Everyone wants to have great hair, and growing it healthy is the
basic step stone for it. The importance of a healthy diet and good
hygiene is more than well documented, but people still look for other
tricks and shortcuts to get the locks they always wanted. Enters the inversion method for hair growth.
What is the inversion method for hair growth
Many hair growth shampoos and treatments are designed to increase the
blood flow on the scalp to provide more oxygen and nutrients to the
cells. If your scalp and skin cells are robust and healthy the hair will
naturally grow faster and stronger.
The inversion method for hair growth is based on this premise too.
You must turn your hair upside down so the blood flows naturally to
your scalp, massage it for about 4 minutes to ensure a better blood flow
and that is it. You can also use an oil to add a nutritive side to the
massage, such as coconut, jojoba, olive or castor oil.
There is no consensus regarding the essential oil. Likewise, there isn’t an agreement on the frequency you should be doing this method.
Some people advise a daily massage while others suggest that the scalp
could get used to it and believe one full week once a month is enough.
Does it work? What does science say?
Science hasn’t studied the inversion method for hair growth per se. However, early research performed with mice seems to indicate that an increased blood flow on the scalp can indeed promote a faster growth.
The closest indication that this method may have some effect over the hair comes from a 2016 Japanese study. In it, 9 healthy men received a head massage of 4 minutes every day for 24 weeks to stimulate the scalp and the subcutaneous tissue.
After the 24 weeks, the subjects presented thicker and stronger hair but there were no changes in the growth rate compared to individuals who did not receive the massage.
This could indicate that the inversion method does not work to increase hair growth but rather creates that impression by increasing hair thickness and overall volume.
Are there side effects to the inversion method?
The possible side-effects of this method depend on your overall health.
Since it heavily increases the blood flow on the head, do not attempt this method if you have any of the following conditions:
- Low or high blood pressure
- Cardiovascular (heart and circulatory) problems
- Glaucoma
- Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
- Detached retina
- Ear infection
- Spinal injury
- Osteoporosis and any bone fracture.
Pregnant and menstruating women should also avoid this method, the latter only when they are having their periods.
Likewise, if you feel dizzy or nauseous while holding your head
upside down, just stop and slowly return your head to its natural
position. Don’t try to push it because those symptoms are your body
telling you to abort the mission right way.
How to stimulate hair growth
Even if the inversion method doesn’t work as well as promised, its principle is still valid.
Instead of turning your hair upside down, you can perform a simple massage with essential oils that promote hair growth. While the movement will help your locks grow thicker, the essential oils will work their magic to increase the growing speed.
Increasing the intake of vitamins that have a direct role in hair growth can help too:
- Vitamin A – spinach, pumpkins, carrots, sweet potatoes
- Biotin – egg yolk, liver and meats, salmon, cauliflower
- Vitamin C – citrus fruits, guava, papayas, lychees
- Vitamin D – sardines, salmon, shrimp, egg yolk, oysters
- Vitamin E – spinach, broccoli, avocados, almonds, sunflower seeds
Try to also sleep more hours and reduce your overall stress and anxiety.
When your body is strained it produces hormones that disrupt the hair’s
growth cycle. Digestion and nutrient absorption is also conditioned by
stress and tension which means your locks won’t be receiving the
nutrients they need.