Hair oils are fixtures in many health and beauty regimens. Typically plant extracts, these substances have been attributed to a wide range of benefits: fast hair growth, prevention of hair loss, and maintenance of soft, smooth, and shiny hair. Cactus oil for hair may boast some of these benefits, particularly as it relates to hair loss prevention. Specifically, the high fatty acid content in cactus oil may spur hair growth. In addition, the inclusion of important vitamins and moisturizing properties can further ensure a healthy and aesthetically pleasing head of hair.
Essential vitamins and minerals help keep hair healthy by nourishing individual strands and follicles for growth and development. Since plants produce these nutrients to sustain themselves, extractions from the plants will often contain high doses of substances like vitamin B5. Cactus oil is one such essential oil. Desert-dwelling cacti are particularly valuable resources for nutrients because they store water and other needed materials inside themselves for long periods of time. Thus, the plants are a rich reservoir and have even been associated with other health benefits such as improved heart health in some studies.
One important beneficial substance produced by cactus oil for hair is omega fatty acids. These particular components prove vital in overall growth and development. For hair, they help ensure that each hair follicle cycles and recycles through the three stages of hair growth. Following the final telogen stage when a hair falls from its follicle, the follicle should automatically begin again at the anagen stage, producing a new hair strand. Fatty acids aid in keeping this process active, as a ceasing of functioning between stages three and one most often causes permanent hair loss.
Related to the cactus’s strong water storage capacities, cactus oil is perhaps one of the best moisturizing agents available. Moisture replenishment keeps hair thick and shiny. It coats hair follicles with needed layers of protection, adding volume and shielding the hair from damage. Using hair oil is beneficial because most types contain moisturizing properties, but cactus oil, due to its origin, is arguably a mark above the rest.
Cactus oil for hair is beneficial for what it does not contain as much as for what it does contain. Like most natural products, cactus oil generally possesses none of the harsh chemicals like alcohol that infuse many hair care products. Harsh substances can strip away protective layers, causing the hair to become dry and brittle. Further, they may attack the hair shaft itself, breaking down its basic structure and destroying the roots. Using cactus oil for hair may avoid these dangers, while providing a moisturized scalp cleansed of dead skin.