Hair Tapping 101: What It Is & The Benefits To Know About It

If hair tapping sounds familiar, that is because you might have already heard about Emotional Freedom Technique tapping (EFT). According to WebMD, during the 1970s, doctors discovered how tapping the acupressure points on their patients’ faces and bodies helped them deal better with anxiety and stress. This led to the development of EFT. Much like acupuncture (but minus the needles), it stimulates the acupoints of the body to improve the flow of energy.

EFT is often mentioned in discussions about treating mental health issues like anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, several studies show that it has physiological benefits too. One conducted in 2011 discovered how tapping improved the skin conditions of participants with psoriasis. Meanwhile, veterans who participated in a 2013 one saw the frequency and intensity of their headache tensions decrease by more than 50%. Furthermore, a 2012 study discovered how EFT can reduce stress hormones in the body. These findings lend validity to tapping’s potential to address hair growth problems since stress is one of the risk factors for hair loss or alopecia according to Mayo Clinic.

The scalp is a good area to stimulate, either through tapping or a massage. “We tend to hold a lot of tension across our hairline, behind our ears, and in the neck,” hairstylist Christophe Robin told MindBodyGreen. “[This] is mostly due to stress and partly to posture.” Firm pressure applied rhythmically helps release the tension and encourage blood circulation to facilitate hair growth.