The look of your locks is largely dependent on the health of your scalp. Over time, irritants like product build-up, environmental pollutants, and dead skin can create a hostile microbiome.
As a result, it is crucial to make sure your scalp is in tip-top condition so that your hair is in the best position possible to grow strong, healthy tresses.
Hair growth expert Abbey Benson, who goes by @abbeyjbenson on TikTok, has accumulated a whopping 700,000 followers on the video-sharing platform, sharing tips and tricks on achieving voluminous hair.
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Abbey said scalp health is key for thick, luscious locks
|@abbeyjbenson/TikTok
Explaining how she prioritises her scalp health, the expert named her five favourite ways to “transform and grow your hair”.
“When I started taking my scalp health seriously and really focusing on it, that is where the magic happened,” she gushed.
Her leading tip was very simple - and only takes two minutes of your day. Either with a scalp massager or freshly-washed fingers, massage your scalp for two to five minutes.
The benefits are two-fold, Abbey explained. First, the action helps to banish build-up and dead skin that might be on the surface.
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Secondly, massage boosts blood flow, which stimulates "natural, healthy hair growth".
Abbey uses a silicone scalp massager, favouring this method due to the potential spread of bacteria with her fingers.
“Now, if you do use your fingers, make sure your hands are clean and just make sure you are using the pads of your fingers, not your nails,” she advised.
“Your scalp is its own microbiome, so it's completely separate from the rest of the skin on your body.”
Scalp massages can help stimulate blood flow
|GETTY
She also warned that the scalp is “extremely sensitive”, so any tiny scratches or abrasions could upset your hair follicles and stunt their growth.
The hair experts at the Wimpole Clinic backed Abbey’s claims, confirming that scalp massage can boost thickness and volume, even reducing the symptoms of male pattern baldness. What's more, scalp massage also provides stress relief and relaxation.
Luckily, scalp massagers are perfectly affordable, available for around £4 on high street retailers such as Boots.