Does Cupping Therapy Help In Hair Growth?

Reviewed by Zahra Lokhandwala
Published: October 20, 2022
Updated: February 28, 2023

Are you suffering from hair fall problem? Well, you’re not alone. Millions across the globe suffer from this problem. But fortunately, if diagnosed at the early stages, most hair fall issues can be dealt with. While common treatments include medications and hair transplants, cupping therapy is also gaining importance.

But what is cupping therapy, does cupping therapy for hair loss work? Can cupping therapy for hair growth be an option? Well, read along to find out.

This blog discusses what cupping therapy is, some common causes behind hair fall, and possible treatments for the same, including cupping therapy for hair. And by the end, you’d know whether cupping therapy works or not.

What Is Cupping Therapy?

Cupping therapy is an ancient therapy where therapists put special cups on the patient's skin and create a suction. The cup needs to be placed on the skin for a few minutes. Cupping is done to help with inflammation, relaxation, blood flow, and better well-being. It's a type of deep-tissue massage. Want to know if it works? Read along.

What Are The Common Causes Of Hair Fall?

A variety of factors influence and contribute to hair loss. Let us discuss a few of them.

Hair Loss From thyroid Problems – Hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism leads to hormonal imbalance in your body, further leading to hair loss.
Medications – Certain medications are responsible for causing hair fall and hair thinning among men and women. NSAIDs, birth controls, blood thinning drugs, depression and anxiety medicines, oral contraceptives, etc., are some of those medications.
Emotional Stress – If you are going through something crucial in your life, be it related to your career, the loss of a loved one, serious illness or injury, or emotional stress, you might experience severe hair fall.
Lack of Nutrition – A poorly balanced diet without the right nutrients can lead to nutrient deficiencies. It further leads to hair loss, hair thinning, bald patches, etc.

Hair Growth Treatments Options

Depending on the type of hair loss, there are different treatment options to opt for:

For Male/Female Pattern Baldness

A) Medications

Rogaine and Propecia are the only two drugs approved by the FDA to treat male or female pattern baldness due to hereditary issues.

Rogaine: Rogaine is an effective hair fall treatment applied directly to the scalp. It's available in different forms, like liquid or foam, and doesn't require a prescription for administration. The drug is a vasodilator that widens the blood vessels beneath the skin, promoting hair growth. It is particularly effective if used in the early stages of hair fall.

Propecia - Propecia (Finasteride) is an oral prescription medication. It slows down hair loss & stimulates hair growth.

A regular dosage of Propecia can significantly reduce the DHT (Dihydrotestosterone). DHT causes your hair follicles to shrink, leading to male pattern baldness. Finasteride reduces the DHT by 60%, which further helps in reducing hair fall by 80%. This drug is meant to work if used in the early stages of hair fall.

B) Cupping Therapy For Hair Growth

Cupping therapy is a trending option for hair growth and regrowth. There are two types of cupping:

Dry - Therapists mostly suggest performing dry cupping on the scalp. It allows the suction to open and widen the shrunken hair follicles and promote blood circulation to promote hair growth and regrowth.

Wet - Wet cupping therapy for hair loss, also known as Hijama, is also helpful in bringing out dead skin cells, harmful toxins, and pathogens that have been building up under the scalp stopping hair growth. It helps open the skin barrier, increase blood circulation, and strengthen the hair roots. Thus, promoting hair growth.

Please Note: Cupping therapy for hair regrowth only applies to the hair follicles still alive.

Let's learn how cupping or Hijama therapy works.

What Happens In The Hijama Cupping Therapy For Hair Fall?

There is no need for any medicine in the Hijama cupping therapy for hair growth. You just need to shave off your head for smooth and better cupping therapy. Shaving of the head is preferred for this therapy as it helps create a better suction which is a crucial aspect of the therapy. It allows the cups to stick to your scalp so that the procedure goes on effectively.

Procedure:

The therapist places cups on your scalp where you have hair loss. There can be a maximum of 5 cups on the head at a time. The cups are taken after a few minutes off the scalp. When the cups are moved, you can notice the marks on the scalp.
The therapist will make small cuts on the scalp right where the cups are and place the cups again for several minutes. You can see the blood accumulating in the cups.
Do not worry about the blood coming out. It is bad and dirty blood. The main purpose of cupping is to extract DHT out of the blood and control its amount in the blood. Once the DHT amount is controlled in the blood, hair follicles expand, and hair starts to regrow.
This therapy demands a certain amount of sitting for effective results.

Burning Question: Does Cupping Therapy Help With Regrowth?

Yes, we can say cupping does help in hair regrowth. However, it does so to an extent. If the hair fall hasn't been severe and follicles are still alive, there is still hope for hair growth and regrowth with cupping or hijama. Otherwise, you may have to resort to other methods that you can find below.

Permanent Hair Loss

There are seven stages of hair fall in men that are: -

Hair thinning around the temple is generally unnoticeable.
Hair thinning leads to an M-shaped hairline around the forehead.
Visible Balding and extreme thinning of the hair leading to M, U, or V-shaped hairline around the forehead.
An extreme case of hair loss around the back of the head.
U-shaped balding at the crown of the head
Huge bald patches and visible bald scalp
A very little thin and lifeless hair accompanied by a hairline receded to the crown.

If you're experiencing hair loss and find your condition anywhere between 1-4th stages, you can use the aforementioned medications or cupping therapy to get your hair back. However, if you think you belong to stages 5-7, the only reliable option is a hair transplant. Hair transplant includes removing a patch of hair from the back of your head and transplanting it to the bald patches for a subtle and natural look.

Takeaway

While it's true that you can treat hair fall issues in most cases, it's better to consult with a hair fall expert like Traya Health for a personalized hair test. Traya Health will help you find the root cause of your hair fall and will devise treatments for the best results specifically customized for you. Our experts have helped several individuals suffering from hair fall and can help you too. So connect with Traya Health now!

FAQ

Q1 - Does Cupping Help In Hair Growth?

Yes, cupping does help in hair growth but to some extent. If the hair follicles are dead, the procedure might not work.

Q2 - What is cupping therapy for hair?

Cupping therapy for hair is to stimulate hair growth and reduces hair loss by taking out the dirty blood from the scalp using suction cups.

Q3 - Can hijama cure hair loss?

Hijama can help open up the follicles in the scalp, promoting blood circulation. Thus, helping with hair regrowth. But it applies only if the hair follicles are still alive.

Q4 - What are the benefits of head cupping?

It helps in:

Increasing blood circulation
Stopping hair fall
Promoting new hair growth
Relief from headache

References

Zahra Lokhandwala

Hair Coach

Zahra is the hair coach-in-chief at Traya. She works closely with the doctors to monitor all cases. She is a fitness freak and has not touched sugar in years!