When you need your hair to grow quickly, it never appears to do the opposite.
The first thing to remember if you’re wondering how to grow hair quicker is that there isn’t an instant magic solution for growing out an ugly cut or changing up your hairdo.
Under the best circumstances, you should anticipate no more than a half inch of new growth every month. It might very well be less because of things like breakage or diet. In other words, practice patience in plenty.
The good news is that there are several simple things you can take to make sure you actually achieve that half inch each month.
You need to take a two-pronged strategy to hair growth. To stop hair loss and breakage that slows growth, you must first eliminate damage across the whole hair shaft. Second, you need to create a favorable atmosphere for root growth while entrusting skilled experts with some tasks (such choosing colors and trimmings).
Let’s examine some easy and all-natural methods for growing longer, healthier hair.
1. Get Regular Trims.
Regular cuts might kind of help you get the long hair of your dreams, according to a frequent hair care advice that has some validity.
Not the ends of our hair, but the follicles on our scalps are where hair development begins. However, cutting off dead ends has little real impact on the top follicles. What it does, however, is aid in preventing breaking. Naturally, breakage will prevent you from reaching your desired length.
Split ends cause the hair to gradually split along the shaft, which causes breakage and delayed “growing.” The only method to get rid of those frays is through routine trims.
If expansion is your aim, just be careful not to cut too much. You should aim for a 1/4-inch haircut every three months or so because your hair grows around half an inch every month.
2. Let Wet Hair Be.
Wet hair is quite elastic. Brushing it when it’s wet runs the risk of breaking hair strands or harming the cuticle, the shingle-like cells that cover each hair.
The hair shaft can get bubbled when heated styling tools are used on it, making it more brittle.
If you have straight hair, let it air dry before using a wide-tooth comb to gently comb through it. Use a wide-tooth comb to gently untangle textured or curly hair while it’s still moist.
3. Take a Break from Bleaching.
Ironically, you can’t have long, dark hair and short, blonde hair at the same time.
By often bleaching and highlighting your hair, you run the risk of overprocessing, which breaks off hair follicles and makes it much more difficult for it to regrow. It is advised to move to deeper shades while your hair is growing out and choose demi- or semi-permanent colors at the salon, which won’t result in needless harm.
4. Hold the Heat.
You cannot use hot tools every day if you want to strengthen and grow your hair. Your hair can become damaged and break off when exposed to heat from straighteners, hair dryers, and curling irons.
Heat styling restructures and changes the pattern of your hair by destroying the hydrogen bonds in hair (be it straightening curls or adding curls to straight hair).
While completely eliminating heat styling may not be possible, you might want to consider reducing how frequently you use these products. Using hot styling equipment at lower temperatures might also lessen hair damage.
5. Space out Your Shampoo Days.
According to a rumor, over-shampooing can cause hair to become dry, brittle, and damaged since the cleanser strips the hair of its natural oils.
The frequency of hair washing ultimately depends on the type of hair you have. But whether you have straight or curly hair, washing every day is not advised.
The frequency of shampooing your hair each week varies depending on your hair type. While hair types with thinner hair may discover their hair feeling greasy even after one day, hair types with thicker, coarser hair can go many days without washing it. In these situations, a dry shampoo may do wonders to absorb extra oil as you wait for longer strands.
The frequent use of cleansers can irritate and dry up the scalp.
6. Take Care with Extensions and Braids.
It could seem like an easy way to get the long hair you want is to use extensions or a weave. Only wear them for no more than two to three months at a time. And never try to remove them yourself. Your scalp and hair may be harmed.
If styling your hair into extensions, braids, weaves, or cornrows causes pain, the style is excessively tight and will harm your hair. Request a retake.
7. Boost Your Nutrient Profile.
No supplement has been shown to accelerate hair growth. But your hair may suffer if you are deficient in some nutrients. Anemia, which is brought on by low iron, can cause hair loss. Healthy hair is greatly influenced by vitamins B and D.
Likewise, biotin, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. Your doctor can perform a deficiency test on you. Find out from them if and how much of a multivitamin or other supplement you should take.
In addition to being crucial for your general health, certain vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids are also crucial for giving your body the energy required for hair development.
8. Give Yourself a Massage.
A few modest studies have suggested that frequent head massages may promote thicker hair growth. A head massage can encourage sleep and reduce tension. In addition, it feels fantastic.
It is believed that massaging the scalp may aid in expanding blood vessels under the skin. In turn, this could result in thicker, stronger hair that is less prone to fall out or get damaged.
Use a massager to rub your scalp. Or take a few minutes each day to gently push, stretch, and pinch your own scalp.
9. Go Easy on Coloring Your Hair.
Your hair becomes weaker from using bleach and other chemical hair treatments like permanents, making it more prone to break before reaching the desired length. You’ll use less harmful peroxide if you select a color that isn’t too far from your natural tone, like three shades closer. Before using store-bought color all over your head, always test a small area first.
Chemical operations such as hair dyeing and texture changes can impose stress on hair, leading to breakage. However, hair might appear to grow quicker when we slow down these processes because fewer hairs fall out as a result.
10. Keep it Moisturized.
Your head hair is most likely the driest part of your body, thus it has to be moisturized if you want to grow it longer. Keep your hair moisturized even more so if it has a naturally dry nature. Brittle hair breaks when it becomes dry, and vice versa.
After each time you shampoo, use conditioner. It not only makes your hair behave and appear better, but it also fortifies and protects it from the sun’s UV rays. Apply it only to the bottom of your hair if you have fine hair to prevent weighing it down. Coat the tips of Black hair thoroughly to hydrate the weak ends.
Of course, every person may have different hair demands, so while some may just only a weekly application of conditioner, others may require moisturizing hair masks and oil treatments.
11. Wear Protective Hairstyles.
Even though every suggestion on this list is appropriate to all hair types, those with textured, naturally curly hair may occasionally need to wear protective styles.
It might be intimidating to go from short hair to long hair. But protective hairstyles are great for lengthening hair, switching from one hair type to another (for example, from straightened to textured), cutting down on daily hair maintenance, hiding hair ends, and protecting natural hair from harsh seasonal elements and harmful environmental influences.
The following are a few suggested examples: box braids, cornrow ponytails, and flat twists. However, change these out every two weeks and allow yourself breaks in between to prevent scalp strain, which can result in traction alopecia, a condition in which persistently wearing hairstyles that are excessively tight results in hair loss.
Protective styles simply allow those with coily, kinky hair to wait longer between soaking their hair and restyling it, preventing recurring damage.
12. Brush Your Hair – Carefully.
More than just detangling, brushing your hair also helps to increase scalp circulation, eliminate dead skin cells, and distribute oil evenly throughout the hair shaft.
It’s preferable to complete this procedure when your hair isn’t completely wet because hair is very delicate right after getting out of the shower. Use a non-damaging brush that won’t pull or grab hair and brush softly. Starting at the ends, slowly work your way up.
FAQ
Does washing your hair every day affect the growth rate?
Daily hair washing won’t slow down your hair’s development, but it could dehydrate and damage your hair by robbing it of its natural oils.
Does hair growth slow when your hair gets longer?
Your hair may stop growing after a given length but not necessarily at a specific period of time (aka the hair growth cycle). Once it has completed its cycle, it may then either break off or shed.
Does hair grow more in one season than another?
There isn’t much evidence to support the notion that your locks grow quicker in the summer, despite popular belief. In reality, exposure to the sun’s UV radiation may harm hair.