I suffered hair loss from polycystic ovary syndrome, but this $27 hair oil helped regrow my hair in one month

• Like many Indian women, I've been massaging coconut oil into my scalp regularly since I can remember for healthy, shiny hair.
• But since I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome two years ago, I've experienced massive amounts of hair loss and breakage. Traditional coconut oil wasn't cutting it.
• After decades of the same hair routine, I started using Cira Nourishing Hair Oil ($27) at least once a week. It's formulated with natural oils and herbs based on the principles of Ayurveda, the holistic Indian practice.
• Not only did I grow a whole new layer of hair at the crown of my head, but my hair is also smoother, so I can spend less time on styling.

I remember being a kid in India and sitting on my grandmother's lap while she massaged coconut oil into my entire body. It's common practice among Indians, and by the end of it, everything from my hair to my toes was soft like butter and enveloped in the sweet smell of coconut.

As a seven-year-old, I had beautiful, thick, voluminous hair, but it's gone through many phases since then. My straight and thick hair turned into coarse, bouncy waves around my teen years, and in my mid-20s, a polycystic ovary syndrome diagnosis brought along with it super straight, brittle hair that would break every time I'd my fingers through it.

I can't blame everything on PCOS though because I've spent years heat styling and dyeing my hair. My pre-shampoo coconut oil ritual had always been enough to keep my hair looking and feeling healthy so I didn't notice how bad my hair loss had gotten until I went home to my visit my family for a weekend and my mom pointed it out. She handed me a bottle of Cira Nourishing Hair Oil ($27) that a friend had gifted her and I used it that night.

My experience using Cira Natural Organic Nourishing Hair Oil

Well, before I even used the Cira oil actually, I noticed the packaging. Hair oils can be messy, but this one comes in an easy-to-use squeeze bottle, and the oil itself is thick, making it even less messy to use. The consistency is between olive oil and jelly.

I rubbed about two tablespoons between the palms of my hand and massaged it into my scalp. I used it religiously twice a week for one month, though admittedly, I have now gone down to using the oil just once a week out of sheer laziness.

When using the oil, I'll specifically focus on the areas around my hairline because that's where the thinning was most obvious for me. It doesn't feel greasy or sticky; my scalp seems to drink it up pretty quickly. After massaging it into my scalp for a couple of minutes, I'll take whatever is left and put it on my ends. I'm not ashamed to admit that sometimes, I'll even go out and run errands with the oil still in my hair because it barely looks like it's there.

After that one-month mark, I was at the gym putting my hair in a ponytail when I noticed that I was having difficulty getting all my hair in the elastic. I looked closer only to realize I had a whole new layer of hair growing around the back of my head. Now, about six months later, that layer is about the length of the rest of my hair.

I'd tried a ton of different hair masks, but my hair would only look super healthy the first day I used it. I'd often wake up the next day to my hair looking dried out, so I'd pull it in a ponytail or bun. I also used to feel the need to do an at-home blowout or curl my hair every day to make my hair look thicker, but now, I'll do a quick blow dry once I'm out of the shower and my hair will look just as healthy and full on third-day hair as it did right after heat styling.

My roots also have more volume and the ends look healthy. For the first time in about a year, I can run my hands through my hair without worrying I'll be pulling out a ball of hair.

Read more: 14 products to try if you're worried about hair loss

The benefits of oils

Oils are an integral part of many Indian women's beauty routines, though an appreciation for them is beginning to become more mainstream. Dermatologist Dr. Manjula Jegasothy, who remembers her own mom using coconut oil on her, recommends doing it twice a week and that's exactly what I (try my best to) do.

Accordingly to Dr. Jegasothy, as you age, your hair will naturally start to thin out. Hair follicles will grow smaller, making hair thinner, so if you want to get to the (literal and metaphorical) root of thinning hair, focus on the follicle. That's why it's important to use hair oils on the scalp itself, unlike hair masks in which you'd focus on the mid-shaft to ends of your hair.

To anyone new to oils, the idea of ending up with greasy hair might be terrifying. But whether you have a dry, oily, or sensitive scalp, you can treat your hair to the love it needs more than a traditional conditioner or mask can without weighing it down or making it oily with the right ingredients.

Rose is considered one of the most highly-respected ingredients in Ayurveda, so its inclusion in Cira's oil isn't just for the heavenly scent. "Rose helps promote production of the growth factors in the scalp which helps the hair follicles to not age as quickly. Rosehip has a lot of functions, but here, it's acting as an antioxidant," says Dr. Jegasothy.

The formula also uses peppermint oil, which is antibacterial and antifungal, so it's great for those who want to treat dandruff without the tingling sensation that some anti-dandruff shampoos can have. Personally, I don't love the scent of peppermint, but I couldn't smell it at all when using the oil - I was surprised to see it even on the ingredient list.

Rosehip aids in the size of the hair follicle and peppermint helps with irritating dandruff, but it's the castor oil and coconut oil that Jegasothy calls out specifically: "Castor and coconut oils nourish the hair follicles and help them to grow more healthy, terminal hair." While rosehip helps to open up the follicle, the castor and coconut oils ensure that the new hair growing in is healthy. Jegasothy also suggests that these oils are the reason I saw results so quickly, though results will vary depending on each person's unique hair structure and level of thinning.

The bottom line

Like I said, results will vary and some people might not see dramatic results like I did. But for those who are willing to give it a shot, I highly recommend this oil. My hair is thicker than it's ever been and is all around healthier too. There are other things I've added and taken out from my hair routine to make it feel healthier so this oil isn't the only thing I'm using, but it does deserve the biggest call-out for providing the most immediate and striking results.

I'm already planning on gifting several bottles of this mother-approved oil on my next family trip to India.

Buy the Cira Natural Organic Nourishing Hair Oil on Amazon, $27

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