How Often Should You Oil Your Scalp for Healthy, Hydrated Hair?

Scalp and hair oils are nothing new, with the tradition of hair oiling spanning back centuries in South Asian and African cultures. However, thanks to social media, there has been a recent spike in hair oil interest. But the product's added attention begs the question: How often should you apply oil to your hair to keep things hydrated? Too much of a good thing, and you run the risk of looking, well, oily. Too little oil could mean your scalp and hair are too dry.

To determine exactly how often you should apply oil to your scalp and what types of ingredients you should look for, we turned to the experts. Bridgette Hill and Mona Gohara shared their tips for properly oiling the scalp. Plus, they dished on the best practices for incorporating oil into your current haircare routine.

Below, learn everything there is to know about using oil on your scalp, including benefits and best oil types.

What Is Scalp Oiling?

Scalp oiling is a practice that involves applying—and massaging—oil directly into the scalp, which is said to soothe the scalp, moisturize hair, and promote hair growth. However, it's important to note that there is no science to support that scalp oiling can directly impact hair growth—instead, think of it as a method for laying a healthy foundation for hair to grow.  "Just like good-quality soil is essential to growing healthy plants and flowers, a healthy scalp is the foundation for healthy hair growth," says Bauman. After oiling, you shampoo your hair as normal to eliminate any unwanted residue.

Scalp oiling can also be customized to your specific hair needs—it all depends on the type of oil you use. For example, you can use a scalp-soothing oil if you're dealing with dryness or irritation, exfoliating serums and oils if buildup is a concern, and even purported growth-boosting oils like castor oil.

The Benefits

Scalp oiling as a pre-shampoo treatment has a number of benefits, most of which are contingent upon the exact type of oil you select. In general, scalp oiling can restore moisture, protect the hair follicles during washing, soothe scalp stimulation, and even promote hair growth.

Types of Oils to Use

• Antibacterial: eucalyptus oil, rosemary oil, peppermint oil
• For Hair Growth: castor oil, rosemary oil
• For Moisturization: coconut oil, argan oil

How to Oil Your Scalp

1. Choose an Oil Based on Your Needs: Choose an oil that suits your particular hair needs. Dry, curly, and coily hair types will want to opt for a moisturizing oil like coconut or argan. Those who wear tight or protective hairstyles or frequently sweat on the scalp may want to use an oil with antibacterial properties. Those interested in hair growth should opt for rosemary or castor oil, taking time to massage carefully.
2. Apply Oil: Add a few drops (per area) to the scalp, hairline, hair part, and the nape of the neck.
3. Massage From Nape to Crown for 3-5 Minutes: "Start your massage at the nape of the neck, using both hands, work your fingers up the head to the crown," says Hill. "Then work from the base of the ear to the top of the head on both sides. There's a lot of area to cover, so take your time. Spend three to five minutes massaging the appropriate oil into the scalp to soften skin cells, exfoliate, and remove debris to encourage blood flow." The act of massaging is even said to improve circulation, which can intern aid hair growth. "Research supports the idea that a scalp massage has beneficial effects on stress hormones, blood pressure, and heart rate, which can affect hair growth," says Bauman.
4. Let Oil Sit for 30 Minutes: For most individuals, you'll get the benefits of the oil if you let it sit for about 30 minutes to an hour. However, for extremely dry hair and scalp types, you can sleep in the oil treatment overnight (using a silk cap or bonnet to keep the oil on your hair and scalp and not your pillowcase).
5. Shampoo as Normal: Once you've finished massaging the oil into your scalp and hairline, shampoo your hair as normal. If your roots still feel oily after a single shampoo, wash your hair a second time (a.k.a. a double shampoo).
   

How Often to Oil Your Scalp

In general, it's recommended to oil your scalp once per week. However, how often you use oil depends on your hair, lifestyle, and most importantly, your scalp. In general, "It depends on your own biology. There is no rule here," says Gohara. "Some may need to hydrate once a week while others may need to every day. For some of my patients with psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis, I recommend a medicated scalp oil at night, each night, or a few times in a few weeks, depending on hair washing preferences." 

Potential Side Effects

If your skin is sensitive, you could have a reaction to an ingredient in a scalp or hair oil, so monitor your scalp for breakouts or redness. But you don't worry about things like buildup. Regardless of how often you oil your scalp, "When properly used, oils should never promote buildup on the scalp," comments Hill. So, buildup on the scalp shouldn't worry you too much as long are you're using oils as a pre-poo cleansing, anti-inflammatory option, as our expert mentioned above. If you're still concerned about the potential of buildup or a flakey scalp, try a water-based scalp remedy (more on that below).

Hair and Scalp Type Considerations

Skip scalp oiling if you have dandruff

"I do not suggest oils for managing dandruff," Hill notes. "A big misconception is that applying oil directly to the scalp relieves dandruff. As previously stated, pre-shampoo scalp oiling may be okay to use when treating dandruff. [However,] it depends on the severity of the problem. Our scalps are a delicate microbiome made up of healthy yeast, called Malassezia, and other necessary bacteria."

"Certain oils can feed and disrupt the balance of bacteria, which promotes the development of unhealthy bacteria." As a result of the disruption, Hill says, "The accumulation of rapidly shedding skin cells, dandruff, along with a buildup of excess oil and sebum, can create a larger dandruff and scalp problem." For those who deal with dandruff, Hill suggests sticking with water-based tonics. We like Design Essentials Peppermint & Aloe Soothing Scalp Tonic. And for additional scalp maintenance, use a scalp scrub, such as Ouai Scalp & Body Scrub, to remove flaking skin and product buildup. 

Use antibacterial oils on protective styles

For protective styles, Hill recommends a proper scalp treatment sealed with a detoxifying scalp oil applied directly to the scalp. "Invest in color applicator bottles that have a nozzle with the proper width and length small enough to pierce through the lace of a wig and netting of the wig cap." She says these tools are essential to be able to care for the scalp and hair properly. "Apply oils that have cleansing, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal/bacteria properties. As well as scalp serums or tonics that nourish and cleanse the scalp under the wig."

The Final Takeaway