If you are a fan of natural remedies for hair, you must have come across the idea of applying egg, both yolk and white, to your hair. You may have even tried it. People have been applying eggs to their hair for at least a hundred years, and it definitely does something good for most people.

But sometimes, apparently beneficial things also have side effects. In some cases, certain ingredients may just not be good for your hair. In other cases, the side effects show up after a long time.

Today we'll explore what these side effects are and what you can do about them.

Table of Contents:

• Applying Eggs to Hair Is Messy — and Is It Worth All the Trouble?
• Salmonella Infection
• You Might Be Allergic to Eggs
• Problems of Applying Eggs to Hair
• Raw Eggs Can Make Your Hair Greasy

Applying Eggs to Hair Is Messy — and Is It Worth All the Trouble?

While it's understandable that egg yolks offer some benefits, it's nothing that you can't get from other haircare ingredients. A Moroccan argan oil hair mask, for example, can offer all the benefits of eggs and more. The difference is that you do not have to go through the ordeal of applying a hair mask. The same cannot be said for eggs.

Applying eggs to hair is messy, to put it in simple words. Egg yolk is extremely runny, and the slippery texture of egg white doesn't help at all. For the first few times at least, egg yolk and white would be running all over your face and body. It's generally not a very pleasant experience.

Eggs also stink. Not everyone can take the odor of raw eggs, especially when it's running all over your face. The smell of raw eggs alone is enough to dissuade a lot of people from applying eggs to hair.

It would have made sense to get yourself through these hassles if eggs offered something miraculous. But it doesn't. It does have some benefits, but so does coconut oil, aloe vera, turmeric, Himalayan rose, and thousands of other ingredients.

When you do not have a lot of time, applying eggs to hair is out of the question.

It's not a definite side effect, but it's a factor that contributes to the negatives of applying eggs to hair.

• Salmonella Infection

Salmonella infection is a real problem, unlike the general messiness of applying raw eggs to hair. But salmonella infection and applying eggs are related only because the process gets so out of hand. It's not uncommon for a tiny bit of egg yolk or white to get into your mouth, and that can directly cause salmonella infection.

Salmonella bacteria (salmonellosis) is a bacterium that lives in human and animal intestines. It goes out through the excretory system and does not generally bother people. These bacteria are also present in egg yolks. When you cook it under high temperatures, it dies, so there's no problem eating it. But when you are applying raw egg yolk to your hair, the bacteria are alive.

Salmonella infection causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. It's one of the major side effects of applying raw eggs to hair.

• You Might Be Allergic to Eggs

We are not always aware of our allergies and what triggers them. Particularly if you don't come in contact with your triggers often. Most people do not deal with raw eggs on a daily basis.

When you are exposed to raw eggs for the first time, you might develop an allergy. Allergies can be mild, but also severe. Before you apply anything to your hair or skin, always do a patch test.

The first time applying raw eggs to hair, if done without a patch test, can be very unpleasant for you. There's no point risking it at all when there are much better alternatives available that do not have cramp-causing bacteria and nauseous smell.

Problems of Applying Eggs to Hair

If you apply eggs to your hair and forget to wash it off in time, you are in for some trouble. The raw eggs start drying up when left for too long and stick to your hair and scalp. Taking it off will be time-consuming and painful, and you'll lose some hair in the process.

Raw eggs on hair may not be the best idea for fans of warm showers. If the water is too warm, the egg will actually start cooking on your head. The last thing anyone would want is to fry eggs over their scalp with hot water. Even pleasant warm water can cook eggs, at least partially.

If the egg starts cooking, it'll do more harm than good. It'll also be significantly more difficult to remove the semi-cooked eggs from your hair and scalp.

• Raw Eggs Can Make Your Hair Greasy

Raw eggs by themselves are generally not bad for hair. It's more about all the inconveniences that surround the process of applying raw eggs to the hair. However, there's one side effect of raw eggs that's all about its effect on hair. Eggs can make your hair greasy, particularly if you already have an oily scalp and are overdoing raw eggs.

If you decide to go for raw eggs in your hair nonetheless, make sure you keep everything you’ve just learned in mind.

Explore the WOW website for expert advice how to treat your hair and skin.