We spend a lot of money on Hair products – shampoos, conditioners, leave-in-treatments, chemicals, supplements, etc. We never truly consider how those products work, or if they actually work at all. We tend to search for a drive-through option, when sometimes, a home-cooked natural technique can offer more lasting, and noticeable results.

With that said – steaming your hair could offer you some amazing benefits, if done right (more on this later). It can turn dry, brittle hair, into healthy hair.

The solution for anything that’s dry is usually to bring some moisture to the party. 

Like with every other part of your body, your hair also thrives on moisture. Steaming your hair can deliver that moisture directly where needed, restoring color and vibrancy. The hot steam can actually clean your pores, and circulate blood flow in your scalp, delivering much needed nutrients to promote thicker, fuller hair.

Steam, because of its smaller particle size will penetrate your hair and scalp in a way that leave-in-conditioners, and other products can’t. 

Think steaming your hair is a crazy idea? Think again – professionals steam hair all the time. Have you ever seen the machine below at your local hair salon? That is a professional hair steamer.

Have you ever noticed how your hair might get a bit frizzy on a rainy or humid day? There are two main reasons for this. First, it’s because of the extra moisture in the air, and second, your hair is not very healthy.

The hair/moisture relationship

It all has to do with the porosity of your hair. Hair has tiny openings, just how your skin has pores. The outer layer of your hair is called the cuticle. It is formed from numerous overlapping scales – kind of like the outside of an artichoke.

Healthy hair has medium or low porosity – it retains moisture. Medium/low porosity hair is vibrant, with strong density. When your hair has high porosity, moisture enters, but also leaves your hair very easily. This is what causes frizzy or limp hair. The image below shows the formation of the scales, and indicates the difference between healthy and damaged hair.

On the left side, the strand of hair is healthy, and the scales are tightly formed. This strand of hair has low or medium porosity. It keeps nutrients inside, and toxins out. The right side shows a strand of hair with low porosity. The scales are wide open. Nutrients and moisture are free to leave; toxins, excess heat, and other damaging chemicals are free to enter. The moisture that is critical for healthy hair is free to enter, but also free to leave – resulting in dry and brittle hair.

A high porosity in your hair is usually caused by harsh treatment, chemicals, environmental factors, or a combination of all there. Damaged hair, as the image above would indicate, acts like a sponge. It can absorb pretty much anything. Hence why your hair gets frizzy on a rainy or humid day.

Healthy hair is already full of moisture, and does not need anything extra. Unhealthy hair lacks moisture, and gets soggy fast. Soggy hair = limp and frizzy hair.

Steaming your hair

If damaged and dry hair needs moisture, why not just take a shower? Or dump your head into a bowl of water? Why bother steaming right?

Steam is comprised of many microscopic water particles. These particles enter hair with much greater ease than liquid water. If you’re in the shower, your hair is covered with liquid water, which not only has a harder time being absorbed into your hair, but also acts as a barrier for steam to enter. And whatever steam is generated in the shower, it is indirect steam – not to mention all of the impurities in your shower/tap water. Here is an article if you’re interested in the best type of water to use in a steamer.

A personal steamer is the best option for steaming your hair. You can use a facial steamer, handheld steamer, or a dedicated hair steamer (more on this below).

But again, if your hair is already damaged – if your hair has a high level of porosity, it will not hang on to whatever moisture that you introduce to it.

Steaming your hair will keep healthy hair healthy, and nutrient rich. Steaming damaged hair can repair the broken and mangled scales, and return the soft supple hair you once had – if done right. Water alone is not enough. What we need here is an emolient.

What is an emolient? Simply put, it is something that softens or soothes. You use emolients all the time – except your call them oil, cream, lotion, etc.

Essential oils

The right tool for the job in this case is an essential oil(s). These oils, once carried by the steam, as tiny oil particles, are easily absorbed by the hair. Just like skin lotion repairs dry and cracked skin, essential oils can make once brittle hair, full and supple again – closing the gaps between the scales of your hair cuticles, and trapping in the moisture from the steam. Think of the oil as tiny band-aids.

What oils should you use? Here are some of my favorites for hair use:

Cedarwood – Cedarwood oil is very beneficial for the scalp. It has been shown to stimulate the scalp via an increase in blood circulation. It not only promotes hair growth, but can also slow hair loss.

Chamomile – Chamomile oil is definitely a favorite of mine. It can add shine and softness to your hair, but use this one in moderation – chamomile oil is commonly used to lighten the color of hair.

Lavender– Lavender oil is commonly used because of it’s hair growing properties. It not only increases the number of hair follicles, but also increases their depth. It is by far the best oil for hair use. If you only choose one of these, go with lavender oil.

Lemongrass – Lemongrass essential oil is often used to reduce dandruff. It has shown remarkable healing capabilities on hair and scalp.

Peppermint – Peppermint oil is also used to treat dandruff, but it is an overall “superfood” for hair. It has been shown to increase follicle number and depth, as well as increasing hair density.

Rosemary – Rosemary oil has been proven to be as effective as Minoxidil in rejuvenating hair follicles. Rosemary oil increases cellular metabolism within the follicle, which promotes healthier, fuller hair.

Which of these oils should you use? I would suggest trying a blend to figure out which combination works best for you. Each of these oils has its own set of characteristics and features, so a blend would provide the greatest possible benefit. The Beautiful Hair Set from Healing Solutions shown below is a good choice, as it contains four of the oils described above.

Remember, use the oil in moderation. 5-10 drops of oil is enough. Essential oils are concentrated – a little goes a long way. And your hair can only hold on to so much oil; there’s no sense in wasting expensive stuff.

How to 

Now that we know the benefits, let’s discuss how to actually steam your hair.

If you don’t have any kind of steamer, I would suggest the Q-Redew Handheld Hair Steamer shown below.

It’s very affordable, lightweight, and convenient. The steam dispensing end has multiple thin nozzles, so you can use it just like a brush, to get up-close and direct steam to hair contact.

To use it, you remove the water reservoir shown below, and fill it with water. Add a few drops of essential oil, seal it with the attached plug, and then return the reservoir back on top of the steamer. Plug it in, and wait for it to start steaming. Then you maneuver it through your hair and scalp the same way you would with a hairbrush. 

If you have a regular facial steamer, it will work the same way for the most part. Fill it up with water, add your essential oil, and turn it on. If your steamer has a wand (or if you have a handheld steamer), you can use it like the hair steamer above. If not, you’ll have to position the steamer so that you have direct steam to hair contact. As the steamer starts to steam, run your hands through your hair, so the steam can make its way throughout your entire head and scalp.

How often

A 15-20 minute steaming session should work perfectly. For healthy hair, a bi-weekly schedule should do just fine. For damaged, or unhealthy hair, start with a weekly treatment, and work your way towards a twice a month interval once your hair is healthy again.

With a steady steaming schedule, you’ll find that your hair sheds and breaks less, holds hair styles much longer, and looks healthier overall. You might even notice that you’re spending much less money on fancy (and expensive) hair products. 

If you are suffering from dandruff or hair loss, use the indicated essential oils described above, but alter the steaming schedule. Start out with more frequent steaming sessions, but with a shorter duration, and then move your way to a bi-weekly interval. For example, you could try steaming your hair/scalp two or three times a week, for 5-10 minutes each time.  

Have you tried steaming your hair? If so, please leave a comment below and share your experience.