Soumm Papers 19 min read 6 September 2026

Introduction: More Than an Oil

There is a particular memory many Indian families know.

A bottle of oil sitting quietly on a shelf.

A grandmother warming a little between her palms.

A child sitting between her knees.

Hair being parted gently.

Oil being worked through the scalp and lengths.

A braid made at the end.

Just oil, hands, hair—and time.

For many Indians, hair oiling is not simply something applied to hair.

That emotional dimension matters because hair oiling has survived not simply because people believe oil changes the appearance of hair, but because the ritual itself became embedded in relationships, grooming and everyday life.

Yet modern consumers are asking different questions.

Does oil actually nourish the hair?

Does it penetrate the scalp?

Can scalp massage improve hair growth?

Does oiling prevent hair fall?

Is overnight oiling better?

Does Ayurveda explain benefits that modern science has overlooked?

And perhaps most importantly:

What part of traditional hair oiling still makes sense today?

Answering these questions requires resisting two tempting narratives.

The first is romanticism: if a practice is ancient, every claim associated with it must be true.

The second is reductionism: if a traditional practice has not been demonstrated in large randomised trials, the entire practice must be meaningless.

Both approaches are inadequate.

Traditional practices can contain useful observations without every traditional explanation being scientifically established. Modern science can explain some mechanisms while leaving cultural and experiential dimensions outside its scope.

Hair oiling sits precisely at that intersection.

The Historical Roots of Oil-Based Care in India

Oil has occupied an important place in Indian traditional healthcare and grooming for centuries.

Ayurveda developed as a comprehensive traditional system of healthcare in India, with major classical compendia including the Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita and Ashtanga Hridaya.

Massage with oil was not limited to the hair.

Ayurvedic massage traditions also distinguish different forms of oil application and massage. Classical and later Ayurvedic literature includes whole-body oil massage as well as head-specific practices.

This distinction is important.

Traditional Indian oiling was not necessarily conceived as a cosmetic hair treatment in the modern commercial sense.

It could form part of a broader routine of bodily care.

From Abhyanga to Shiro Abhyanga

One important term is Abhyanga, broadly referring to oil massage or oleation. Indian Ayurvedic institutions describe Abhyanga as an external application of an unctuous substance, used within Ayurvedic therapeutic and wellbeing practices. (Charak Samhita Online)

The head-specific form is commonly described as Shiro Abhyanga.

Ayurvedic sources also describe different forms of head oil application, including massage and other procedures involving oil. (Charak Samhita Online)

This gives us an important historical insight:

Oil application and massage were not always separate activities.

The oil provided the medium.

Massage provided the physical ritual.

The head was treated as a meaningful anatomical and therapeutic region within the traditional framework.

This is different from the modern commercial idea of simply applying a cosmetic oil to the hair lengths.

Hair Oiling Was Never One Single Indian Ritual

It is tempting to speak of “the Indian hair-oiling ritual” as though every Indian household followed the same practice.

India’s cultural diversity makes that unlikely.

Hair-oiling traditions vary according to:

• region
• climate
• community
• family practice
• availability of oils
• hair texture
• occupation
• age
• season
• cultural tradition
• Ayurvedic or other traditional medical influence

Some practices were primarily cosmetic.

Some were associated with massage and wellbeing.

Some were embedded in Ayurvedic traditions.

And some were simply inherited because that was how a family cared for its hair.

Coconut oil has particular historical and cultural prominence in southern and coastal India, while sesame, mustard, almond and other oils have also been used across different contexts. A dermatological review of Indian hair oils documents a wide range of commonly used oils including coconut, almond, castor, sesame, mustard, amla and others. (Mysore & Arghya, 2022)

Therefore, “traditional hair oiling” should be understood as a family of related practices, not a single standardised recipe.

The Family Ritual

Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Indian hair oiling is that it frequently became interpersonal.

Someone else applied the oil.

A mother might oil her daughter’s hair.

A grandmother might massage a child’s scalp.

Siblings might help one another.

In many Indian households, hair oiling was not treated as a cosmetic treatment performed only when hair looked dry.

It was part of a rhythm.

A particular day.

A familiar sequence.

Oil.

Massage.

Combing.

Bathing.

Braiding.

Rest.

The practice could also carry family meaning. Knowledge about which oil to use, when to apply it and how to massage the scalp was often passed from one generation to another.

Modern research confirms that hair oiling remains culturally significant in India. A 2026 survey of 1,200 participants from southern India found that family tradition was the most commonly reported influence on hair-oiling practices. (Vendhan et al., 2026)

This transformed hair care from an individual cosmetic task into a form of everyday care.

That distinction has modern relevance.

Today’s wellness industry increasingly recognises that rituals can provide structure and intentionality even when their original cultural explanations differ from contemporary scientific explanations.

The act of slowing down, receiving touch and dedicating time to oneself is different from merely applying a cosmetic product.

What Changed With Modernity?

Traditional hair care has evolved alongside urbanisation, industrialisation and changing lifestyles.

Commercially manufactured hair oils transformed a household preparation into a packaged consumer product.

The oil bottle became portable.

Application became faster.

Advertising began associating hair oils with particular outcomes such as:

• stronger hair
• longer hair
• reduced hair fall
• darker hair
• thicker hair
• shine
• scalp health

Some of these claims may have plausible cosmetic foundations.

Others require substantially stronger evidence.

A 2022 review in the International Journal of Trichology specifically noted that scientific evidence concerning many commonly claimed effects of hair oils remains limited and that exaggerated claims are made without adequate peer-reviewed substantiation. (Mysore & Arghya, 2022)

This is one of the most important findings for today’s consumer.

The popularity of an ingredient is not evidence of every benefit attributed to it.

What Does Oil Actually Do to Hair?

To understand modern relevance, it helps to distinguish between the hair fibre and the hair follicle.

The hair shaft is the visible fibre extending beyond the scalp.

The follicle is the living structure within the skin that produces the hair.

The visible hair shaft is largely composed of keratinised cells.

Once the shaft has emerged from the scalp, it is not living tissue in the same sense as the follicle beneath the skin.

This distinction changes how we interpret “nourishment.”

An oil applied to the hair shaft does not nourish it in the same way that nutrients delivered through the bloodstream support living tissue.

Instead, an oil may:

• lubricate the hair
• reduce friction
• improve manageability
• coat the fibre
• alter the feel and appearance of hair
• reduce some forms of mechanical damage

This is not a trivial benefit.

Hair breakage can make hair appear thinner even when the number of follicles has not changed.

This is one reason we should be careful with the phrase:

“This oil is good for hair growth.”

“Good for the hair fibre” and “stimulates hair growth” are not interchangeable claims.

Coconut Oil: One of the Better-Studied Examples

Among traditional hair oils, coconut oil has unusually interesting scientific evidence.

A landmark comparative study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science examined coconut, mineral and sunflower oils and found that coconut oil was the only one of the three that substantially reduced protein loss from both damaged and undamaged hair when used as a pre-wash or post-wash grooming treatment. (Rele & Mohile, 2003)

Further research found that coconut oil can penetrate the hair shaft, unlike mineral oil, and may influence the way the hair responds to repeated swelling and drying. (Keis et al., 2007)

More recent hair-fibre research has also investigated how coconut-based hair oils can reduce increases in hair porosity associated with routine washing. (Kaushik et al., 2022)

These findings are significant because they demonstrate a specific mechanism rather than simply relying on traditional reputation.

It does not, however, prove that coconut oil treats every form of hair loss.

That distinction should remain explicit.

Some benefits of oiling may be about protecting the hair that already exists.

Not necessarily growing more hair.

Hair Protection Is Not the Same as Hair Growth

This distinction deserves emphasis.

Suppose an oil reduces friction and protects the hair fibre from grooming damage.

That may help hair remain intact.

But it does not necessarily mean that the oil has increased follicle activity.

There is not strong evidence that ordinary hair oiling universally stimulates hair growth.

A systematic review examining coconut, castor and argan oils found that coconut oil had evidence for improving brittle hair and some hair-fibre outcomes, but evidence for its effect on hair growth was limited. The review found weaker evidence for castor oil improving hair quality and no strong evidence supporting castor or argan oil for hair growth. (Phong et al., 2022)

That does not mean:

“Oiling does nothing.”

It means the question needs to be more precise.

There are at least three different outcomes consumers commonly combine under the phrase “hair growth”:

Less breakage

The existing hair fibre survives better.

Better cosmetic appearance

Hair may look smoother, shinier or fuller.

Increased follicular growth

The follicle produces hair differently.

These are biologically different questions.

An oil can potentially help with the first two without being an established treatment for the third.

What About Scalp Massage?

Scalp massage introduces another dimension to the traditional ritual.

The physical action of massage is different from the chemical properties of the oil.

A small 2016 study examined standardised scalp massage in nine healthy Japanese men. Participants received four minutes of daily massage for 24 weeks. The study reported an increase in hair-shaft thickness compared with the start of the study, though not compared with the unmassaged side of the scalp, and did not find an increase in hair-growth rate. (Koyama et al., 2016)

This is interesting—but it should not be overstated.

The sample was extremely small.

Participants were healthy men without obvious hair loss.

The intervention was standardised mechanical massage, not traditional oiling.

Therefore, it cannot establish that ordinary hair oiling prevents or treats hair-loss disorders.

It does, however, support further investigation into whether mechanical stimulation of the scalp can influence aspects of hair biology.

The experience itself can be pleasant and relaxing.

But it is important not to turn that experience into an unsupported promise of increased hair growth.

There is also a practical principle worth remembering:

Gentle is enough.

Hair does not need aggressive rubbing to receive care.

A soothing ritual should not become mechanical stress.

The Relaxation Dimension

Traditional hair oiling often includes touch, repetitive movement and time away from other activities.

Massage research provides some evidence that massage can influence physiological markers associated with acute stress, although long-term effects remain less certain. A review of 25 studies found consistent short-term reductions in measures such as salivary cortisol and heart rate after individual massage sessions, while evidence for sustained effects remained insufficient. (Moraska et al., 2010)

This should not be converted into a claim that “hair oiling lowers cortisol.”

There is not enough evidence to make that statement.

A more responsible conclusion is:

The massage component of an oiling ritual may contribute to relaxation for some people, but the specific stress effects of traditional hair oiling itself require direct study.

The oil is only one component.

There is also:

touch.

attention.

slowness.

consistency.

connection.

These things are difficult to bottle.

And they are easy to lose in a life where every routine must be fast.

This does not mean that a grandmother’s ritual can be scientifically proven to reduce stress or prevent hair loss.

It means that the ritual itself created a form of intentional care that modern routines can sometimes overlook.

Ayurveda and Modern Science Are Asking Different Questions

Ayurveda has its own conceptual framework for understanding health.

It uses concepts including doshas, dhatus, srotas and snehana that do not map neatly onto modern biomedical terminology.

Modern dermatology, by contrast, focuses on anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology and clinical outcomes.

Ayurveda provides a traditional framework for understanding the ritual.

Modern dermatology asks a different question:

What measurable effect does the practice have on the hair, scalp or disease process?

These systems can be placed in dialogue without pretending that they are interchangeable.

For example:

Traditional perspective: oiling may be considered part of a broader regimen of maintaining wellbeing.

Modern perspective: oil can influence the physical properties of the hair fibre, while massage can create mechanical and sensory effects.

The two statements are not necessarily contradictory.

The problem arises only when a traditional explanation is presented as though it has already been scientifically proven.

It is better not to reduce Ayurveda to one universal instruction.

Ayurveda contains extensive frameworks around constitution, indication, timing, substances and methods of treatment.

At the same time, modern clinical evidence for Ayurvedic interventions in hair disorders remains limited overall.

A recent narrative review identified 16 studies involving Ayurvedic treatments for various hair disorders and noted that Ayurveda remains comparatively under-researched in this area. (Lee et al., 2025)

That is an important place for intellectual honesty.

We can respect a medical tradition without claiming that every traditional indication has been clinically established by modern standards.

Traditional concept	Modern interpretation
Oil as nourishment	Conditioning/lubrication of hair fibre; traditional concept is broader
Head massage	Mechanical and sensory stimulation
Hair ritual	Behavioural and cultural practice
Herbal oils	Mixtures containing multiple bioactive compounds, requiring ingredient-specific evidence
Regular grooming	Reduced tangling and mechanical stress may support hair-fibre integrity
Relaxation	Possible sensory/psychological benefit; direct evidence for hair oiling remains limited

The Ingredient Question

Traditional Indian hair oiling has never depended on one universal oil.

Common examples include:

Oil / Ingredient	Traditional association	Modern evidence / relevance
Coconut oil	Commonly used, especially in southern India	Evidence for reducing hair protein loss and grooming damage
Sesame oil	Important traditional massage oil	Strong cultural/Ayurvedic relevance; hair-specific clinical evidence remains limited
Amla	Traditional Indian hair-care ingredient	Biological activity has been studied, but clinical hair-growth evidence is limited
Fenugreek	Traditional household ingredient	Some laboratory/traditional evidence; stronger clinical evidence is needed
Almond oil	Used as a cosmetic hair oil	Primarily conditioning/emollient relevance
Mustard oil	Regional traditional use	Traditional importance; hair-specific clinical evidence remains limited
Castor oil	Widely promoted for hair growth	Popularity exceeds high-quality clinical evidence for increased hair growth

The distinction between traditional use and clinical evidence is essential.

A plant may contain interesting compounds.

An extract may demonstrate biological activity in a laboratory.

That still does not automatically mean that applying the ingredient as a household hair oil produces the same result in humans.

Why “Natural” Does Not Automatically Mean Safe

Traditional does not mean risk-free.

Natural does not mean universally suitable.

Hair oils are not universally beneficial for every scalp.

Some people may experience irritation, folliculitis or contact dermatitis associated with hair oils. Dermatological literature has documented these possibilities. (Gupta & Thappa, 2015)

A 2026 survey also found that among its participants, some people who practised hair oiling reported dandruff or itchy scalp. However, because the study was self-reported and observational, these findings cannot establish that oiling caused those problems. (Vendhan et al., 2026)

For hair oiling, practical considerations include:

• individual sensitivity
• fragrance or essential-oil reactions
• scalp conditions
• excessive occlusion
• difficulty removing heavy oils
• irritation from certain ingredients
• contamination or poor storage of homemade preparations

Someone with an active scalp disorder may need medical assessment rather than simply more oil.

This is why “my grandmother did it” should not become:

“Therefore everyone should do it.”

Tradition gives us a starting point.

It does not remove individual differences.

When Oiling May Not Be the Right Answer

A person experiencing persistent hair loss should not assume that increasing oiling will address the underlying problem.

The difference between hair care and hair-loss treatment may be the most important distinction in this paper.

Hair care

May involve:

• cleansing
• conditioning
• lubrication
• reducing friction
• protecting the hair fibre
• grooming
• maintaining comfort

Hair-loss treatment

May involve identifying and treating an underlying condition.

Hair shedding can have many causes, including:

• genetic pattern hair loss
• nutritional deficiencies
• hormonal changes
• thyroid disorders
• inflammatory scalp conditions
• medications
• significant illness
• physical or psychological stress
• postpartum changes
• autoimmune conditions
• The appropriate response depends on the cause. (American Academy of Dermatology)

Therefore, oiling should not be positioned as a universal treatment for hair loss.

If someone is experiencing persistent or significant hair loss, the more useful question is not:

“Which oil should I try?”

It is:

“Why is this happening?”

That question deserves professional attention when appropriate.

A beautiful oiling ritual can coexist with the need for proper diagnosis.

The Overnight Oiling Question

Few hair-care traditions generate as much certainty as overnight oiling.

But certainty should be separated from evidence.

There is no strong basis for claiming that every person benefits more from leaving oil overnight than from washing it after a shorter period.

The ideal duration can depend on:

• oil formulation
• scalp type
• hair texture
• quantity applied
• personal tolerance
• climate
• cleansing routine

For someone using oil primarily as a hair-fibre treatment, the evidence for coconut oil’s protective effects does not require us to turn the practice into an elaborate overnight ritual. Experimental studies have examined pre-wash and post-wash applications rather than establishing a universal requirement for overnight use. (Rele & Mohile, 2003)

More time does not automatically mean more benefit.

This is an important example of how traditional practice can evolve without losing its essence.

Our answer to Should You Apply Hair Oil Overnight? looks at the question in more detail.

The Modern Hair-Wellness Interpretation

The most useful modern interpretation of hair oiling is not “oil makes hair grow.”

It is more nuanced.

A hair-oiling ritual may combine:

Fibre care

Certain oils can reduce friction and protect hair from mechanical damage.

Grooming

Oil can improve manageability, detangling and appearance.

Scalp touch

Massage introduces a physical component distinct from the oil itself.

Ritual

A repeated routine creates intentional time for self-care.

Cultural continuity

The practice connects generations and preserves elements of Indian heritage.

Sensory wellbeing

Texture, warmth, fragrance and touch can contribute to the subjective experience of relaxation.

This broader interpretation makes the practice more relevant—not less.

Question	Traditional understanding	Current evidence
Does oil improve hair feel?	Yes	Supported for conditioning/emollient effects
Can oil protect hair?	Traditionally valued	Some oils, especially coconut oil, have evidence for reducing protein loss
Does oil prevent all hair fall?	Common traditional/consumer belief	Not established
Does scalp massage affect hair biology?	Traditionally incorporated into head massage	Preliminary evidence exists, but clinical evidence is limited
Does oil cure baldness?	Some traditional claims suggest hair restoration	Not supported as a general medical claim
Does oil reduce stress?	Head massage traditionally associated with relaxation	Massage research suggests short-term physiological effects, but hair-oiling-specific evidence is limited
Is overnight oiling always better?	Common practice	No strong evidence establishes overnight application as universally superior
Is natural oil always safe?	Often assumed	No; individual reactions and scalp conditions matter

A Modern Version of the Old Ritual

A thoughtful hair-oiling ritual could be remarkably simple.

Choose an oil appropriate for your hair and scalp

There is no universally “best” oil for everyone.

Coconut oil has some of the stronger evidence for hair-fibre protection, but individual tolerance and hair characteristics matter. (Phong et al., 2022)

Use a comfortable amount

The objective is care, not saturation.

Apply gently

If massaging the scalp, use comfortable pressure rather than vigorous rubbing.

Give the ritual time

The point is not to turn ten minutes into another productivity task.

Let it be ten minutes of attention.

Wash according to your needs

There is no universal requirement to leave oil overnight.

Observe your scalp

If an oil consistently causes itching, irritation, follicle bumps or discomfort, the appropriate response is to reconsider the practice rather than force yourself to continue it.

Separate grooming from treatment

Enjoy the ritual.

But if significant hair loss is occurring, seek to understand its cause.

Why Hair Oiling Survived

Perhaps the strongest evidence of hair oiling’s cultural importance is not a clinical study.

It is continuity.

The practice survived changing fashions, commercial shampoos, salons, conditioners, heat styling and modern lifestyles.

Why?

Because it solved more than one problem.

It offered grooming.

It offered protection.

It offered touch.

It offered family connection.

It offered a predictable ritual.

And it carried cultural memory.

That makes hair oiling different from a purely functional cosmetic product.

Our grandmothers did not necessarily possess secret knowledge that modern science has failed to discover.

They lived in a different relationship with time.

Hair care was sometimes slower.

More tactile.

More social.

More repetitive.

Less transactional.

A grandmother oiling her granddaughter’s hair was not simply applying a cosmetic substance.

She was spending time with her.

Teaching her.

Caring for her.

Passing something down.

That emotional and cultural meaning cannot be measured by a protein-loss assay.

And it does not need to be.

From Household Ritual to Wellness Ritual

Modern wellness culture has rediscovered something traditional households often understood intuitively:

ritual can matter independently of product.

A ritual creates repetition.

Repetition creates familiarity.

Familiarity can create psychological comfort.

This does not mean that every ritual has a measurable medical effect.

It means that wellness is not exclusively biochemical.

Sleep routines, exercise, mindful eating, skincare and hair care all contain behavioural components.

Hair oiling belongs within that larger ecosystem.

Not everything valuable about a ritual needs to become a medical claim.

What Modern Consumers Should Keep

A modern approach does not require abandoning traditional hair oiling.

Instead, consumers can retain the useful elements:

• gentle application
• moderate quantities
• comfortable massage
• appropriate cleansing
• attention to scalp response
• protection of the hair fibre
• consistency rather than excessive treatment
• enjoyment of the ritual

We can say:

Yes, hair oiling has deep cultural roots.

Yes, Ayurveda has long included oil-based practices.

Yes, some oils—especially coconut oil—have measurable effects on the hair fibre.

Yes, the ritual itself can create time for care and connection.

And we can also say:

No, oiling is not proven to prevent every form of hair loss.

No, every traditional claim has not been clinically established.

No, every scalp responds identically.

No, more oil or longer application is not automatically better.

At the same time, consumers can let go of claims that cannot be substantiated.

That is not disrespecting tradition.

It is respecting it enough to distinguish what we know from what we believe.

Keep the ritual.

Question the claim.

Keep the attention.

Update the evidence.

Keep the cultural meaning.

Adapt the practice to the individual.

That is how traditions remain alive without becoming frozen in time.

What the Industry Should Change

The hair-care industry has an opportunity to elevate the conversation.

Instead of saying:

“This ancient oil stops hair fall.”

A responsible brand could say:

“This ritual has a long history in Indian hair care, while modern evidence supports specific benefits of some oils for hair-fibre conditioning and protection.”

The second statement may sound less dramatic.

It is also more trustworthy.

Premium wellness brands should compete through quality of knowledge, not quantity of promises.

Evidence category	What it tells us	Confidence
Hair-fibre studies	How oils interact with hair	Moderate for specific oils
Small human studies	Possible effects in people	Preliminary
Laboratory studies	Possible biological mechanisms	Hypothesis-generating
Traditional Ayurvedic texts	Historical/traditional rationale	Strong evidence of traditional use, not biomedical efficacy
Consumer experience	Personal usefulness	Valuable context, weak efficacy evidence
Large clinical trials	Treatment effectiveness	Currently limited for traditional hair oiling

The Future: Tradition Meets Research

The next generation of research should investigate hair oiling more precisely.

Future studies could examine:

• different traditional oils
• oil combinations
• scalp microbiome interactions
• hair-fibre protection
• breakage rates
• scalp barrier function
• massage independently of oil
• massage combined with oil
• frequency of application
• retention time
• different hair textures
• different ethnic populations
• effects in people with specific hair disorders

This is particularly important because much of the existing evidence focuses on individual oils or isolated mechanisms rather than the complete ritual.

The real research question is therefore not simply:

“Does hair oil work?”

It is:

“Which part of the hair-oiling ritual produces which outcome, for whom, under what conditions?”

That is a much better scientific question.

A New Definition of the Hair Oiling Ritual

Traditional hair oiling can be understood as:

A culturally embedded hair-care and self-care practice involving the application of oil to the hair and/or scalp, often accompanied by massage, grooming and bathing, whose purposes may include hair-fibre conditioning, grooming, sensory comfort and traditional wellbeing.

This definition is deliberately broader than “treatment.”

It also leaves room for science to refine our understanding.

Conclusion

Traditional hair oiling in India has travelled a remarkable path.

It began as part of broader systems of grooming, massage and traditional wellbeing.

It became embedded in family life.

It evolved into regional household practices.

It entered the modern commercial hair-care industry.

And today, it is being rediscovered as a wellness ritual.

Modern science does not validate every traditional claim associated with oiling.

But it does not invalidate the practice either.

Evidence supports specific benefits of certain oils for the physical condition of the hair fibre. Coconut oil, for example, has demonstrated an ability to reduce protein loss during grooming. (Rele & Mohile, 2003) Preliminary research also suggests that standardised scalp massage may influence hair thickness, although the evidence remains too limited to establish it as a treatment for hair loss. (Koyama et al., 2016)

The most honest conclusion is therefore neither that “oil is the answer to hair loss” nor that “traditional oiling is merely a myth.”

The truth is more interesting.

Hair oiling is a ritual with several layers.

Some are cultural.

Some are cosmetic.

Some may be physiological.

Some are experiential.

And some remain scientifically unanswered.

Perhaps that is precisely why the ritual has endured.

The future of traditional hair oiling does not require choosing between tradition and science.

It requires curiosity, evidence and respect for both.

The oil may have cared for the hair.

The ritual cared for the person.

And that may be the most contemporary way to preserve an ancient ritual.

Sources

American Academy of Dermatology. Hair loss: who gets and causes.

Charak Samhita Online. Snehana (unction therapy).

Gupta D, Thappa DM. Dermatoses due to Indian cultural practices. Indian J Dermatol. 2015;60(1):3–12.

Kaushik V, Kumar A, Gosvami NN, et al. Benefit of coconut-based hair oil via hair porosity quantification. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2022;44(3):289–98.

Keis K, Huemmer CL, Kamath YK. Effect of oil films on moisture vapor absorption on human hair. J Cosmet Sci. 2007;58(2):135–45.

Koyama T, Kobayashi K, Hama T, Murakami K, Ogawa R. Standardized scalp massage results in increased hair thickness by inducing stretching forces to dermal papilla cells in the subcutaneous tissue. Eplasty. 2016;16:e8.

Lee J, Khalil NB, Durve A, et al. Ayurvedic treatments for hair disorders: a narrative review. Skin Appendage Disord. 2025;12(3):179–87.

Moraska A, Pollini RA, Boulanger K, Brooks MZ, Teitlebaum L. Physiological adjustments to stress measures following massage therapy: a review of the literature. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2010;7(4):409–18.

Mysore V, Arghya A. Hair oils: indigenous knowledge revisited. Int J Trichology. 2022;14(3):84–90.

Phong C, Lee V, Yale K, Sung C, Mesinkovska N. Coconut, castor, and argan oil for hair in skin of color patients: a systematic review. J Drugs Dermatol. 2022;21(7):751–7.

Rele AS, Mohile RB. Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. J Cosmet Sci. 2003;54(2):175–92.

Vendhan S, Neema S, Ravichandran L, et al. Online survey on perceptions and practices of hair oiling among diverse demographics in the southern states of India. Indian Dermatol Online J. 2026;17(2):209–14.

Questions

What is the traditional Indian hair oiling ritual? −

It is a grooming and wellness practice involving the application of oil to the hair and/or scalp, often accompanied by scalp massage, combing, braiding and bathing.

Why do Indian families traditionally oil their hair? +

Is hair oiling originally an Ayurvedic practice? +

What is Shiro Abhyanga? +

What oils are traditionally used in India? +

Does oiling make hair grow faster? +

Can oil prevent hair breakage? +

Is coconut oil good for hair? +

Is castor oil proven to grow hair? +

Does scalp massage help hair growth? +

Is overnight oiling better? +

Does hair oil reach the hair follicle? +

Should oil be applied to the scalp or hair lengths? +

Can oiling cause dandruff? +

Is natural hair oil always safe? +

Is hair oiling scientifically proven? +

Can oiling stop hair fall? +

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