Let’s talk about your vascular plexus. Did you know that each follicle on your head is enveloped and fed by a network of tiny blood vessels? These capillaries are responsible for delivering vital nutrients and oxygen to your hair bulb.
Good scalp circulation is critical to healthy hair.
If you are experiencing hair loss, weak hair, dull hair, dry hair, decreased volume, or scalp problems, you may not be getting the circulation your hair and scalp needs for optimal function.
A healthy flow of blood to your follicle ensures that your hair is getting the nutrition it needs and helps to extend the anagen phase of the hair, making hair grow longer and stronger.
A lack of circulation to a follicle causes it to shrink over time and eventually shut down into a dormant follicle - yikes!
Of course, we’re not one to raise an issue without having an action plan at the ready:
5 WAYS TO INCREASE CIRCULATION TO YOUR HAIR AND SCALP
- INVERSION THERAPY
Literally hanging your head upside-down until you feel the blood rushing in your scalp. There are some classic yoga moves to achieve this; Downward dog Shoulder stand and Standing Forward position. Alternatively, you can lie across your bed and hang your head over the edge.
- STIMULANTS
Topical stimulants work a treat when it comes to increased scalp circulation. We’re already familiar with some of these ingredients on our dinner plate, as additives in haircare these ingredients fight the good fight for healthy scalps, and you can feel it. It’s a spicy feeling, whether it be mint, pepper, or caffeine. It’s called parathesis and it’s the tingling-cold-hot feeling you get when you use a hair product formulated to stimulate blood flow in your scalp.
With Camphor Bark oil and Black Pepper to stimulate blood flow
With Peppermint Oil, known for its refreshing and cooling properties
With Australian Rivermint and Peppermint Oil deeply cleanse with a cooling effect
With Witchhazel and Teatree to purify the hair and scalp
- DRY BRUSHING
Activate your capillary muscles with a good session of dry brushing. Pick a hairbrush with good stiffish bristles to penetrate to your scalp. To help things along throw your head upside down and brush UPWARDS from the nape and ears. Also good for exfoliating dead skin cells and product build-up from the follicle. Do this before you jump in the shower for your wash routine.
- MASSAGE
Massage is an effective treatment to increase scalp circulation. It provides instant relief for a constricted scalp – dilating capillaries and increasing blood flow to the hair root. While massage won’t increase the number of hairs on your head studies show that the thickness and heath of each strand can improve dramatically over time.
Let’s start at the base of the neck – slide your fingers into your hair and use the pads of your thumbs to massage your neck in slow, small circular movements.
Switch the pressure to your fingertips and work them in slow circular movements up towards your crown.
Change up your starting point, switch between, nape, temples, and the centre of your forehead, working in small circular motions towards your crown.
- DIET
Flavinoids – Derived from plants, flavonoids are an active ingredient known to promote hair growth and scalp circulation without side effects.
Some of the best sources of flavonoids in diet include; red peppers, dark chocolate, red wine, green tea, red cabbage and berries of course (Ribena anyone?).
Science is handing us full permission to relax on the couch tonight with a bar of chilli chocolate and a glass of red wine.
Cayenne Pepper deserves a special mention as it contains capsaicin, a circulation enhancing photochemical compound that helps blood flow by expanding your blood vessels. Add it to your next cacao smoothie for a delicious kick.
BONUS: ONION JUICE
In our research we came across this recipe for a raw onion juice scalp bath, an age old remedy to promote circulation to the scalp. Seems like it might be a bit smelly but here we go:
Peel an onion or two and grind them in a blender. Extract the onion juice, leaving aside the pulp. Apply this extracted juice on the scalp and leave it on for 30 minutes. Wash off with a gentle shampoo.
