Are Mineral Oil and Petrolatum are THAT bad? Sometimes I'm not so sure.....

[BlackMasterPiece]

Anyone Else NOT Convinced that Mineral Oil and Petrolatum are THAT bad?

I've heard people say that mineral oil and petrolatum are bad for the hair, they'll clog your pores and inhibit growth. I'm not sure I fully buy that....I think the worst thing about mineral oils and petrolatum are that they're cheap products that merely coat the shaft, but I dont necessarily buy the argument that they're "bad" for the hair or "bad" for growth.

I no longer buy products that contain them because I learned about the best more organic ingredients for my hair type that work much more effectively. But all I know is when I was little my mom used to grease my scalp HEAVILY with Ultra Sheen grease or IC Tea Growth Oil every time she did my hair, they contained these forbidden ingredients and my hair was always thick and close to or at APL the only reason I never exceeded APL is because my mother didn't know about wet combing with oil and conditioner for 4a hair back in the day but my hair still did great and got pretty long. I've seen alot of ladies post their childhood pix and their hair was thick beautiful and thriving and I'm sure most of us got our heads greased down when we were little

I feel like mineral oil and petrolatum are not ideal, but I dont think it will inhibit growth like I hear some posters saying....

What are your thoughts on the mineral oil and petrolatum debate?

 

[onyxmin]

I agree with you. My hair grew a lot despite the hair grease (contain petroleum) applied on it. I dont think its that bad. My say is, too much of everything is bad. Excessive clogging of petroleum on my hair and no weekly or biweekly wash will lead to poor hair.

I still use some products that contain petroleum. Do I plan on using them forever? yes but in a very little quantity.

*This is my say*

 

[JustKiya]

Personally, my hair hates anything with either ingredient in it. That's all the 'bad' I need to know.

I don't push people to give up their products that contain such, or try to direct people away from such products - because if their hair likes it, who am I to trump? But - when people are complaining about issues with their hair & scalp - esp. dryness/hard to moisturize ones - yah, I'm quick to suggest silicones as well as these ingredients as a potential root cause - esp. if they seem to be doing everything else 'right'.

 

[AllAboutMoi]

I believe that they are fine when used in moderation. I tend to not buy any leave ins or moisturizes with either but I do use conditioners with them and I have not noticed any negative effects.

 

[MsBoinglicious]

I don't think so. If it’s at the very end of the ingredients list then if it works I use it. If it’s the first, second or third ingredient on the list then I steer clear (causes buildup for me). I don’t think all mineral oil and petrolatums based products are bad for EVERYONE! Different things work for different folks.

Isn't there a girl on here who only uses Vaseline and she is like waist length or something?

 

[brebre928]

I agree...when I was younger my mom used DAX in my hair and even Pink Lotion. My hair grew just fine.

 

[LaidBak]

I avoid them because they have no nutritive or strengthening value for my hair. I'll get more value out of EVOO, JBCO or EVCO.
They do have a purpose though. I think I would smear my hair with Vaseline if I planned on going swimming (under my swim cap). I think that the Vaseline would seal out the harmful chlorine.

 

[msa]

I wonder why we have a thread on this almost every day. I'm just gonna quote myself from yesterday's thread.
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=409172

They're not bad, you just have to be careful how you use them. It's better to think of mineral oil and petroleum as sealers, and they're definitely not moisturizers as longhairlover said. You just have to know how to use them in a way that's not going to be detrimental to your hair.

Here are two blog posts on mineral oil that might interest you...
http://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com/2009/04/mineral-oil-proof-is-not-in-hair.html

http://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com/2009/08/mineral-oil-is-evillllll-or-maybe-not.html

Basically, there's no across the board "bad" ingredient that's commonly used in hair products. Mineral oil and petroleum serve their purpose...but misusing them can have bad results, just like with anything else. And to be honest I don't think they inhibit growth...your hair is going to grow anyway and a bit of oil isn't going to stop it. Now if you have a condition like folliculitis, then maybe it would be an issue. But in general, I don't think so.

 

[ceebee3]

If it works for your hair, it's not bad.

 

[Kimiche]

I tried something recently with those ingredients (ORS Olive Oil cream in the jar) and I would never use that shh again. The ORS cream has mineral oil as the 2nd ingredient, plus it says petrolatum as well. Sometimes I use Hawaiian Silky 14 in 1 which does contain mineral oil, but it has so many other ingredients and mineral oil comes later on in the ingredients list, plus my hair is fine when I use it.

Most products with mineral oil don't work for me. The ORS cream may work for some, but it surely didn't work for my hair. I hated how my hair felt, not only greasy, but it just felt coated. My hair said, "no ma'am." I agree that if it works for your hair, then don't stop using it just because it doesn't work for others.

 

[poookie]

they're not necessarily good or bad. but they can't be all that good for me. i just got a tattoo the other day, and the aftercare instructions said to make sure NOT to use products with mineral oil or petroleum, because they will clog pores and interfere with the healing process. if i shouldn't use them on a tattoo, then i certainly ought not use them on my hair or scalp. just my 2 cents.

 

[LaToya28]

I guess this is a neverending debate

Has anyone ever experienced these alleged pore-clogging effects of mineral oil or petroleum? And who has used these two ingredients alone to see their true effects on the hair/scalp? And how did we come to single out these two ingredients? I have seen where quite a few ladies have had to stop using castor oil because it caused pimples on their scalps. That's what happens when your pores are clogged...just like on your face, you get pimples.

 

[poookie]

...

i mean, if you've used it, and it works for you, please continue to use... this thread is about everyone's personal experiences with these 2 ingredients, not to debunk the myth of whether or not they actually are as bad as they seem.

 

[LaToya28]

The weird thing about it Pookie, is that I really don't use them. I mean, when I first started my hair journey I swore that I would never start using all the natural crap that I heard people talk about, but over the last year and a half I've found that my staple products are things like Elucence, Jane Carter Solution, and Giovanni. I just don't like when people try to single out ingredients as being "bad."

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

I too remember the days when my mother used ultra sheen hair grease on my scalp and I had no problems with my hair growing, it was always long, healthy and thick. I don't go out of my way to avoid hair products that contain mineral oil or petroleum, I may not buy it if it's high on the ingredients list, but otherwise if a product works for my hair and it so happens to contain mineral oil or petroleum I'm going to keep using it. I never did buy into the whole mineral oil/petroleum clogs your hair follicles mantra, unless some people are slathering a half a jar of hair grease on their scalp everyday I don't see how that's possible. Even so, mineral oil and petroleum doesn’t really penetrate deep enough into the hair follicles in order to clog them, it only coats it doesn't penetrates. *shrugs*

Like someone already mentioned, if it works for your hair great, if it doesn't keep using whatever works for you.

 

[PeanutButterandHoney]

I have a hard time with people who think that their hair will do the same thing it did when they were "younger".

First, when we were "younger", our bodies were in a rapid growth stage=increased blood circulation, cell multiplication, etc. This included our hair and skin cells. The only stage in our adult lives when we are even CLOSE to that rapid growth is during pregnancy. Even then, it doesn't hit it. Ever notice how many pregnant women grow hair at faster rates than before pregnancy? It sure ain't the vitamins....

Secondly, in pre-adolescence, we are maintaining a fairly stress-free and healthy (at least internally) lifestyle. No one is worried about diabetes, their home going in foreclosure, husband cheating, and eating too little calories (as we frequently do while trying to "diet). At the ages 2-10, we are fairly given a clean slate and the damage of external controls have yet to harm our bodies.

Sorry I went off on this rant, but I am kind of tired of hearing "My momma greased my hair with chicken grease, vaseline, and didnt wash my hair for years and my hair was still thick. Well, my argument was, you were a CHILD, everything was growing at a tremendous rate.

JMO

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

^^^:scratchch............EXCELLENT points

 

[brucebettye]

When I was younger my mother used blue magic hair grease and sulfur8 on my hair. She used it every week or every two weeks when she styled my hair. Once it was styled she would not touch it and I was not allowed to touch it. So I belive it did not bother my hair, but my mother did not maniulate my hair often so I think that really contributed to the fact that my hair was bsl when I was younger. So I think anything in moderation should not hurt your hair. By the way I use hair grease on my ends once or twice a week.

 

[Daughter]

I agree...when I was younger my mom used DAX in my hair and even Pink Lotion. My hair grew just fine.

Yep yep, Dax grease and Dax shampoo (no conditioner!) was used for me back in the day and my hair was long and thick. When I was about 9 or 10 I remember Mum using Bergamot or Blue Magic too. I won't use that stuff now though, I just don't like how they feel on my hair.

 

[NerdSauce]

Mineral oil breaks my face out like crazy...absurd break outs, and in a way that only seems to happen with mineral oil. And if it gets on my scalp, my scalp gets very itchy and tender...SO while its not the devil in hair ingredient form, i certainly tend to act like it is.

Petrolatum I don't have that much of a problem with, but I have a hard time seeing what petrolatum can do for me that castor oil can't (besides be really really cheap.)

I do have to say I resent paying for them as fillers...especially since they're in so many products marketed to black folk. Knowing our hair as we do and how much we spend on it in general...it's almost insulting.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Mineral oil breaks my face out like crazy...absurd break outs, and in a way that only seems to happen with mineral oil. And if it gets on my scalp, my scalp gets very itchy and tender...SO while its not the devil in hair ingredient form, i certainly tend to act like it is.

Petrolatum I don't have that much of a problem with, but I have a hard time seeing what petrolatum can do for me that castor oil can't (besides be really really cheap.)

I do have to say I resent paying for them as fillers...especially since they're in so many products marketed to black folk. Knowing our hair as we do and how much we spend on it in general...it's almost insulting.

I feel you on that note, its like laziness and cheapness on the part of the manufacturer, I avoid those ingredients now, they don't do much for the hair but its not that detrimental either.....its just cheap fillers that coat the strand.

 

[shunemite]

My personal experience with mineral oil is that my hair does look good with it on there. It's shiny and I get compliments. Only thing is that later on in the week I get faster build up. But that's me. Everybody should do what works for them.

 

[Chevelure618]

Whenever anyone questions the "badness" of petrolaum and mineral oil, I'm reminded of Cathy Howse's presentation and lecture on Black Hair growth. At the beginning of her lecture she takes a glass, and fills it with mineral oil. Then she takes a graham cracker and puts it in the glass, so that it is totally submerged in the mineral oil. Then she starts her presentation. At the end of her presentation, which is at once inspiring, funny and educational about black hair health, and why MOISTURE is the cure for our dry hair condition, she picks up the glass with the graham cracker in the mineral oil and pulls out the graham cracker. It is COMPLETELY DRY. She then says that she has a graham cracker in mineral oil in her office that has been there for two years and is still dry. The point? Mineral Oil LOCKS OUT moisture....the one thing afro-textured hair needs the most.

I never forgot this demonstration and dropped petrolatum and mineral oil products. My hair has never been in better condition.

 

[jennboo]

i have found that my hair hates grease w/petroleum or mineral oil in it but i must say it also hates coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil and probably pretty much any other natural oil you can think of.

My hair also dislikes shea butter alone... not a hate, but a dislike, lol.

 

[jennboo]

Also, i dont think petroleum /mineral oil is bad for sealing...but for moisture, its a no-go.

 

[MilkChocolateOne]

Whenever anyone questions the "badness" of petrolaum and mineral oil, I'm reminded of Cathy Howse's presentation and lecture on Black Hair growth. At the beginning of her lecture she takes a glass, and fills it with mineral oil. Then she takes a graham cracker and puts it in the glass, so that it is totally submerged in the mineral oil. Then she starts her presentation. At the end of her presentation, which is at once inspiring, funny and educational about black hair health, and why MOISTURE is the cure for our dry hair condition, she picks up the glass with the graham cracker in the mineral oil and pulls out the graham cracker. It is COMPLETELY DRY. She then says that she has a graham cracker in mineral oil in her office that has been there for two years and is still dry. The point? Mineral Oil LOCKS OUT moisture....the one thing afro-textured hair needs the most.

I never forgot this demonstration and dropped petrolatum and mineral oil products. My hair has never been in better condition.

I'm sure the same thing would have happened if she used any other type of oil.

 

[Anna9764]

Ditto....My mom also used these thick greasy products on mine and my sisters hair...my sister hates anything on her hair. Me on the other hand my hair loves it, on ocassion I oil with grease or whatever I like....I think the heavier greases protect from hair breakage, and reguardless to what's in my hair as long as it's in a protective style it will grow ...PERIOD!

 

[mzsophisticated26]

It seems my hair likes conditioners with mineral oil in it. Everytime I steer clear of products without mineral oil in them, it seems my hair does not act the same. I use SE luxury moisturizing conditioner with mineral oil as the 3rd ingredient and this is one of my favorite cond.

 

[LynnieB]

I guess as with ANYthing,you have to know your hair and know it well.

Personally, I have no problem using products with either MO or Petroleum in them. I don't go out of my way to avoid them and I don't go out of my way looking for 100% natural products. Specific products have specific uses, some may contain MO/Petro, some maybe completely natural.

I've been using a variety of products to grow my hair out from the beginning of my transition, through my big chop and still do now.

I guess to each his or her own.

Know your hair.

 

[Barbie83]

I'm gonna have to agree with you. 3 years ago I went from ear length to just below shoulder length in about 11 months with a very simple regimen:

-rollerset weekly/no direct heat
-grease scalp with Sulfur 8 after taking rollers down
-trims/perms every 8 weeks blush: I know!)
-kept hair up 90% of the time (was working out a lot, not really thinking about growth)

I really think the Sulfur 8 played a big part in my growth that year. It's got plenty of petrolatum but it worked for me