The Unexpected Benefits Mayonnaise Can Have On Your Hair

When it comes to mayonnaise, there are generally two types of people: those who enjoy it in potato salad and on sandwiches and generally think this condiment makes or breaks a lunch. Then there are those that are repulsed at the sight of the spread and comment, often loudly, how they just cannot believe that anyone could enjoy it.

While everyone obviously has different tastes, there is something about the fluffy white sandwich spread that stirs up strong feelings. While mayo has long been thought to be incredibly unhealthy due to its high-fat content, research shows there are some benefits, like vitamin A, which helps boost heart and lung health. However, you do have to watch your portions and probably not eat mayo every day since it has a high-fat content and is made mostly of oil.

Yet, its oil base is what makes it incredibly useful when applied to the hair. Before you recoil at the thought, here's what it can do in terms of hair health.

The truth is that mayonnaise can do absolute wonders for hair health. Generally speaking, mayonnaise is made of oil, eggs, and vinegar, with some added spices such as salt, sugar, and mustard. 

The vegetable oil it contains works as an intense moisturizer and leaves locks softer and silker. With its heavy soybean oil concentration, it can deeply penetrate the hair follicles and strengthen them. This is primarily because mayo contains egg yolks, which are high in protein. Protein treatments for your hair help repair dry, brittle ends. Additionally, the amino acids found in eggs can boost hair growth and help restore thinning tresses, as hair that has compromised growth is often devoid of protein. 

Eggs also contain iron, and a lack of iron can sometimes result in a loss of locks. "Iron is really important for hair growth and hair health," dermatologist Dr. Melissa Piliang tells Cleveland Clinic. "When we see patients who are experiencing hair loss, we often perform labs to screen for iron deficiency. It's not uncommon for us to find iron to be low in women."

The vinegar and/or lemon juice found in mayo can act as an acid rinse. Since hair needs balance in both acidity and pH levels to be properly nourished, adding some extra acid to the hair follicles can help improve texture.

Celebrity hairstylist Paul Labrecque tells Martha Stewart that the skin on the scalp is different from the skin on the rest of the body, "The 'epidermis' on the scalp is thicker than the face and body, but has hair bulbs which generously secrete sebum, the hair's natural protecting agent."

The vinegar found in mayo helps restore hair by acting as a clarifying agent and gently removing built-up residue. It is also thought to work against dandruff and flakes. "Most hair problems are a result of an imbalance of sebum and the scalp's pH," explains Labrecque. "Both, in proper balance, nourish the hair bulb for healthy, thicker hair."