Hot Oil Treatments Are The Natural DIY Way To Get Smoother Hair

Hot oil can help to moisturize and smooth the hair by coating the hair shaft and allowing it to appear smoother and shinier. Commonly, oils such as coconut, olive, avocado are used.

Technically an oil treatment does not penetrate the cuticle and just coats the hair. Heat helps to open the cuticle somewhat but not a lot. So a hot oil treatment might penetrate into the outer layer of the cuticle more than a regular oil treatment - but it wouldn’t go super deep into the cuticle of the hair.  Following the hot oil treatment with a cool rinse to close the cuticle again helps to seal the treatment into the hair. It is important to be careful with the temperature of the oil.  Do not overheat it and always test the temperature on an area of your skin such as your forearm so that you do not burn the scalp when applying.  After the treatment, finishing with a cold water rinse can help to close the cuticle of the hair, locking in the treatment.

Heating the oil does help to penetrate the cuticle but it is not the same as hair treatments that actually break through the cuticle to change the hair color or process the hair in another way such as a permanent.  It is also not the same as a keratin treatment which has a much longer lasting effect and truly smooths the hair.  It is important to note, if you have any allergy to the plant from which the oil is derived to avoid this type of treatment.

Read the full article with Elle!