Pre-Washing African American Hair with Coconut Oil

Jul 13, 2011
Faye Davison

As one of the few oils capable of penetrating the cortex of the hair, coconut oil has been praised as a great pre-wash oil. - Sarah Gilbert/Flickr

Find out the steps for performing a pre-wash, oil treatment with coconut oil.

Why is African American Hair Dry?

The most common curl patterns of African American hair are the -s or -z curl pattern. While very beautiful, these curl patterns make it a "winding" challenge for the natural oils secreted from the scalp to make their way down the length of the hair shaft. What does this mean? This means that much of the oil remains on the scalp, while the rest of the hair, particularly the ends, remain dry, or oil-less.

Dry hair does not just mean trouble in and of itself. Dry hair is a problem that has a ripple effect, causing more split ends, more tangles, more knots, more breakage, and the list (literally) goes on and on.

To prevent these common hair maladies, it is imperative that oils be applied to African American hair on a daily basis.

Why Coconut Oil?

Around the world, coconut oil has been recognized as a powerful conditioner, daily moisturizer, and hair growth aid for centuries. As one of the few oils capable of penetrating the cortex of the hair, it has been praised as not only a great post-wash hair treatment, but also, and perhaps most importantly, as a great pre-wash hair treatment.

What is a Pre-Wash Coconut Oil Treatment?

I know what you are likely thinking: "But why would I want to apply oil to my hair before washing it? Isn't the point of washing my hair to remove oil anyways?" Well, yes and no. The point of shampooing your hair is to remove dirt, pollution, excess product, or anything else that could potentially clog the pores of your scalp. It is only by default that shampoo, unfortunately, goes over and beyond this duty and removes not only all the above additives, but also natural oils from your hair and protein (which, according to studies, results in thinning of the hair shaft over time).

Applying coconut oil before washing your hair will ensure that even after a shampoo, your hair remains soft and moisturized. It will also ensure that there is less breakage to your hair when combing inside and outside of the shower and that your hair swells less during the rinsing portions of your shampooing sessions.

How Do I Perform a Coconut Oil Pre-Wash Oil Treatment?

Performing a coconut oil pre-wash oil treatment is simple. Just follow these steps:

Step 1: Using your fingers, divide your hair using bobby pins or clips into 6-8 sections. (The number of sections you choose should depend on your hair's thickness and texture).
Step 2. To each section, apply a heavy coating of coconut oil. The goal here is to ensure that your hair is saturated thoroughly.
Step 3. Use a plastic cap to cover your hair for at least 14 hours. Some allow their hair to sit with the oil for less time (i.e., 30 minutes to an hour), but 14 hours is most recommended to ensure that your hair benefits most from the treatment. Ultimately, the decision of how long to leave the oil on your hair is yours alone. Experiment with different time frames before deciding what your hair needs.
Step 4. Before shampooing and conditioning your hair, detangle your hair using a combination of your fingers and a wide-tooth comb.
Step 5. Wash and condition as normal.

What Type of Coconut Oil Should I Use?

The only type of coconut oil recommended for use in your hair is 100% extra virgin coconut oil. This type is typically found at health food stores in jars ranging in price from $10 to $30, depending on the desired size.

How Often Should I Do a Coconut Oil Pre-Wash Treatment?

This is really up to you! While it is most recommended that you do a pre-wash treatment every time before your shampoo and condition your hair, you can decide, based upon your hair needs, a schedule that works best for you.

Start Today!

Given its benefits, you really have nothing to lose with a coconut oil pre-wash treatment. Along with experiencing moisturized hair, many have reported that these treatments make the shampoo and conditioning process much, much easier! So, what are you waiting for? Give it a try!