It might seem like a never-ending game of trial and error when you’re looking for a solution to help your hair grow or thicken. The Trichological Society says that the average amount of hair that grows each month is between 0.5 and 1.7 centimeters. This ranges from 0.20 to 0.70 inches and makes this tissue the human body’s quickest-developing.
There may not appear to be any progress at all, particularly if you are patiently waiting for it to begin. As stated by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), between 50 and 100 hairs are shed daily.
However there are a few things you may change about your regular hair care regimen if you feel like your hair is growing too slowly. If you want your hair to grow faster, you may switch to a different brush, use your blow dryer less often to prevent damage, or include foods and oils that stimulate hair growth into your routine.
Here are some tried-and-true home remedies for rapid hair growth, as recommended by dermatologists, celebrity hairstylists, skincare experts, and the concretemedias team. To begin:
1: Routinely see the barber.
While it may seem counterintuitive, regular trims are essential to maintaining long, healthy hair. Michael Dueas, a well-known hairstylist in Los Angeles, says that getting a haircut won’t make your hair grow faster, but it may protect your hair from damage caused by split ends.
When split ends are repaired, it gives the impression that your hair is expanding at a faster rate. Hair with split ends is more likely to break, which may lead to a loss of length, shine, volume, and smoothness.
2: Consume a well-balanced, healthy diet.
To have healthy, long hair, it’s not enough to only apply the right products on it. NYC dermatologist Francesca Fusco, M.D., says, “You need to ‘feed’ the hair from the inside to stimulate hair production. Do some foods stimulate hair growth? YES, Hair strands are made of protein, which may be found in meals like meats and other foods. She recommends increasing your intake of protein-rich foods like whole grains, fish, beans, and nuts. If you want healthy hair, eat protein-rich foods even if you don’t enjoy meat. According to Dr. Fusco, women who don’t get enough of it tend to see “more hair loss.”
Avoid trendy “cleanses” for the same reasons. Dueas warns against cleansing since it deprives the body of nutrients, which is harmful for hair. Even after one week of detoxing, you may notice slower hair growth and dull locks. Put a vitamin for hair health into your morning routine.
If your diet isn’t providing you with adequate food, a supplement might be the difference between life and death. Multivitamins marketed specifically “for hair, skin, and nails” are what Dr. Fusco recommends. The vitamin B complex, vitamin C, and biotin are all crucial to maintaining healthy hair, according to the specialist.
Dr Amrendra Kumar of Dermacinix recommends the following vitamins and minerals for healthier hair: nutrients such omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, iron, vitamins A, C, and E, and zinc.
3: Moisturize your hair more and wash it less often.
How frequently you wash your hair has a direct effect on its condition. Ken Paves, a famous celebrity hairdresser in Los Angeles, advises that “shampooing your hair [only] two to three times a week permits your natural oils to permeate your hair, helping your hair to hydrate and mend itself.” Get a shampoo labelled “volumizing” or “thickening” if you want thicker, fuller hair in a hurry.
The specialists at the CM Beauty Lab say that using a silky deep conditioner, hair mask, or detangle on a regular basis will help protect your strands from breakage while detangling them. Make or buy a weekly hair mask and apply it from roots to ends: A New York City-based freelance hair stylist named Liana Zingarino asserts that increasing your blood flow with cinnamon can quickly lead to fuller, longer hair.
4: DO not use bleach.
While platinum blonde hair is in style, going from a darker shade to light blonde might impede you from growing your hair to its full potential length. The senior colorist at New York’s Cutler Salon, Elizabeth Hiserodt, warns that bleaching increases the likelihood of breakage and split ends because it damages the hair’s cuticle. The less often you’ll have to treat your hair with chemicals, the healthier it will grow.
5: Avoid using too much heat on your hair.
Paves suggests not overdoing it with the hairstyles. He suggests turning the heat down and using a heat protectant every time to keep your hair healthy and free of damage.
6: maintain a regular brushing routine.
The temptation to forego brushing your hair before bed because you’re too tired is strong, yet doing so may really be good for your hair and scalp. In order to keep your hair naturally moisturized, Meri suggests using a boar bristle brush to spread the oils from your scalp throughout your hair. Kate O’Connor, a famous hairstylist and colourist, has her own salon, Cooper, in West Hollywood, California. Moreover, your scalp’s health will improve as a result of the increased circulation brought on by this simple routine.
7: Maintain a modest shower temperature and provide special attention to your scalp.
A hot shower may be quite drying to the skin and hair. Paves suggests washing with cold water and paying close attention to the scalp. If you want to speed up the healing process and get rid of any lingering toxins as you shampoo, try massaging the area with your fingers, to avoid damaging your hair physically.
Instead, it’s best to detangle hair before getting in the shower, since wet hair is more fragile. Being submerged in water causes the hair shaft to swell and stretch, giving the hair a shingle-like look. Liana Zingarino cautions that “additional stress from brushing in such state can lead it to break.”
Follow these steps carefully if you need to detangle wet hair: Liana Zingarino recommends using a high-quality leave-in conditioner from the scalp all the way down to the ends, and then combing it out with a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush with fewer teeth. To prevent breakage, work from the tips upward in very small parts.
8: sleep on a silk pillowcase.
Swapping to a silk pillowcase and taking advantage of its benefits for healthy hair may have an instantaneous effect. Assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai in New York City, Jesleen Ahluwalia, M.D., says that silk “is gentler on hair — it helps reduce tangles and breakage.” If your hair is less likely to break, it will grow for longer. Their quality is so high that the Good Housekeeping Institute conducted an extensive study to determine which silk pillowcases are the best.
9: would recommend trying minoxidil
The GH director of beauty, April Franzino, recommends picking up some Women’s Rogaine. Using the product as directed, minoxidil has been demonstrated to slow hair loss and promote new hair growth over time. Select Hers 2% Minoxidil Topical Solution and apply it with the dropper to concentrate on specific regions of concern.
A word of caution, though: Jeni Thomas, Ph.D., lead scientist at Proctor & Gamble Beauty, says that “hair growth via shampoo has yet to be scientifically validated, at least in published studies or to FDA’s criteria,” so you shouldn’t put too much stock in products that claim to stimulate hair growth.
When to talk to your doctor about hair loss
There might be underlying hair loss factors contributing to your poor hair growth. More than half of women, when you include in those who are born with thin or non-existent hair, will experience noticeable hair loss, according to the Cleveland Clinic. New York City dermatologist Dr. Joyce Davis says, “Hair that is naturally tiny in diameter [fine] or sparse is inherited.” Androgenic baldness, in which hair thins in patches, is commonly the cause of hair loss. Another common kind of hair loss is telogen effluvium (TE), also known as diffuse shedding, which may be brought on by hormones or medical disorders such thyroid or autoimmune sickness and anemia.
See a doctor for a diagnosis, since TE treatment often results in hair growth again. Treatments using the over-the-counter topical minoxidil mentioned above have been found to reverse and prevent further progression of androgenic hair loss when used consistently over time. Dr. Davis says that by injecting growth factors drawn from your blood into the scalp, the professional treatment known as PRP (platelet-rich plasma) promotes development. Consult a dermatologist to find out whether it is safe for you to use.
