Tried and True Tricks for Stimulating Hair Growth (naturally!)

Hey everyone!

I’ve learned a lot about how to stimulate hair growth due to an issue I had a few years back where my hair was falling out and I didn’t know why.  I looove my hair so this was a devastating issue for me and I was determined to resolve it through natural means.  I went to see a naturopathic doctor and we talked about what could have possibly started the problem.  It turned out that I had switched my birth control pill unknowingly to a higher dosage and it was messing with my hormones.  Hormonal imbalance is often the culprit for hair loss that occurs evenly all over the head- as was the case with me.  Conversely, when hair is falling out in patches or in specific areas of the scalp, it can often be a thyroid issue.  So whether you can identify with this story or not, hair growth and fullness is always welcome so here are several different effective and natural strategies to promote it!

• The first thing you can do every single day as much as you want to promote growth is use a hairbrush with wooden bristles such as this one:

This is something I’ve done for a number of years, even before my issue, but I know it helped me get through it. Natural wooden bristles massage the scalp, increasing circulation, and promoting growth at the cuticle. The bristles also distribute the natural oils of the scalp evenly throughout the hair, preventing build up or clogging of cuticles and removing impurities.

(Bonus: It doesn’t create static electricity!)

Hairbrushes with wooden bristles can be found at Marshalls and T.J. Maxx, most beauty supply stores and online: HERE, HERE, and HERE. (The third link brings you to the one I have) MAKE SURE it’s not just a hairbrush with a wooden handle, but that the bristles are made of wood.

It feels like a lovely massage and you can literally feel it stimulating the scalp.

 

• Next up is an amazing tip I got from my naturopathic doctor: Rosemary oil.

First, rosemary oil is a stimulant and therefore increases circulation to hair follicles and promotes growth.  It is also antibacterial, allowing it to clear any infections (dryness, acne, dandruff) on the scalp that might be triggering hair loss. Lastly, rosemary oil is an anti-inflammatory, which addresses another possible cause of hair loss, inflammation, which can occur on the scalp and is not always obvious to spot.

My doctor suggested that I dilute it with jojoba oil (which is neutral and odorless) before applying to my scalp, but now I like to just drop the rosemary oil directly on.  If the scent bothers you, I suggest you dilute several drops in a couple tablespoons of the jojoba oil.  Some people say that since essential oils are strong, they should be diluted, but I haven’t noticed any issues with applying the rosemary oil directly.

To apply: I apply this oil at night and sleep on it. The object is to get the oil directly onto the scalp and not the hairs. What I do is I part my hair down the middle and I use an eye dropper to drop several drops down the whole part. You don’t have to completely douse your hair- as it is strong.  Three or four drops on each part is plenty. Then I massage it in a bit with my fingers.  I keep parting my hair in different lines across my head and massaging in the oil.  In the end, I massage all over my scalp for a minute and then sleep on it. It doesn’t leave residue on your sheets, and smells nice! It washes out easily in the morning with a normal amount of shampoo.

I’ve seen rosemary oil many times at, you guess it, Marshalls and T.J. Maxx but it is also available in all health food stores.

 

• Vitamins that helped me tremendously:

1. If you know you don’t have a hormonal issue and just want to take a great hair and nails vitamin, Viviscal is great! You can see a complete explanation of their ingredients on their website but basically they contain biotin, vitamin C, iron, and a special ingredient made from horsetail extract and Silica.  (We’ll talk about horsetail in a minute!)

I took these for a long time and definitely felt that they were helping.  But once I had my big issue that was rooted in a hormonal imbalance, I started taking different vitamins that included hormone balancing ingredients as well as biotin and other great nutrients for hair growth.

It is a bit pricey, check out their site, but worth it if you need a boost!

(Also I later saw that many celebrities talk about taking it, which is always interesting info!)

2. As for the vitamins I took with natural hormone balancing properties in addition to hair growth stimulating ingredients, I took DaVinci Hair Effects. (Their website doesn’t mention hormone balancing but my doctor had. However, they are very natural and shouldn’t cause any upset). These only cost around $30 for a 90 day supply on amazon.

• As previously mentioned, Viviscal tablets contain horsetail extract. (Horsetail is a plant known for promoting hair growth among many other benefits). My doctor told me about horsetail tea! Three years later, I still drink it often as it is an easy, healthy, and caffeine free way to promote hair growth. It is quite bland in taste but not bad at all. You can find it very cheaply HERE.

Many of these products I still incorporate frequently into my hair routine. Just about every night before I’m due to wash my hair the next morning I throw in some rosemary oil because, why not? They are all easy, natural and proven to work.  My hair stopped falling out in about two weeks of doing all of these strategies and has grown back to its original thickness.

Hope you guys enjoyed! xoxo

Ciao loves!

Amanda