Few people want to admit they are losing their hair, but many people who are suffering from hair loss want to do something about it. That’s led to many gimmick treatments being developed over the years. While it’s easy to look back on certain gimmicky products and laugh, new "miracle cures" are being touted everyday.
One "cure" that seems new but actually dates back to the 1930s is the idea of vacuuming the hair to improve hair growth. Performed in certain high end salons, the treatment is intended to boost hair growth by improving circulation to the scalp. While the hair vacuums used today might look a little less primitive than those used in the 1930s, the concept behind them remains the same, as do the chances of them reducing your hair loss.
Hair Loss and Circulation
A decent amount of blood flow to your scalp is a must for lush, healthy hair. Without a regular supply of blood, your hair and follicles won’t get the oxygen or nutrients they need to thrive. While it’s commonly thought that people have poor circulation and then start losing their hair, the reverse is often true. When the hair follicles are affected by DHT and become miniaturized, they need a smaller supply of blood.
Attempting to stimulate blood flow to the scalp when you notice hair loss won’t reverse the hair loss if it’s caused by male pattern baldness. Stimulating your scalp’s blood flow won’t alter the effects of DHT on your hair follicles. But improving blood flow to the scalp might offer some benefit to hairs that are beginning to thin but haven’t yet fallen out.
Salon Vacuuming
The quest for a cure for hair loss has led some stylists to develop treatments that they believe will target poor circulation and clean out the hair follicles, encouraging new growth. A salon vacuuming treatment typically involves rubbing a hair mask, made up of proteins and other oils, into the scalp.
The goal of the mask is to deep clean the follicles. Joanne Chen, a writer for W magazine, had the treatment performed at a high end salon in Manhattan. After the mask was applied to her hair, the stylist used a bell-shaped suction device, which she compared to a Dyson in terms of volume, to stimulate her scalp’s circulation.
Are There Any Benefits?
While heading to a salon for a hair follicle vacuuming session might not help people with advanced male pattern baldness or dramatic hair loss, it might provide some benefit to people who are beginning to notice that their hair is thinning. The target audience for the treatment is women, for whom hair loss has traditionally had more of a stigma.
The action of the hair vacuum cannot be compared to laser light therapy, which is offered by some hair restoration specialists alongside of or instead of a hair transplant. Laser light treatments, such as the Revage 670 or the home-use LaserCap, are designed to make the cells of the hair more active, which has the side effect of increasing blood flow and the supply of oxygen to the follicles. These lasers helped keep hair loss from progressing in 85 percent of patients and it helped improve the density of hair in almost 40 percent of patients.
Even if a salon hair vacuuming treatment doesn’t help slow down a woman’s hair loss, it can have some benefits for her overall well being. A gentle scalp massage can help people relax and feel more calm. Seeing a hairstylist if you’re concerned about hair loss might also be a good idea, as the stylist can recommend ways to style your hair that can help conceal the loss or make your hair look thicker and fuller.
Other Options
While visiting a fancy salon for a hair vacuuming treatment might seem like the glamorous route to take to help reduce hair loss, other options might prove to be more effective in the long run. A hair transplant is the most permanent of the choices of available to women. Although often thought of as something only men can benefit from, hair restoration surgery can help women who have female pattern baldness. The surgery is typically modified slightly when performed on female patients, as they usually wear their hair longer or are more concerned with the hairline than other areas.
If you are concerned about thinning hair, it’s a good idea to see a surgeon who specializes in hair loss, such as Dr. Jeffrey Epstein. Dr. Epstein can evaluate your scalp and hair and recommend the best course of action, whether it’s surgery or something less invasive. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Epstein today at one of his two practices. To reach the New York City practice, call 212-759-3484. For an appointment at the Miami practice, call 305-666-1774.