The level of relaxation you can feel after a good head massage can be immeasurable. A head massage for hair growth helps improve the flexibility of your hair and relieves tension. It not only makes your mind relaxed; with a regular scalp massage, you can address issues like anxiety, stress, and hair growth too.
Blood circulation in your head is a significant benefit of a scalp massage. This is the reason why it is a part of many cultures throughout history. The benefits are not just limited to rejuvenation or relaxation. They are a step that should be included in your hair care routine. A scalp massage helps protect and condition your hair by distributing the natural oils in your hair. It also helps eliminate dead skin cells and sebum, thereby promoting hair growth.
What Is A Head Massage?
Stress has become an integral part of our lives. After a long tiring day, a simple head massage technique helps relax your mind along with increased circulation. It is useful in reducing stress, thereby allowing you to relax. Massaging using your fingertips is how you can typically get a massage done, but with an inclusion of any oil can be added according to preference. There are some devices available that mimic the action of fingertips.
How Does A Scalp Massage Aid In Hair Growth?
Research done in 2016 (1) has shown significant improvement in hair growth with a head massage, which is further proved by a self-assessed study done in 2019 (2). Massaging the scalp helps hair growth when done regularly. It helps stimulate blood circulation, nourishing the roots of your hair. With a scalp massage, the cells in your hair follicles are stretched, which increases the thickness of your hair. This stretching encourages hair growth by dilating blood vessels. Although there is a need for more research in this aspect, the studies available show promising results.
[ Read: Vitamins For Hair Growth ]
How To Massage Your Scalp:
A scalp massage can be extremely relaxing, and it can be done in the comfort of your home too. Here is a list of scalp massage techniques for hair growth you can adapt:
1. Traditional Scalp Massage:
Utilizing your fingertips is the key feature of getting a traditional scalp massage. You can either do it yourself in your home or consult a professional for a much more therapeutical experience. The duration of the massage plays an essential role in determining the cost of the massage if you are visiting a massage therapist. This is one of the best ways to massage the scalp for hair growth.
Procedure:
- You must apply light to medium pressure with your fingertips on your scalp.
- Massage your head, moving your fingertips in circles.
- Slowly cover all the areas of your head evenly.
- Perform this routine as many times as possible in a day for five minutes.
2. Massage With Essential Oils:
Essential oils have a prominent place in providing beneficial effects for several health issues. They have been in use for decades in alternative medicines and are gaining prominence rapidly. Although essential oils can be used for daily head massage for hair growth (3)(4), it is necessary to make sure you are not allergic to the oil picked out. Here is a list of the essential oils you can use:
- Lavender oil.
- Peppermint oil.
- Cedarwood oil.
- Rosemary oil.
- Thyme oil.
- Lemongrass oil.
- Clary sage oil.
- Tea tree oil.
Procedure:
- Take a small bowl and add one to two drops of essential oil of your choice and mix it with a spoonful of coconut oil as a carrier.
- Mix both the oils well.
- Apply the mixture to your scalp and stroke your scalp with your fingertips circularly.
- Spread the oil evenly all around your head.
Caution: Make sure you are not allergic to the essential oil you picked out by doing a patch test before applying it on your scalp.
[ Read: Natural Remedies For Hair Growth ]
3. Massage With Brushes And Tools:
Although many people recommend manual usage of fingertips for a massage, using a brush or tool during a scalp massage can stimulate blood flow, which results in hair growth effectively. These tools or brushes nourish your hair with all the necessary nutrients from the roots. The procedure is much similar to a traditional massage technique; the only difference being your fingertips are replaced with a scalp massager brush.
4. Massage While Washing:
This is one of the best head massage techniques to promote hair growth, as you can include it into your daily routine without spending an extra minute. A scalp massage during a shower can be beneficial and time-saving too.
Procedure:
- Once you wash your hair, apply the shampoo of your choice, and gently massage your scalp circularly.
- Continue the process for at least five minutes.
- Wash your hair off thoroughly.
- You can repeat a similar procedure by using a conditioner too.
Additional Care To Be Taken For Hair Growth:
Along with a good scalp massage, you can effectively take care of your hair by following these simple tips:
- Try taking nutritional supplements if you have any deficiencies once you consult your doctor. Hair loss can be a result of fewer amounts of biotin, iron, and zinc.
- Avoid using hair products that are filled with chemicals as they can cause breakage in your hair.
- Consult a doctor if you are losing hair more than usual to see if there is an underlying condition like a thyroid problem.
- Include foods with zinc, vitamin D, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin C, that promote hair growth.
- Be gentle while you brush your hair.
- Try to reduce the usage of tools that may damage your hair, such as hot straighteners.
- Hot water can damage your hair by stripping away its natural oils; hence try to wash your hair with cold water.
- Inflammed follicles can be the result of tying up your hair too often. So leave your hair free.
Final Thoughts:
Although there is no sure-shot evidence that shows massage can cure hair loss, many pieces of research show an improvement in hair growth with the help of a good scalp massage. With the tips and techniques provided in this article, head massage for hair growth can be beneficial and relaxing. Make sure to consult a doctor if your hair loss is persistent even after using these massaging techniques.
[ Read: Exercises For Hair Growth ]
FAQ:
1. How frequently do you need to perform a head massage for hair growth?
Including a head massage into your daily routine for as long as possible can be very useful in hair growth. Although you can massage your scalp whenever you like to relax and stay stress-free, it is recommended to use scalp massage at least three times a day for five minutes.
2. Is there a possibility of hair loss with a head massage?
Every human loses 100 hairs per day on average. Still, there is no possibility of head massage causing hair loss unless there is an underlying health condition causing the hair to fall.
3. How necessary is a head massage for hair growth?
Massage is a necessary step that makes your scalp supple by getting rid of its stiffness. It helps promote oxygenation of the hair with the help of vascularisation that results in a flexible scalp. Hence, head massage is a mandatory step that encourages hair growth and many other additional benefits.
