Figure out the cause of your hair loss
“Hair growth patterns are very complex and depend on genetics, environment, age, diet, and so on,” says board-certified dermatologist Karan Lal, MD. Mona Gohara, MD, has explained to Cosmo that stress (hi, Covid-19 related hair loss), dieting or lack of nutrition, hormonal fluctuation, post-pregnancy, and even over-processing hair are all lifestyle changes that can lead to temporary hair thinning and/or loss (aka telogen effluvium).
If you and—most importantly!—your doctor or dermatologist have assessed that it is not one of the above causes, you could be suffering from an inflammatory scalp condition (i.e., dandruff, dryness, psoriasis). This is incredibly important to determine before using hair oil because, as Dr. Lal explains, if you have dandruff, certain hair oils can make your condition worse as some oils feed the culprit yeast that causes dandruff. So, yeah, reason #109234 to be evaluated by a professional.
Manage your expectations
Okay, so if you and a dermatologist have determined what may be the culprit of your hair loss, and you want to dabble with a few hair oils, it’s important to understand what they can and cannot do.
“Most hair growth oils have vitamins, antioxidants, and various extracts,” says Dr. Lal. And reminder! Sure, all of this sounds great, but the best these formulations can do is add moisture to dry scalps, promote cuticle health, or moisturize the actual hair strands, which in turn may create a better environment for hair growth. Sorry, it may not be the answer you were hoping for, but don’t fret just yet—science continues to advance, and there are proven hair-growth treatments out there today (see: in-office treatments and minoxidil) that you and your doctor can look into.