Scalp Massage Improves Blood Flow
Fortunately, scalp massage can improve blood flow to the scalp . The massage dilates the blood vessels that lie near the surface of the skin. This increases the rate of blood flow in the area.
Massage also promotes the local release of histamines and other endogenous substances that are vasoactive. In other words, they affect the blood vessels by increasing their diameter. These vasoactive effects are more pronounced with a strong, forceful massage.
How Do You Use A Scalp Massager
Now that you know scalp massagers are the move for a healthy scalp, you’re probably wondering how long and how often you should use one. There aren’t any hard and fast rules when it comes to the length of your massage sesh, but Dr. Fusco suggests a solid three minutes if you’re working with dry hair. If you’re massaging your scalp in the shower or while shampooing, Blaisure says you should aim for one to two minutes. No matter how long your scalp massage is, though, there’s one golden rule: Always use light to medium pressure with a scalp massageranything rougher can irritate your skin.
Want to level up your scalp massage? Dr. Fusco suggests adding a hair oil to your dry scalp massage to help hydrate your hair and soothe your scalp. Aromatherapy hair oilwith something like lavenderwill boost the calming effects of a scalp massage, says Dr. Fusco. How often you use your scalp massager depends entirely on your lifestyle, BTWlazy folks like me can get away with once a week, but there’s no reason why you can’t use one every couple days.
Best For Dandruff: Zyllion Hair Shampoo Brush And Scalp Massager
What You’ll Love: This budget-friendly scalp massager eliminates dandruff with its dual wide-set bristles sizes, which are pointed and flat to simultaneously loosen up dead skin cells and stimulate blood flow for healthy turnover and a deeper cleanse. Its contoured handle encourages a steady grip so you can achieve the perfect pressure for your massage.
Customers Say: “This thing scrubs away product buildup and dandruff like nobody’s business,” , followed by another reviewer that wrote, “I have very slow-growing hair and I believe stimulating my scalp with this massager to increase blood flow has helped it get lusher and thicker in the last few months.”
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Best For Natural Hair: Comfier Cordless Electric Hair Scalp Massager
What You’ll Love: This innovative electric scalp massager has four massage heads that are equipped with 21 individual nodes, made from gentle silicone, for deep, thorough exfoliation. The heads rotate in clockwise and counterclockwise directions to better stimulate circulation for hair growth and offer four speed and rhythm settings for customizable massage. This pick is waterproof and can also be used as a portable back, neck, or shoulder massager.
Customers Say: “In three weeks, I have already seen growth and I believe this product has been a major factor,” one reviewer with natural hair said. Another noted, “The tips feel like a soft but firm silicone and you can apply your own amount of pressure, which I like. My hair is natural and I thought this would get tangled up in my hair, but it didn’t.”
Study Shows Daily Massages Produce Thicker Strands
In 2016, a Japanese study involving nine men who received four-minute daily massages for six months took place.
Papillae cells, situated at the base of the follicle, are crucial for hair formation and growth. Study researchers believed that using mechanical force to stimulate these dermal papillae cells would cause follicles to produce thicker strands.
When the study ended, the researchers concluded the men had thicker hair than when they started.
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The 5 Benefits Of Scalp Massage
Hair wellness starts with a healthy scalp. And giving yourself a scalp massage is a simple way to kick-start your journey to your best strands yet. Apart from feeling amazing, adding head massage either with your hands or with a hand-held scalp massager to your wash day routine creates a load of benefits well beyond simply promoting healthy hair.
Find out why you should add scalp massages to your routine, plus what products to pair it with to encourage thicker, fuller hair.
Which Essentials Oils To Use For A Scalp Massage
Using essential oils can help to increase the effectiveness of your scalp massage for hair growth, as not only do they help your hands to slide around more smoothly without pulling and putting extra pressure on the hair and scalp, certain oils also have certain benefits for different hair typesincluding stimulating growth.
We asked essential oil expert at Bio-Scents, Emilie de Block, which essential oils we should use when practising scalp massage for hair growth.
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Does Massaging Scalp Increase Hair Growth
Does Massaging Scalp Increase Hair Growth? If youve ever had a scalp massage, youll recall how relaxing it is. Scalp massages have also been suggested as a way to promote hair growth while also relieving stress and tension. Is this just a hypothesis, or does a scalp massage have additional benefits?
Although there is no evidence to support this hypothesis, depending on your hair growth needs, it may have some merit. In this article, well look at the scientific evidence concerning scalp massage and hair growth. If youre looking for more hair growth advice, weve got you covered.
Scalp Massage For Hair Growth: Ultimate Guide
- Medically reviewed by: Debra Rose Wilson, PhD MSN RN IBCLC AHN-BC CHT
Men and women with hair loss are increasingly turning to scalp massage as a treatment. It is easy, effective, free of side effects, and can be combined with any other treatment. If you are interested in learning more about how scalp massage can help you regrow hair, you are at the right place.
You will learn:
- How and why it promotes hair growth.
- Results you can expect.
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Do Scalp Massages Work For All Hair Types
Whether your hair is fine or thick, straight or curly, or dry or oily, you can benefit from scalp massages. Youll simply need to tailor the products to use based on your hair type and concerns. For example, someone with thicker, coarser hair might benefits from an electric scalp massager, while someone with fine hair might prefer just using their hands.
However, Keiko warns that people with hair extensions should avoid scalp treatments until theyre taken out.
Further, if you suspect that deeper issues are at play , discuss your options with a dermatologist or trichologist.
Proven Effective Methods For Hair Growth
Scalp massage is great for relaxing and all, but if you are looking for some serious treatments to deal with hair loss and hair thinning, might we suggest checking out PRP, also known as Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy. PRP uses the plasma from your own blood to stimulate hair growth up to 80% naturally and effectively provided there are live hair follicles in the scalp still. PRP is affordable, effective and natural, with minimal downtime, minimal pain and invasiveness but with outstanding results. In addition to PRP, there is another helpful treatment that supports hair growth known as Mesotherapy, this is when a powerful cocktail of vitamins is used to nourish the scalp and help achieve the best hair restoration solutions naturally, easily, painlessly and affordably.
A happy client of CADMEN Clinic who received PRP Hair Therapy with us
To learn more about the variety of options available to you at CADMEN Clinic, and to learn more about Mesotherapy and PRP, you can visit our website.
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When You Should Go See Your Derm
While scalp massage might help you reduce stress, if you’re losing hair, you should really go ahead and book an appointment with a dermatologist ASAP. “Hair loss does not have a one-size-fits-all solution,” says Dr. Feely. That’s because the root cause of hair loss is different for each person.
“Hair loss may be due to hormonal causes, but it may also be a sign of an underlying medical disorder, including thyroid disease, anemia, lupus, or syphilis,” says Dr. Feely. “It can also be secondary to particular medications that you take for other medical issues. And it may be due to certain hair styling practices, or related to a recent pregnancy, illness, or a life stressor.” (
Benefits Of A Scalp Massage For Natural Hair Growth
The benefits of scalp massage for hair growth are basically tied to hair follicles where hair growth begins. Hair follicles are found right beneath your scalp.
While there havent been many studies to support this fact, it is indeed true that regular scalp massage stretches the hair follicles, allowing hair to grow thicker.
Scalp massage also improves blood circulation to the scalp. With increased blood circulation, there is similarly an increase in the amount of oxygen and nutrients that reach the scalp, all of which are necessary for promoting strong and healthy hair.
In addition, regularly massaging your scalp encourages the blood vessels on your scalp to dilate to facilitate fast hair growth. When you combine the use of oils and scalp massage, you help stimulate the follicles and the roots of your hair, making your hair grow even stronger and healthier.
Lastly, a scalp massage is relaxing and soothing, and when done right before bedtime, it can help you fall asleep quickly. We all know how powerful a good nights sleep is to our productivity.
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How To Do A Scalp Massage For The Fastest Hair Growth
You dont have to book an appointment or leave your house to get a massage. All that you need is to use your fingertips or a scalp brush to give yourself a massage.
There are a few ways to give yourself a massage. Each method stimulates hair growth, so its all about personal preference. You should enjoy the experience, so experiment with different ways of doing it.
Some people do it in the shower, massaging shampoo into their scalp. Other people do it after conditioning, detangling their hair as they go along. Those arent the only ways to do it, though, because some people do it before they shampoo to promote circulation as they cleanse their scalp.
What Is The Best Scalp Massager
Alright, so there isn’t exactly any scientific evidence that a scalp massager can make your hair grow, but if you’re still down to try one , you’ll need to keep a few things in mind before you start shopping. A word of caution from Dr. Fusco: Look for scalp massagers that are gentle and have some science behind them .
“The Queenwill Scalp Massager is one of the more popular ones on the market, since it helps relieve tension, boost circulation to the scalp, and improve sleep,” says Dr. Fusco. “I suggest the Maxsoft Scalp Care Brush for people who want to use a scalp massager in the showerit’s a great exfoliator.”
If you’re after a more ~relaxing~ experience, Mahshid Baghaei, colorist at Mizu Louis Licari salon in New York, suggests Homedics Happy Head Massager. “With its vibration feature, you can sit back and take all the stress awayit even relaxes your neck and forehead too,” she says. Another favorite of Baghaei’s? The Zyllion Scalp Massager Dandruff Brush, which she says is “exquisite” if you suffer from dandruff.
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How Can Scalp Massage Stimulate Hair Growth
The most significant gain you stand to enjoy from scalp massage therapy is hair growth. However, many people seem to raise one or two eyebrows about this fact.
Nevertheless, countless scientific research and renowned hair care experts have validated this claim.
For instance, According to Raechele Cochran Gathers, a hair expert: Beautiful and full hair is dependent on factors such as good diet, blood circulation, supple and healthy scalp. .
So the argument is that when you get a regular scalp massage, it will increase blood flow to your head area. And this brings in more nutrients and oxygen to the scalp region.
Plus, this is a good thing for those persons with a tense scalp, as tension in the muscles can stop the proper flow of blood to the scalp.
Furthermore, a study conducted in 2016 involving a small number of men being scalp massaged 4 minutes each day. At the studys conclusion, it was discovered that there was an increase in the thickness of the mens hair.
Also, in a 2019 study, 300 participants were made to follow a specific massage regimen. As a result, investigators found an improved hair thickness in almost 70% of the participants.
Can You Massage Your Scalp Every Day
If you are not pushed for time, you can massage your scalp every day. The key thing here is to do scalp massaging the right way. Otherwise, massaging your scalp every day the wrong way is the quickest way to losing your hair.
The only challenge that comes from massaging your scalp every day is oil build-up on your scalp, which will quickly attract dirt to your hair. If you are going to use oil every day, consider rinsing it off if you are in a position to do so. The other alternative is to opt not to use oil on some days and use your scalps own natural oil.
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Scalp Massage Can Halt Hair Loss
Scalp massage was found to be effective in stopping or partially reversing hair loss. The effects were dose-dependent. Participants who massaged the most minutes daily tended to report the best results. Similarly for those who massaged over longer time periods. Massaging for many months gave better results compared to a few weeks.
Participants reported their self-assessment of their hair loss on a scale from -2 to +2. Negative values were for further hair loss, with -2 being the worst. Zero was unchanged hair and positive values were for new hair growth, with 2 being the best.
The graph below shows the results. Each dot is one participant. The vertical axis is the self-reported results. The horizontal axis is the total number of hours invested in scalp massages . The dashed line is the statistical trend line. Its upward shape suggests more massage leads to better results.
On average, it took a total of 36 hours of massage to start seeing new hair. This total was accumulated over a few months of massage, typically between four and five. Diffuse hair loss responded to treatment better.
A limitation of the study is that the data are self-reports. Future studies that directly observe patients will be able to corroborate these results.
How Does A Scalp Massage Work
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A scalp massage is extremely relaxing. It involves applying gentle pressure on the scalp with the fingertips. A scalp massage may promote hair growth in the following ways:
- Improves Blood Circulation
Scalp massages stimulate the skin appendages, blood vessels, and nerves and improve blood flow to the skin. The improved blood flow may promote hair growth. A study found that scalp massage could improve hair thickness .
- Stretches The Scalp Skin
Massage stretches the scalp skin. This stretching changes the gene expression, especially in hair cycle-related genes like IL6, IL6ST, BMP4, NOGGIN, and SMAD4, and promotes hair growth. Stretching is also found to stimulate Wnt signaling in the hair follicles and accelerate the anagen phase .
Another survey found that scalp massages stimulated hair thickness in men with androgenic alopecia. About 6.89% of the participants reported hair growth stabilization after six months of regular scalp massage . However, further studies and clinical trials are required to establish the effects of scalp massages.
Scalp massages have several other benefits. Lets take a look.
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Likeihood Of Natural Healing
Improves the likelihood of natural healing: This is related to blood flow once more. Your wounds healing response is linked to the blood cells and nutrients that arrive in the region. As a result, if the circulation in a part of the body is sluggish, it can take longer to recover. Reduces pain and discomfort: If your scalp tension is accompanied by pain in the area, daily massages can help. Perfect Hair Transplant
What The Research Says About Scalp Massage For Hair Growth
First, you should know that while research does exist on these massagers, it’s still pretty slim. In one study, a total of nine Japanese men used a device for four minutes a day for six months. At the end of that time, they did not see any increase in the rate of hair growth, although they did see an increase in hair thickness.
“The researchers hypothesized that this occurred because the device caused stretching forces on the skin that then activated certain genes related to hair growth and down-regulated other genes related to hair loss,” says Rajani Katta, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and author of GLOW: The Dermatologist’s Guide to a Whole Foods, Younger Skin Diet. “This is interesting, but it’s hard to draw any wide-ranging conclusions from nine patients.”
And a 2019 study published in the journal Dermatology and Therapy found that 69 percent of men with alopecia reported scalp massages improved thickness and hair growth or at least that their hair loss plateaued, says Dr. Feely. Researchers instructed the men to do 20-minute massages twice a day and tracked them for a year. The massages included pressing, stretching, and pinching the scalp, with the idea being that soft tissue manipulation may activate wound-healing and skin stem cells to promote growth.
But there aren’t any studies that include women, most likely because female hair loss is more complicated and difficult than male hair loss. Womp-womp.
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