6 Surprising Ways To Help Your Hair Grow and Reverse Hair Loss for Women Over 50

Just like there are many causes of hair loss, there are also many ways to promote hair growth and reverse thinning. And while you likely know that minoxidil is the most recommended treatment, supplements can help and even a fresh haircut can help you achieve a thicker mane, there are also a few surprising ways to help your hair grow. A few examples that you’ll read more about below include exposing hair to sunlight and applying some more out-there ingredients, like onion juice. Keep scrolling to see the unique hair growth strategies that are backed by both science and experts.

6 ways to help your hair grow

These six solutions might seem kind of wacky, but they actually work. Find the one that’s best for you. (Tip: Find out how much hair loss is normal, and what can help if you're experiencing excessive shedding!)

1. Tip your hat

Whether donning a wide-brim winter fedora or a straw sunhat while outdoors, simply tipping it up for 10 to 20 minutes can boost hair growth by as much as 20%, UCLA scientists say. The reason: The vitamin D-3 your skin produces when exposed to UV rays switches on the keratin-producing cells in hair follicles, encouraging growth and strengthening the strands you already have to nix shedding.

2. Ways to help your hair grow: 'Smell' some sandalwood oil

According to British research, sandalwood’s woodsy scent boosts hair-growth hormones in follicles by 30% in seven days! How? “Hair follicles contain the same receptors responsible for our sense of smell,” says New York City dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD. “So the oil’s aroma stimulates these receptors and promotes new growth.”

To do: Mix 4 drops of sandalwood essential oil and 2 Tbs. of olive oil. Apply all over damp hair and let sit for 20 minutes; rinse. Use twice a week to see results in four weeks. (See more easy ways to reverse menopause hair loss.)

3. Give hair a tug

Spending 2 minutes a day gently pulling on your locks can increase the diameter of each strand by 8%, leading to a noticeable boost in thickness in four months, says one study. That’s because it -activates genes that encourage hair growth.

4. Ways to help your hair grow: Brush with a laser comb

It may sound like a gimmick, but according to Cleveland dermatologist Wilma Bergfeld, MD, the HairMax Ultima Classic LaserComb really can help some women with inherited thinning. The battery-powered device produces small beams of heat-free laser light — and when directed at the scalp, the intense photo energy transfers to sluggish cells in the follicle, charging up their stores of energy--dispensing adenosine triphosphate and stimulating them to grow. In trials, up to 93% of users with hereditary thinning achieved an end to abnormal shedding and/or noticeable hair loss.

5. Rub on onion juice

Applying onion juice to the scalp twice daily may be a stinky chore, but 87% of participants in one study reported an uptick in regrowth after just six weeks of use. Researchers say the juice’s concentrated dose of sulfur kick-starts the production of collagen and keratin, both of which are necessary for healthy hair growth.

To do: Grate an onion into a bowl, then strain the pulp to isolate the juice. Massage the juice into your scalp, wait 15 minutes, then rinse. Or try an onion oil extract, like Mamaearth Onion Hair Oil.

6. Ways to help your hair grow: Apply a bee 'glue' mask

Compounds in propolis (aka beehive glue) have been shown to stimulate the cells responsible for creating new hairs, says Dr. Zeichner. What’s more, its antioxidants reduce inflammation around hair follicles to strengthen strands at the root and thwart shedding. Get the benefits by applying a hair mask that’s infused with propolis, like Iden Bee Propolis Treatment.

See more hair growth tips and tricks:

How Does Minoxidil Work? Hair Experts Explain Why It’s the Best Ingredient to Treat Thinning Hair

12 Best Hair Loss Remedies for Women Over 50 That Can Easily Be Done at Home

Doctor-Recommended Best Treatments for Hair Loss That Work No Matter the Cause of Thinning