What Are Scalp Massagers?
Available in a variety of different colors, styles and shapes, scalp massagers are, essentially, tools designed to be used across the whole scalp to take the effort out of massaging with your fingers.

And, while you definitely can just use your hands to manually massage your scalp, massagers definitely cut down the time (and muscle ache) involved, and are often able to cover your whole scalp in a more consistent way.

Benefits of Scalp Massagers for Hair Growth
Scalp massagers actually offer a ton of different benefits, including loosening oil, dirt and dandruff for a generally cleaner and healthier scalp. But, they’re especially famed for their potential to help hair growth.

This is because the act of massage helps in two ways: First, it stimulates the blood vessels under the skin, which in turn allows more blood containing oxygen and nutrients to travel to the hair follicle. And, second, it is thought that scalp massage helps to stretch the hair follicle, which can potentially increase the thickness of hair that passes through that follicle. In fact, two studies, one from 2016 and one from 2019, found evidence that scalp massage can result in thicker hair.

How Do You Use a Scalp Massager?
How you use your massager will vary from type to type, since some are electric and others require a little more muscle. For more information on how to use each individual type, take a look at the product recommendations below.

Whether you use one that is electric, manual, for wet hair or dry hair, the same principles stand, however: Go gently on your scalp (especially if you have any scalp conditions, such as psoriasis), choose one that doesn’t catch on or irritate skin or hair, and don’t overdo it.

How Often Should You Massage Your Scalp?
For most scalp types, one or two times a week will help to stimulate blood vessels and loosen dirt and debris without irritating skin and hair. For more sensitive types, try to keep this to just once a week, instead.

The Best Scalp Massagers for Hair Growth
Given the encouraging scientific research surrounding scalp massagers, plus the thousands of rave reviews, it seems these little tools are quickly becoming something of a beauty staple. Following are some of the most popular products on the market.

At the more luxurious end of the scale is Breo’s electric, waterproof head massager. Featuring six different massage settings (longitudinal gliding, kneading, trigger point therapy, oscillating pressure, rhythmic compression, cross-fiber muscle-stretching and deep friction massage), silicone tips for a soft touch, and an ergonomic design to cup the scalp, this can also be used elsewhere on the body for a relaxing back and shoulder massage after a long day.
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With a unique design that promises not to tangle long hair, it is also rechargeable via USB cable, making it ideal for travel. To use, simply move across the scalp while the electric massage tips get to work promoting blood circulation.

For a more pocket-sized alternative, try this round, silicone brush-tipped scalp massager, such as this one from Nearbyme.
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With a non-slip cover and ergonomic design, this manual brush is used on wet hair while shampooing or conditioning. Simply massage shampoo through hair as normal before working this little brush over the scalp in small circles. To use with conditioner, first, wash out any leftover shampoo before massaging across the scalp while your conditioning product takes the time to work.

Now, here is an electric scalp massager that promotes hair growth and uses up to 8,500 vibrations per minute to stimulate blood flow. Check out Tezam’s affordable head massager.
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With a long comb-like design, this massager has rubber beads on each tooth, helping to relieve muscle tension and loosen any scalp debris. The vibrations are thought to stimulate blood vessels more than traditional massage, plus they help with hair growth. Designed to be used pre-shampoo to help soften oil and dirt, this tool can also be used on towel-dried hair for a second, stress-reducing massage.

With thousands of five-star Amazon reviews and a budget-friendly price point, this manual scalp massager for hair growth looks a bit like a half-opened umbrella and uses flexible wires topped with soft beads to be moved up and down over the scalp. Its 360-degree design means you can get to your whole scalp in one go, too, meaning it takes less time.
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Weighing less than an ounce, it is also highly user-friendly, taking the muscle ache out of massage. Better still? The pack includes two massagers, so you always have one as a spare. Or, if you are feeling generous, you can always give one to a friend in need of a scalp massage. For a deep, relaxing massage with additional scalp benefits, use this after lightly applying hair oil to the scalp. The oils will help moisturize the scalp at the same time as turning the routine into a mini spa session.

And here is another shampoo brush designed to be used in-shower or bath, while washing your hair. With more than 15,000 positive reviews, Heeta’s shampoo brush has an ergonomic and lightweight design, making it simple to use even with wet hands.
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Featuring soft silicone bristles, this tool is also suitable for dry hair and can be used in conjunction with any scalp oils or treatments for a relaxing massage with added hair-growth benefits.

July 27, 2020 - Hair loss has become another emergent consequence of the novel coronavirus as COVID-19 patients battle symptoms for months at a time.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t recognize hair loss as a symptom of COVID-19, more than 27% of at least 1,100 poll respondents in the Survivor Corps Facebook group reported hair loss.

Dr. Michele S. Green, a dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said there’s been an influx of patients seeking treatment for hair loss during quarantine and after she reopened her office. 

“Patients have literally come in with bags of hair looking like a full head of hair was in the bag,” she said. “They all have similar stories. That they were extremely sick with high fevers and have never been that sick in their entire lives.”

Doctors say hair loss may not be caused by the virus itself but by the physical shock patients’ bodies experience as they battle high fevers and other intense symptoms.

Telogen effluvium, the medical term for this condition, can be triggered by surgery, major physical trauma, major psychological stress, high fever, severe infection or other illness, extreme weight loss, extreme change in diet, abrupt hormonal changes or iron deficiency, according to the Harvard Medical School.

It occurs when the body experiences a shock to the system forcing the hair to jump from the growing phase to the resting phase and then the shedding phase after a couple of months, said Dr. Shilpi Khetarpal, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

She said this is why most COVID-19 patients usually experience hair loss a couple of weeks to months after they recover from the initial "shock" that triggered the telogen effluvium.

A patient can lose up to 50% of hair from this condition, however, it is temporary as shedding decreases for the following six months until hair returns to normal thickness. 

Experts can't confirm why some patients experience hair loss and others don't, but doctors speculate some people may be genetically predisposed to the condition, Khetarpal said. 

She also urges patients experiencing hair loss to manage their stress as it can worsen the problem. 

"Hair is our identity, it’s a huge part of our culture and the shedding itself can cause a lot of stress," Khetarpal said. "That can contribute to the problem and make things worse." 

There are no other telogen effluvium symptoms besides hair loss. So, if patients experience any flaking, scaling, inflammation, or rough patches, experts urge them to consult their doctor as there could be something else wrong.

This article is from USAToday

​July 22, 2020 -- Since getting COVID-19 in March, Juli Fisher, a travel nurse who was caring for COVID patients in an assisted living facility, has dealt with a long list of crippling symptoms herself. Most were ones she expected because they were in line with well-known symptoms. But one was more surprising to her when it emerged several weeks into her illness -- hair loss.

“I started noticing gobs of hair coming out when I took a shower. At first I thought it was that I was using a cheaper shampoo, but it soon became obvious, as more and more came out, that this was something else,” she says.

Once she joined a Facebook group for other “Long Haulers” -- people whose symptoms aren’t going away after a few weeks -- she realized she wasn’t alone. “When I saw others had it, I realized, oh, this is COVID-related, too.”

Rachel Baum of Saratoga Springs, NY, has had COVID symptoms for more than 100 days. Her hair is falling out, too.

“I’ve lost so much hair that I thought my thyroid was out of whack. I went to see my endocrinologist, and she said my numbers were fine. So it has to be COVID or my advanced age of 64, or a combination,” she says. “I have three different wigs in my Amazon shopping cart right now, just in case I need them.”

The link between hair loss and COVID is just starting to be reported and recognized in research. Sara Hogan, MD, a health sciences clinical instructor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, says this timeline makes sense because hair loss often happens to patients 3 to 5 months after a stressful illness or experience.

COVID and Hair Loss

The American Academy of Dermatology says hair loss can be caused by genetics, age, hormonal imbalances, other health conditions, medication and, of course, stress. Experts say the type most COVID-19 patients are having is called telogen effluvium, a temporary form caused by a physical or emotional stress, high fever, illness or weight loss of more than 20 pounds -- symptoms common with the virus. Telogen effluvium involves shedding all over the head -- not just on the crown like male pattern baldness -- and it’s far more than the 50 to 100 hairs people typically lose daily.

“There are three common cycles in hair’s life cycle. Up to 90% at any time are growing, 5% are in a resting phase, and up to 10% are shedding. When you have a major stress event or shock, up to 50% of your hair can sprint ahead to the shedding phase, Hogan says.

“That’s usually a delayed process because of the way the hair growth cycle is,” she says. “So you can have this major event, and then it can be about 3 to 5 months later that all of a sudden, you start to notice the shedding. And we're in the time frame for that with regard to the pandemic.”

This type of hair loss is linked to “severe illness, autoimmune disorders, and people who have a stroke or heart attack,” says Gregory A. Poland, MD, an infectious disease expert at Mayo Clinic and spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. “This type of hair loss happens when people are immensely stressed.”

Hogan says she expected to see hair loss emerge at this point in the global pandemic. She is now seeing new coronavirus patients every week who have hair loss for the first time. “People are getting sick, losing jobs, and dealing with a lot of uncertainty related to their income and well-being, and I knew that it was going to be significant,” she says.

“Hair loss can occupy a large amount of someone’s mind share because our hair is something we see,” she says. “It’s often part of our identity and how others perceive us. So when patients start losing hair, especially for the first time, they often come to me very upset.”

Experts say another issue could be making the problem worse. COVID arrived in the U.S. at a time when many people already have seasonal shedding known as the “spring shed,” which happens between March and May. “Some people do shed more hair in the spring, and we don’t exactly know why. Some think it's related to a natural, seasonal cycle, and others think it emerges several months after the stress of the winter holidays,” Hogan explains.

Experts say it’s hard to know why some patients recovering from COVID lose hair and others don’t. Hogan says that may be related to genetics. “Hair loss happens to people who are predisposed, and we don't know who that is. There’s just something about some people’s genetic composition and hair cycle that makes it more likely for them.”

What to Do About Hair Loss

​While hair loss can affect your self-confidence and self-image, experts urge people not to be embarrassed or try to handle it on their own. Instead, reach out to a health professional. A primary care doctor or dermatologist can rule out other causes like medications, a lack of nutrients, or hormone imbalances, and they can track your daily sleep, exercise, and nutrition habits to see if improvements in those areas could help.

Hogan says you can also talk with your doctor to see if a high-protein diet, more vitamin D, or supplements like biotin would help. Beyond that, she says doctors can help you find out if your stress has triggered anxiety or depression that needs treatment. Sometimes, she says, it also just helps for patients to hear from a medical professional that while hair loss can become a chronic problem, this type usually clears up.

“Most of the time, it does improve,” Hogan says. “I think it’s important to tell patients that in most cases, this is not a permanent hair disorder. It will likely get better within 4 to 6 months. That reassurance and knowledge often does help.”

“This type of hair loss does tend to improve over time,” Poland agrees. “That can be variable -- some may see all their hair return, and for others it may be more spotty. But usually, as the medical illness resolves, hair tends to regrow.”

In the meantime, Hogan urges patients to try to ease their stress if they can. “I oftentimes will discuss stress reduction strategies with my patients,” she says. “I feel like it's crucial, especially if this is stress-induced hair loss, to encourage things that may help their hair and are also good for their overall being, like yoga [or] mindfulness meditation. There is a very holistic approach you can take to optimize your body and health for hair growth.”

If those things don’t work, there are medicines, like minoxidil, that may help. The medicine, which is applied to the scalp, can help regrow hair in some, but Hogan says patients need to research how this medication works before starting it.

“I give patients the option of using minoxidil because it can help with acute shedding, but it’s important to stress that because of its mechanism, patients can actually experience increased shedding when they start using it and when they stop,” she says.

Beyond that, Hogan says, all you can do is practice patience. She tells patients that it took several months for the hair loss to happen, and it will take some time for the problem to go away.

“I am reminding patients that hair is not essential for your long-term survival,” she says. “What really matters is that you made it through a very stressful situation, and you and your body are overcoming that. So barring any systemic issue, you can expect that it should regrow. You just have to give it some time.”

Fisher is still waiting. After more than 100 days dealing with a variety of COVID symptoms, hair loss remains one of them. But, she says, while it is distressing to see it continue to fall out in the shower, it’s not her main concern right now.

“I have super thick hair, so I’m lucky in that way. I haven’t seen a specialist or talked with a doctor about it. I still don’t even have the energy to get up and walk around unless I have oxygen, and I'm scared that I'm never going to work again. I need to figure out what’s going on with my heart and lungs first before worrying about my hair. As upsetting as it is, at this point, maybe I’ll have to start buying scarves or something. But hair loss needs to stay pretty far down on my agenda right now.”

This article is from WebMD.com

On average, hair tends to grow between 0.5 and 1.7 centimeters per month. This is equivalent to around 0.2 to 0.7 inches.

This estimate comes from The Trichological Society. However, lots of different factors affect the speed of hair growth.

Males, for example, may find that their hair grows faster than that of females. Other things that influence the speed of hair growth include genetics, age, health, and pregnancy.

Bone marrow, which is the soft substance present inside the bones, is the only part of the body that grows faster than hair.

The lips, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet are the only parts of the body on which hair does not grow. The main purpose of hair is to protect the body and keep it warm.
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Keep reading for more information on how hair grows and the various factors that affect the speed of its growth.

People are born with around 5 million hair follicles. These are little pockets in the skin that hair grows out of.

Around 100,000 of these follicles are on the scalp. People with oval shaped follicles have very curly hair, while those with round follicles have straight hair.

The stages of hair growth are as follows:

1. Each follicle contains a hair root, which is made of cells of protein.
2. As blood circulates around the body, it delivers oxygen and nutrients to the protein cells, which they need to multiply.
3. As the protein cells multiply, they build hair, which pushes up through the skin.
4. As the hair grows out of the skin, it passes an oil gland. This lubricates the hair with the oil it needs to stay soft and shiny.
5. By the time the hair is long enough to come through the skin, it is dead. As a new hair grows underneath, it pushes the dead hair out of the skin. The hair then falls out or is shed.

Not all hair follicles are in action at the same time. Follicles on the scalp, for example, will grow hair for a few years before becoming inactive for a period. This inactive part of the hair growth cycle is called telogen.

People lose around 50–100 hairs from their body every day as part of the normal hair growth cycle.

Factors That Influence Hair Growth

Everyone’s hair is different, and lots of factors can influence how quickly it grows.
These include:

• Genetics: A person’s genes will dictate how quickly their hair will grow.
• Sex: Male hair grows faster than female hair.
• Age: Hair grows fastest between the ages of 15 and 30, before slowing down. Some follicles stop working altogether as people get older. This is why some people get thinner hair or go bald.
• Nutrition: Good nutrition is essential for the growth and maintenance of healthy hair.

Telogen Effluvium

Telogen effluvium occurs when stress prompts the hair roots to enter the telogen stage of the hair cycle too early. It can mean that as many as 70% of scalp hairs fall out within about 2 months.

People experiencing telogen effluvium often find that their hair comes out in handfuls. It is usually most noticeable on the scalp but can affect any part of the body.

Common causes of telogen effluvium include:

• childbirth
• high fever
• severe infection
• severe illness
• surgery
• overactive or underactive thyroid gland
• not eating enough protein

Several medications can also cause telogen effluvium. These include:

• retinoids
• beta-blockers
• calcium channel blockers
• antidepressants
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen

Telogen effluvium will usually clear up on its own once a person has sought treatment for the cause. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, the amount of shedding tends to decrease over a period of around 6–8 months.

Can You Make Hair Grow More Quickly?

According to The Trichological Society, there is little evidence to suggest that using special shampoos or taking supplements can make hair grow any quicker.

​Good nutrition is an important part of healthy hair growth. This is because the living part of the hair (the root) receives its nutrients from the blood.

Adopting a healthful diet containing fruit, vegetables, grains, and an appropriate amount of fat will promote healthy hair.

Specific foods that can promote healthy hair include:

• Fish: Fish contains essential omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin B-12, and iron, all of which prevent a dry scalp and stop hair from looking dull in color.
• Dark green vegetables: These contain high levels of vitamin A and C, which help keep hair in good condition.
• Legumes: These are full of protein, which promotes hair growth and helps prevent weak and brittle hair.
• Biotin: A biotin deficiency can lead to brittle hair or hair loss. Whole grains, liver, egg yolk, soy flour, and yeast all contain biotin.
• Nuts: These are a good source of selenium, which is important for a healthy scalp. Some nuts also contain alpha-linoleic acid and zinc. These help condition the hair and prevent shedding.
• Low fat dairy products: These are good sources of calcium, which is another key component in hair growth.

Factors That Slow Hair Growth

Factors that can slow the rate of hair growth include:

• crash diets
• eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia
• stress
• smoking
• vitamin deficiencies

Summary
 
Everyone’s hair grows at different rates. Many factors — including genetics, sex, and age — can influence the speed of hair growth.

Hair grows out of follicles, which are small pockets inside the skin. Each follicle contains a hair root, which is made of protein cells. As the blood vessels feed the roots with oxygen and nutrients, they multiply and grow into hair.
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There is little evidence to suggest that specialist shampoo or supplements can speed the rate of hair growth. Instead, eating a nutritious diet that includes plenty of protein is essential for healthy hair.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought an onslaught of stress that manifests itself in different ways.

For some, it’s hair loss.

Dermatologists across the country have noticed upticks in appointments made by nervous individuals who report seeing clumps of hair on their pillow and even admit fear of taking a shower due to excessive amounts of hair loss as a result.

“This is distressing for patients; whether it’s because of some significant physical or emotional stress, the nutrients and energy put into hair production and growth is shifted to other parts of your body,” Dr. Sara Hogan, a health sciences clinical instructor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, told McClatchy News.

To ease some worry, Hogan shares the same advice to all her patients: “Hair is not necessary for survival.”

On an average day, Hogan will see about five patients with hair loss a week, but “now I’m seeing two to three a day. Just yesterday I had four hair loss patients,” she said.

Most of these patients have existing disorders that have reportedly gotten worse, while others are new to the stress that is hair loss.

But the reasons aren’t so black and white.

There’s a phenomenon known as seasonal shedding, where predisposed people tend to lose their hair between March and May, Hogan said; there is a lag between exposure to stress and hair loss that can take about three to five months.

Some studies suggest the seasonal shedding is tied to the sometimes stressful holidays, Hogan added.

But around this time is when pandemic-related stress can start to show itself in the body as hair loss, with many patients “who have been in lockdown, social distancing and dealing with job uncertainty,” said Hogan, who works at the UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica.

“I definitely think this is a thing we might see more of in the coming months because it is a delayed process,” Hogan said, “and it’ll be interesting to see if we still see this through summer,” because hair grows more during the season.

The majority of patients Hogan sees — mostly via telehealth due to the pandemic — are showing telogen effluvium: a condition where the amount of follicles growing hair drops during a “resting phase,” resulting in shedding or hair loss, according to WebMD.

On any given day, about 100 to 150 hairs can be lost, “but when you have stress-related shed, people start to notice they are losing a lot more,” Hogan said.

Another dermatologist in New York has also noticed more patients searching for hair loss help and advice.

“Hair loss usually occurs within three months of a stressful event, in this case the pandemic, so we are right around the time where you may start to notice increased hair loss,” Dr. Michelle Henry, a clinical instructor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, said in a press email.
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“Of course, we need to check for other potential triggers before making a diagnosis, but I’ve seen more and more patients looking for solutions for hair loss right now.”
Both Hogan and Henry agree that stress reduction through activities like with yoga and healthy eating can help those suffering from hair loss.

But then there’s the obsessive hair pulling and skin picking that can also be triggered by worry, Hogan added.

One of her patients experiencing hair loss said she started to pull her hair so much her scalp started bleeding.

“They are caught in a vicious cycle that trips them into chronic patterns of stressors that cause shedding, then they’re stressed about that which causes more shedding,” Hogan said.

Hair pulling, skin picking and nail and cheek biting are examples of body-focused repetitive behaviors that can cause embarrassment, stress and infection in some cases, according to the TLC Foundation for BFRBs.

“In terms of face touching, it can definitely cause anxiety,” Daniela W., who has a skin-picking disorder, told SELF. “I’ve wondered, am I more susceptible to getting the virus because I have open wounds on my face and I touch them quite regularly?”

Keeping logs of when hair loss, skin picking or any other stress-related behavior occurs can help doctors determine the best course of action.

“Hair loss is ongoing, and it’s very important patients realize that it will take upwards of six months to know when something has fully recovered,” Hogan said.

​Brought to you from The News&Observer