Of all the natural hair growth remedies, aloe vera and coconut oil are two of the best. You’ll notice that a lot of commercial products contain these ingredients because they’re scientifically proven to strengthen the hair and help it to grow at a quicker rate.
But rather than splashing out on an expensive hair care product, you can quite easily use these natural ingredients alone – they’ll offer equal benefits at a fraction of the price.
Aloe Vera Hair Growth Benefits
Aloe vera is a short-stemmed plant originating from South Africa. It’s favoured for its medicinal uses, and is effective in treating burns, improving digestive health, clearing acne, and, of course, promoting hair growth.
It’s thought that aloe vera gel can strengthen and repair hair strands, thanks to its vitamins A, C, and E content. These vitamins promote healthy cell growth in hair, encouraging shine, and preventing breakage.
Aloe vera gel also
contains vitamin b12 and folic acid, which prevents hair from falling out. Additionally, it can increase blood flow to the head, which can nourish hair follicles and provide them with the essential nutrients and oxygen for growth.
Coconut Oil Hair Growth Benefits
Using Coconut Oil and Aloe Vera on Hair
If you want to use coconut oil or aloe vera on hair, it’s important to choose your ingredient wisely. With coconut oil, always aim for extra virgin coconut oil, as refined or processed coconut oil is often bleached or chemically processed to increase shelf life. Extra virgin coconut oil is the purest option of them all.
With aloe vera, the best form is the most natural – the raw gel of the plant. You can buy this gel in almost any pharmacy, or if you have your own plant, you can extract it from the leaves by scooping it out.
To purchase aloe vera gel click here and for extra virgin coconut oil click here
You can use coconut oil and aloe vera separately, for noticeable hair growth results, or combined, for the ultimate hair treatment.
To use aloe vera for hair growth, here’s what to do:
Cut a leaf from a live aloe plant and carefully scoop out the gel, placing it into a bowl. Alternatively, take the raw gel you bought from the pharmacy. Rub the gel mixture directly onto your scalp, and let it sit for at least an hour.
Then rinse the gel from your hair and follow with a mild shampoo and condition. It’s recommended that you repeat this process two to three times a week to help you get the most out of the ingredient.
If you’re using coconut oil for hair growth, follow this guide:
Scoop a small amount of coconut oil into a bowl, then melt the oil to get it to a liquid consistency. Wait for the liquid to cool before gently massaging the oil onto your scalp.
Wrap a towel around your head and leave the coconut oil in your hair for as long as possible. Leaving it overnight will give you the best results.
To use a combined coconut oil and aloe vera treatment, here’s the method to follow:
In a bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of aloe vera gel and 5 tablespoons of coconut oil until you get a smooth mixture. Massage this mixture into your scalp and work it through your hair until you’ve covered your whole head.
Leave it on for at least half an hour and then wash off. Repeat once a week for long-term hair growth benefits.
Side Effects of Coconut Oil and Aloe Vera
As a natural ingredient, coconut oil is generally considered safe to apply to your skin and hair. However, as you’d expect, using too much could cause a build-up of oil on your hair and scalp. This could make your hair greasy and dull, especially if your hair is very fine.
Aloe vera leaves contain latex, which comes from underneath the plant's skin. If you’re allergic to latex, you may experience reactions on the skin of your scalp, redness in your eyes, skin rashes, irritation, and burning sensation.
Conclusion
Aloe vera and coconut oil are two of the best natural products you can apply to your hair. Purchased alone, they’re a lot cheaper and purer than buying commercial products that contain them as ingredients, so you’ll get more pronounced benefits for a smaller price tag.
You can buy coconut oil from your local supermarket or health store, and aloe vera gel can be found at your local pharmacy – although you might want to buy your own aloe plant to get free access to the gel whenever you need it.