Does Coconut Oil Really Work for Hair Growth?

By Kaityln Mclintock

February 04, 2020

In the beauty industry, coconut oil is touted as the ultimate go-to and fix-everything product. Dry skin? Apply coconut oil and you'll wake up with an ultra-glowy complexion. Trying to avoid harsh chemicals in your makeup remover? Coconut oil comes to the rescue, effortlessly breaking apart mascara, foundation, and lipstick. Some people go as far as to use it in place of certain cosmetics—opting for a light tapping of light-reflective oil along their cheekbones instead of using a traditional highlighter.

But probably the most common use for coconut oil (of the supposed thousands of uses) is as a hair oil. People (and brands) swear that it speeds up the rate of hair growth, contributing to long, strong Rapunzel-like locks in no time. It's a nice thought, but is it true? There seems to be little scientific evidence to prove it, which is why we reached out to two dermatologists about using coconut oil for hair growth. Check out their thoughts, below.