#Hairoiling has been making the rounds on TikTok with over 785 million views – and counting. So, what’s the deal?

Unless you’ve been on some serious digital detox, you would have seen that rosemary oil is having a major moment. It’s believed that the oil of this savory seasoning we all love on our potatoes has major hair health benefits. Hair oiling promises miracle results, but is it too good to be true?

Here’s what you need to know:

Hair oiling is much more than a fleeting TikTok trend, in fact, it’s a beauty tradition that’s been around for over 5000 years.

Like many wellness and beauty rituals popularized by Western influencers over the past decade, hair oiling has its roots in Eastern practices. This Ayurvedic treatment involves massaging the scalp and hair with oil to stimulate hair growth and encourage strength and luster. And, if you ask the many influencers promoting hair oiling on TikTok, they’d likely tell you that this is a certain path to Rapunzel-like hair. However, it’s important to distinguish that from scientific research.

Here’s the thing, natural remedies for hair loss, like hair oiling, have not been researched to the same extent as traditional hair loss medications, such as Minoxidil. But that’s not to say that these practices don’t work.

The few studies that have been done on hair oiling are mostly positive. In fact, a 2022 study on rosemary oil found that oiling was as effective as Minoxidil after six weeks. Truth is, we’ve seen numerous solutions popularized for hair loss but perhaps, none as notorious as rosemary oil. It is said to improve circulation, promote nerve growth, and have anti-inflammatory properties.

Rosemary oil treatments are generally safe and can be a great addition to your hair care routine once or twice a week, and when combined with a nutritious diet, adequate hydration, and exercise, you will see hair growth. Also, with regular hair oiling you’re able to reduce split ends, breakage, and damage.

However, even if some oils can be beneficial to hair growth, they won’t necessarily help with every form of hair loss. For example, hair loss caused by a nutritional deficiency can successfully be treated with supplements instead of topical agents that might have a limited effect. Your first step should be to check with a doctor, who can help you figure out the cause of your hair loss, and suggest a treatment plan.

Is hair oiling for everyone? Certain hair types can benefit from oiling more than others. People with dry, coarse, tightly curled hair are great candidates, while others with fine, straight hair may find oiling weighs their hair down too much.

Generally hair oiling is safe, however if you have scalp issues, especially if you have itchy or flaky scalp, it could make matters worse. Hair oiling can cause an increase in naturally occurring yeasts that could exacerbate conditions like seborrheic dermatitis.

There are limited studies to prove the effectiveness of hair oiling. Are you ready to jump on TikTok’s latest beauty obsession?

Source: refinary29.com, shape.com, hypebae.com, cosmopolitan.com, dailymail.co.uk, breakingnews.ie, elle.com, yourcoffeebreak.co.za, smh.com.au, prevention.com, sweetyhigh.com, health.clevelandclinic.org