Growing up in Indian household, we need no introduction to mustard oil aka Sarson ka tel. From making our aam ka achaar all-the-more delicious to enhancing the flavour of our mutton curry and fish fry, mustard oil has given us several memories.
Remember those childhood days, when every Sunday during winters, as you watched your favourite television shows, your mother would make you sit and massage your head with oodles of oil. From boosting immunity to protecting your body from cold and cough, and to strengthening hair roots and nourishing skin, mustard oil is loaded with several beneficial properties.
As we grow up, not many of us follow the same Sunday hair care routine our mothers encouraged. However, if you feel that the city life and a busy schedule, pollution and lack of appropriate care have made your lovely tresses limp and lifeless, Femina Wellness Expert would recommend using mustard oil. Need some more reasons to switch to this home remedy? Here you can read more about the benefits of mustard oil for hair. Scroll below:
Even as mustard oil is used in several food items, some people get put off by its thick consistency and pungent smell. However, if you move away from these drawbacks, mustard oil is great for your lustrous locks. “These properties of mustard oil make it a very popular and in-demand ingredient in hair care. You can safely use mustard oil on your hair to deep condition your hair, fight dandruff, help in hair growth and prevent premature greying,” says Dr Rinky Kapoor, Consultant Dermatologist, Cosmetic Dermatologist & Dermato-Surgeon, The Esthetic Clinics.
Benefits Of Mustard Oil For Hair
Facing hair issues? Then mustard oil is the just the elixir that you have been waiting for. It has numerous benefits for hair and scalp health. “Mustard oil has the right balance of omega 3 acids and omega 6 fatty acids and is enriched with Vitamin E and rich in antioxidants which increased its benefits to multifold. Mustard oil is used as a sunscreen, a cure for chapped lips, a natural stimulant for the body, whitening teeth, fighting cold and flu, helping ease muscle tension, removing tan and dark spots and lightening the skin tone etc,” Dr Rinky Kapoor explains.
1. Natural Conditioner
Enriched with alpha fatty acids, which helps in keeping the moisture of your hair intact, and keeps hair fresh and bouncy, mustard oil is a natural conditioner that tends your hair soft, smooth, silky and voluminous.
2. Nourishes Hair
Several people, in today’s time, face the issues of hair fall and hair thinning, which usually happens when our hair follicles are under-nourished and are not damaged. However, if you massage your hair follicles regularly with mustard oil, you can gain back your hair’s strength and shine.
3. Full Of Minerals, Vitamins And Antioxidants
Do you know mustard oil is a great source of iron, magnesium, calcium and vitamins like A, D, E and K, along with antioxidants? This pungent hair oil is also loaded with the goodness of zinc, beta-carotene and selenium, which encourage hair growth and helps in keeping untimely grey hair at bay.>/p>
4. Boosts Blood Circulation
Several hair experts claim that the main reason behind hair fall and hair thinning is under-nourished roots. If you want your limp tresses to gain life again, try using mustard oil for hair massage. “It is a natural stimulant. When massaged onto scalp, it stimulates the circulatory system, improves blood circulation,” says Amreen Shaikh, Head dietician and nutritionist, Wockhardt Hospital Mumbai Central.
The best way to implement this is by heating the oil with some cloves and massaging your hair gently using fingers. Do this twice a week for better results.
5. Promotes Hair Growth
Regular hair massage using mustard oil will render your hair soft, shiny and healthy. Since it is rich in antioxidants and several other nutrients, mustard oil stimulates faster hair growth
6. Anti-Fungal Properties
Mustard oil has high erucic acid content, and it also has ALA content, which helps in cleansing your scalp and eradicating bacteria and fungus that block hair follicles and lead to building upon the scalp.
7. Prevents Dandruff
Since mustard oil is rich in antioxidants and anti-bacterial in nature, regular use of it can help in keeping the scalp clean and free from dandruff.
Expert Tips On Mustard Oil Uses
Mustard oil is completely safe to use, however you must do a light patch test at least 24 hours before you use the oil on your scalp. Some commons side effects of mustard oil are allergic reactions like rashes on the skin in the form of lesions and blisters; it can also cause eye irritation and can cause clogged pores if not washed properly.
You can use mustard oil as a standalone ingredient in hair care by simply massaging it on the scalp to improve the circulation. Massage well and cover your hair with a shower cap. Wash normally after 30 minutes and use a mild shampoo and conditioner.
-Do a patch test before using it
-Do not use it daily
-Heat it slightly for better result
-Can be made into hair masks with different ingredients
