You’ve probably noticed how people rave about scalp massages and exercise as blood flow boosters that help with hair growth. It sounds convincing, i.e., the idea that better circulation equals better hair. But, the truth is that your scalp already gets more than enough blood.
In this article, we’ll debunk the myth that blood flow is the key factor for hair growth.
How Much Blood Flow Does the Scalp Actually Get?
Your head is home to the most important organ you have, your brain. It also houses your eyes, ears, tongue, and nose, all aspects of the body which rely heavily on a constant blood supply to properly function.
In fact, the head receives 700 to 800 milliliters of blood with every heartbeat — that’s around 15-20% of your total blood flow. That means the scalp, sitting right on top of this high-priority zone, is already swimming in circulation.
So if blood flow were truly the missing link in hair growth, we’d all have thick, flawless hair by default. But clearly, that’s not how biology works.
Why Blood Flow Isn’t the Main Cause of Hair Loss
Hair loss isn’t caused by your scalp suddenly forgetting how to circulate blood. Even people with thinning hair have normal scalp circulation. The real issue happens inside the cells, when their metabolism slows down or inflammation interrupts normal function.
Think of your hair follicles like tiny engines. Fuel (blood) helps, but if the engine itself isn’t firing correctly, adding more fuel won’t make it run better. What really matters is how efficiently those engines — the mitochondria — convert that fuel into usable energy (ATP).
The Real Science Behind Hair Growth
The performance of mitochondria determines how well your hair follicles work. The crux is that, as we age or experience stress, inflammation, or hormonal changes, these powerhouses can go dormant.
This is where laser phototherapy (LPT) fits in. LPT uses low-level laser light to stimulate the scalp at a cellular level, thereby activating mitochondria inside hair follicle cells to produce more ATP (the energy molecule that powers growth and repair), rather than just increasing blood flow through vasodilation.
Through stimulating ATP production, LPT reawakens inactive cells and supports the natural hair growth cycle, all without generating heat or side effects. This process reduces inflammation as well as normalizes cell metabolism, and so creates an optimal environment for hair to regrow.
In other words: it helps your follicles work better, not just get more blood.
Do Scalp Massages and Exercise Help Hair Growth?![]()
Sure, a scalp massage feels amazing, it temporarily boosts local circulation and gives that pleasant tingling sensation. But it’s not a cure for hair loss. The same goes for workouts in that they’re great for your overall health, but they won’t regrow your hair magically.
This is because, as we’ve shown, hair growth depends on cellular rejuvenation, and not temporary surges in blood flow.
Conclusion: Are Blood Circulation and Hair Health Related?
Blood circulation is obviously vital (quite literally), but your scalp already has plenty. So, the takeaway is that the key to stronger, healthier hair lies in the mitochondria that power your follicles.
As such, if you really want to target the root of the problem, then devices like the Theradome laser helmet use low-level laser therapy (LLLT) to activate those cellular engines. The Theradome PRO LH80 and EVO LH40 both encourage energy production and reduce inflammation to give you thicker hair, without relying on the ‘more blood equals more hair’ myth.
The next time you hear that better circulation is the secret to great hair, remember that it’s not about how much blood gets there, it’s about what your cells do with it.
