Thinking about using eucalyptus oil on your dreadlocks? Here is how eucalyptus oil can benefit them.
Applying eucalyptus oil on your dreadlocks and scalp will help with treating and preventing dandruff and head lice, relieving an itchy scalp, add shine and gloss. Eucalyptus oil will also stimulate your hair follicles, improve hair health and promote the growth of your dreadlocks. Dilute eucalyptus oil with a carrier oil before using it.
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What is Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus oil is extracted through distillation from the leaves of the eucalyptus plant which is native to Australia.
Like all essential oils, you should dilute eucalyptus oil with a carrier oil such as coconut oil before applying it to your scalp and dreadlocks.
Benefits of Eucalyptus Oil for Dreads
Promotes Growth
Though studies purposely conducted to prove that eucalyptus oil can promote hair growth are limited. Combining anecdotal and the available scientific studies shows that eucalyptus oil can actually stimulate hair growth.
However, based on this study,
eucalyptus extract was found to increase the growth of hair from the hair cortex. Though studies lack to substantiate this claim, most people who have used eucalyptus oil claim that it improves blood circulation in the scalp.
Blood circulation in the scalp can help with the growth of the hair since it improves the delivery of nutrients to the hair follicles. A property that has also been found in peppermint oil, castor oil, and coconut oil, all of which have been proven to help promote hair growth.
Pulling your dreads can actually impact the growth of your hair negatively. Most hairdressers will pull you dreads during retouch sessions or when you are styling your locs.
The pulling will result in inflammation of your hair follicles that can lead to hair loss or stunted hair growth. If this happens, you should apply eucalyptus oil to your scalp targeting the hair roots. This is because based on this study, eucalyptus oil has been found to help treat inflammation and improve the elasticity of the hair.
Since retouching and styling your dreads involves pulling, applying eucalyptus oil before and after styling will help relieve pressure off your scalp.
Fight Dandruff
Dandruff is a nuisance for all naturalists, they can become a nuisance especially when they are combined with an itchy scalp.
Imagine scratching your scalp to ease the itchy and you end up with white stuff on your fingers.
Well, dandruff is caused by either dry and flaky scalp, bacteria, or fungi. Eucalyptus oil and most other oils that have anti-microbial properties such as coconut oil, tea tree oil can help treat dandruff.
A study conducted to evaluate eucalyptus oil anti-microbial properties revealed that eucalyptus oil has anti-fungal properties and when mixed with coconut oil it can treat dandruff caused by both fungi and dry scalp.
Given that coconut oil is a great scalp and hair moisturizer and also has anti-microbial properties, when combined with eucalyptus oil it will help you against fungi caused by fungi and dry scalp.
Eucalyptus Oil for Treating Head Lice
There is a myth that not washing your dreads will help with the dreadlock locking process. Well, the truth is clean hair locks easily as compared to dirty dreads.
Leaving your dreads dirty may even expose you to head lice which can be a nuisance. While there are several shampoos that can help with the treatment of head lice.
You can use formulate your own homemade head lice treatment using eucalyptus oil and lemon tea tree oil and save on the overall cost.
A study conducted in Australia to determine the efficacy of using eucalyptus oil with lemon tea tree oil, found the two oils to be a great treatment against head lice.
Prevents Piedra
Piedra is an infection caused by a fungi and results in nodules developing along the hair shaft.
Based on results from a study conducted in 2012, Eucalyptus oil was found to be effective at eliminating Trichosporon ovoides, the fungi that cause piedra.
Eucalyptus Oil for Dread Shine
If your dreads look dull, eucalyptus oil can help you add shine. A study shows that eucalyptus oil promotes the production of ceramide that protects hair against breakage by preventing loss of protein and adds shine.
Mixing eucalyptus oil that has also been proven to add shine and prevent hair protein loss will increase the shine and gloss of your dreadlocks.
How to Use Eucalyptus Oil for Dreadlocks
To use eucalyptus oil on your dreads, you will need the following ingredients.
- Two spoonfuls of eucalyptus oil
- Two Coconut oil/avocado oil
- Residual free shampoo
- Vitamin E oil
Here’s the procedure:
- You can either mix vitamin E oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil, or both of them with eucalyptus oil and apply it on your scalp directly before and after shampooing.
- Or you can just add the mixture into your shampoo and wash your dreads.
Benefits
This mixture of avocado oil, coconut oil, and eucalyptus oil will promote growth, keep your dreads and scalp moisturized, prevent your hair from losing proteins, add shine and prevent dandruff.
Vitamin E oil helps the mixture retain its properties without becoming rancid due to the exposure to the environment.
Always ensure you use vitamin E when mixing natural essential and carrier oils especially ones that have high levels of polyunsaturated fats. This because polyunsaturated fats go rancid [oxidation] very first when exposed to the environment.
Adding oils such as peppermint oil and castor oil will improve growth by stimulating blood circulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave eucalyptus oil in my hair?
Yes, you can mix eucalyptus oil with a carrier oil such as coconut oil. Just apply the mixture to your hair and leave it overnight.
Is eucalyptus oil bad for hair?
Eucalyptus oil is good for hair when diluted with a good carrier oil. It will help you deal with head lice, dandruff, and hair follicle inflammation from styling.
Conclusion
Eucalyptus oil is a great oil to add to your list of oils that you use in your dread care. Eucalyptus oil will help you deal with dandruff, head lice, inflammation as a result of retouch and styling your locs, and when combined with other oils such as peppermint oil. It will help with the growth of your dreadlocks.
