Can Rubbing or Brushing the Scalp Stimulate Hair Growth?

It is a widely held opinion that rubbing or brushing the scalp can stimulate hair growth. Dr. Ken Washenik, Bosley Medical Director, clears the air in the following Bosley Physician Q&A video.

“Is it true that rubbing your hair, rubbing your scalp, brushing your hair vigorously – so that your scalp is stimulated – can cause hair growth? Well, that is one of these age-old, century-old practices that people talk about. You can go and get your scalp massaged with the belief that perhaps the vigorous massaging will invigorate the scalp and lead to hair growth.

There are no good, unfortunately, scientific or medical studies that have shown massaging, rubbing, or brushing your scalp will lead to hair growth. We continue to look at this and try to investigate from a scientific side whether or not there can be any underlying mechanism of action where that could be true.  But so far, we don’t have any data to back up that premise that rubbing your scalp or brushing your hair with scalp stimulation can lead to hair growth.”

–Dr. Ken Washenik

Rubbing or brushing the scalp may not help stimulate hair growth, but what other factors affect hair loss?  Watch the Bosley physician Q&A series for more information on what works to permanently restore hair based on medical studies.

Even more information is available to you by meeting in-person with a Bosley Counselor. You’ll have the opportunity to express your hair restoration goals while learning more about your hair loss and proven hair loss treatments. Consultations are free, private, no-obligation and available at 70 offices throughout the U.S.