. You might encounter accusations that coconut oil causes irritation to the skin and overburdens the hair. It might result from an inappropriate application or too large amount of the oil used at once. In fact, coconut oil is one of the most gentle substances which brings relief, soothes irritations, and increases softness. If used appropriately, it will not cause any harm.
