There are a lot of angles to hair loss and thinning, just as there are a lot of different types of hair loss. I wrote a previous blog post on the different hair loss types, their causes and best course of natural treatments. Check it out for a more in-depth (i.e., long) look into the more holistic approaches to the different hair loss types.
In this post I will focus more specifically on the hands-on, practical hair growth DIY ingredient application and tips – the things that have been proven to work in general for hair regrowth.
These will be useful whether you’re struggling with hair loss and hair thinning, or you just want to boost your natural hair growth rate.
They’re also perfect for that typical fall season hair shedding most people go through and a great way to reset your scalp after the summer.
How to stimulate hair growth naturally
There are basically two ways to boost hair growth naturally – through nutrition and physical stimulation.
Nutrition will include upping mineral, vitamin, and general nutrient intake to feed the hair follicles, stimulating the quality and hair growth rate. But it would also include eliminating inflammatory foods that may be causing poor nutrient absorption and even autoimmune reactions that might directly lead to hair loss.
Like I mentioned, check out my post on hair loss types to get a better view of the most important nutrients for healthy hair growth.
Physical stimulation usually involves scalp massaging that can be done simply using your fingertips on a dry scalp, or with the use of oils, assorted plant extracts or juices. Physical scalp stimulation can also be helped along by using certain stimulating tools, like a dermaroller.
Ideally you would be using both methods to stimulate healthier and stronger hair growth, since excessive hair loss and thinning many times have root causes that respond well to diet and lifestyle changes.
However, any type of physical scalp stimulation will help, due to the simple fact that it increases blood flow and, therefore, oxygen and nutrient delivery to the hair follicle.
So on that note, let’s get to the specifics.
Related content: The Best Natural Hair Loss Treatments By Hair Loss Type!
Basic hair growth DIY scalp massage guidelines
These are the basic guidelines for any effective scalp massage:
- use the balls of your fingertips and NOT your fingernails
- don’t rub your scalp – instead place your fingertips on the scalp and, without lifting them from your head, make circular motions for about 1 minute
- do that for the top, the sides, and the back of your head
- to increase blood flow even more, bend over and do this massage with your head upside down.
This is the gentlest and most effective way to massage your scalp. You can do it whenever you’re massaging with any hair growth DIY recipes, or on its own, on a dry scalp.
Related content: Why You DON’T Need Gua Sha (And How To Hack It!)
Best carrier oils for hair growth DIYs
You can use pretty much any type of cold-pressed oil as a hair mask or scalp massage – all will nourish the hair follicles and boost healthy hair grown.
Depending on the properties of the seed or nut the oil is derived from, and of its particular nutritional profile, some will be more effective for hair growth than others. Also, some will be more suited to oily hair, others to dry hair, etc., etc.
It’s important to choose cold-pressed oils because they maintain a complete nutritional profile, not filtering out anything or losing properties by being exposed to heat or chemical solvents.
It’s also highly recommended that it’d be organic because non-organic versions will be tainted with toxins that would be too readily absorbed by the scalp (it’s one of the more porous parts of the body).
These massage oils are also called carrier oils, because they can be used to dilute potent plant extracts like essential oils.
So, what carrier oils should you use in your hair growth DIY recipes?
Below are the carrier oils that have been shown to specifically improve hair density and boost hair growth:
- Castor oil (*) – very slow absorption
- Coconut oil (*) – slow absorption
- Olive oil (*) – slow absorption
- Sunflower oil (*) – slow absorption
- Pumpkin seed oil (*) – average absorption
- Grapeseed oil (*) – fast absorption
You can pick just one as a base for your mask, or you can combine them.
In the case of castor oil, you should definitely use it combined with another carrier oil, because it’s very viscous, so it makes it harder to work with on its own.
Slow and very slow absorption oils will feel greasier, which in the case of hair masks and scalp massages isn’t really a turn-off (you’re gonna wash it off anyway), but it’s something to consider if you have fine hair that gets weighted down easily. But play around with it and give it a shot – it’s the best way to see what actually works for you!
Best essential oils for hair growth DIYs
Essential oils are not absolute must-haves (or essential, if you will), but they’re a great way to boost even more growth, since you add on the actual chemical properties of the herbs, on top of the nutrient-level follicle feeding of the carrier oils, also helping to keep the scalp balanced and healthy.
Things like antioxidants, antimicrobials, antifungals, DHT blockers, etc. They also have a much smaller molecular size, so they penetrate the scalp much more easily than the carrier oils.
There are quite a few essential oils that can help with hair loss, depending on what the root cause might be.
In my previous post about the different natural hair loss treatments according to type you’ll find a more complete list.
The essential oils below have the best track records, specifically as hair growth boosters. All will stimulate blood flow to the scalp and some are well known DHT blockers (helpful for androgenetic, male-pattern, hair loss). Those are:
- Rosemary (DHT blocker)
- Cinnamon
- Peppermint
- Spearmint (DHT blocker)
- Nettle (DHT blocker)
- Thyme
- Cypress
- Basil
Personal story (and possibly TMI)… a few years ago I was in the habit of using a DIY peppermint body oil after my showers during the summer months (it’s like putting on an ice mantel)!
Since it was summer, I was also getting regular bikini waxes and since some hairs would start popping up sooner than others, I would pluck those out with a tweezer.
I noticed a funny thing: the follicles (roots) on the plucked hairs were at least twice the size as before! Talk about well-nourished! I realized that it had to be the newest addition to my skincare routine: the peppermint body oil (…yes, I applied that everywhere)!
Basic hair growth DIY oil massage recipe
To make a customized hair growth DIY oil massage recipe you’ll need:
- 2-3 Tb (30-45 ml) of your choice of carrier oil(s)
- 4-6 drops of your choice of essential oil(s)
Basic hair growth DIY oil-free version
Essential oils are a very potent and effective way to boost some new hair growth.
But maybe you don’t like the idea of using oils on your hair, or you’re doing some kind of “no-poo” hair washing method, like water only hair washing for instance. An oil massage would definitely be a mess (impossible) to wash off.
If this is your case, you can use aloe vera gel as your base, to mix in the essential oils. Besides being a skin soothing collagen booster, aloe vera has also been shown to boost actual hair growth.
The main element of aloe vera responsible for that boost seems to be the compound aloenin.
To make your massage tonic just use the same proportions as in the hair oil massage recipe:
- 2-3 TB (30-45 ml) aloe vera gel
- 4-6 drops essential oils.
Related content: How To Make Water Only Hair Washing Work For You!
Basic hair growth DIYs without essential oils
If you’d rather not use essential oils at all, or you just don’t have them on hand – no problem! You can use any of the carrier oils mentioned earlier on their own, or you can try any of the ingredients below.
They’re all very effective natural hair growth boosters, that are also inexpensive, readily available and have a proven track record.
1 – Onion
Onion has a very high sulfur content. It’s antibacterial and it promotes circulation. It regenerates hair follicles and boosts new hair growth. (*)
To use:
- pulp an onion and strain out the juice
- apply the juice to the scalp and massage for a couple of minutes
- leave on for at least an hour, or overnight
- wash off
Note: it’s very stinky, so if you’re using the water only hair washing method it might prove to be too much. However, you can try to increase the vinegar ratio in your vinegar water rinse.
For best results, use a vinegar that’s been steeped in aromatic herbs for a couple of weeks. Something like lavender or rosemary, which is naturally deodorizing as well. It does help a bit.
2 – Ginger
Besides being antifungal and anti-inflammatory, it also has been shown to reduce the so-called “androgenetic” male-pattern hair loss that’s triggered by an excess of DHT in the body. (*)
to use:
- just pulp or grate some ginger – strain out the juice
- apply the juice in the same way as described for the onion.
3 – Vitamin E
When applied topically, vitamin E has been shown to double the hair growth rate and shorten the resting phase of the hair follicle. (*)
to use:
- 2-3 tsp of vitamin E oil
- Apply directly to the scalp and massage
- Put on a shower cap and leave on as long as possible
- Wash off
GENERAL HAIR GROWTH DIY TIPS
1 – Regular vinegar water rinses
Unhealthy scalps produce unhealthy hair. There is a link between the health of your scalp and the hair growth rate and quality. (*) After all, it’s part of the environment for the emerging hair follicle.
Regardless of your chosen hair washing method, try to finish off with a vinegar water rinse.
To make a rinse just mix 1 part vinegar in 6-8 parts water.
Related content: The Best of Minimalist & Natural Hair Care Routines
2 – Regular scalp scrubs
Scalp scrubs are important even if you’re using non-toxic, “clean” hair products – even when you’re water only hair washing. This is because your scalp is an extension of your skin – it has pores and it’s constantly creating new skin layers.
If the dead skin layers are not sloughing off adequately, it can clog the hair follicle or make the hair look limp and lifeless.
Related content: Here Are 3 Simple & Effective DIY Natural Scalp Scrubs
3 – Favor non-toxic hair products
Most commercial hair products are full of fillers and junk. These are there usually either to preserve the product, create a richer lather or to coat the hair shaft so that it feels bouncy and soft.
They definitely serve a purpose and are usually quite effective for that purpose. Unfortunately many also tend to build up in your scalp and hair shaft. This might clog hair follicles and prevent proper absorption of the nutrients or actives you might be using in your hair masks and treatments.
It’s the same concept as with the skin on your face – you wouldn’t apply a serum on top of dirty skin, or over a full face of makeup (I hope)! No, you clean your face thoroughly and then apply your serum to make sure that the actives can penetrate as deeply as they’re able to.
Related content: How To Layer Skincare (Like You Know What You’re Doing!)
4 – Microneedling
Microneedling, or dermarolling, is an amazing way to boost the penetration of any active into the deeper layers of the skin. It’s also been proven to enhance the hair growth ability of other ingredients. (*)
The skin is generally very good at blocking absorption – that’s one of its main jobs. This is why cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies spend so much money researching transdermal delivery enhancers, meaning any compound that helps other compounds reach deeper into the layers of the skin.
This can be to deliver actives deeper into the skin to improve the emerging skin layer, or even to deliver medicinal agents directly into the blood stream, by-passing the digestive system.
Aloe vera, for instance, is a well-known natural transdermal delivery agent for other beauty ingredients. And microneedling is another.
By making microscopic surface punctures on the skin, it helps substances to penetrate deeper, while also triggering the natural healing response of the skin, which will increase collagen synthesis and blood flow to the affected area.
- use quality dermarrollers and follow the manufacturer’s instructions
- according to the studies, weekly scalp microneedling sessions are effective and safe for hair growth
- make sure to clean the scalp before starting a microneedling session
- roll the instrument 15-20 times on the area, performing strokes in vertical, horizontal and oblique directions
- apply a disinfectant solution after, such as witch hazel or vinegar toner
- allow 24 hours before applying the hair tonic or mask of your choice
You don’t need to get too complicated with hair growth DIY formulas. Any scalp massage is going to boost circulation and therefore help hair growth and regrowth. If you pair that with one or more proven hair growth stimulants, it should do the trick.
Remember to be persistent and consistent – give it a few weeks or months to see if it’s working. If not, then try other ingredients.
If you’re suffering from long term hair loss or thinning, it’s important to look into any possible underlying reasons for it, so you can correct them.
All the hair formulas in the world won’t help much if the root cause is hormonal or nutrient related.
What about you, any hair growth DIY boosters you swear by?
