I am sure all women like me care a lot for the hair, and a good bit of time is spent daily on setting the hair. Hair makes a massive difference to our style and beauty, giving us an identity in appearance.
Even when a few extra strands of hair fall off, it makes me jittery and worried.
Everyone experiencing excess hair fall or with thin hair seriously wants to know how to grow hair faster.
Scientifically, there is no healthy way to accelerate hair growth all of a sudden. However, several proven solutions can effectively stimulate hair growth and reduce hair loss. The best treatment for hair growth is eliminating the specific cause that has stunted the regeneration of hair cells.
A few people have said that trimming makes the hair grow faster. NO ways.
The hair grows from within the hair follicles under the skin.
In this article, let us examine why hairs stop growing normally and how to make your hair grow faster.
Reasons For ‘Slow’ or ‘No’ Hair Growth
In a healthy person, the hair on the scalp grows about .3 to .4 mm/day or about 6 inches per year. The growth of scalp hair lasts for 2 to 6 years (Anagen stage), and then it completely stops growing (catagen stage – lasts 2-3 weeks), and finally, it rests and falls off (Telogen stage – lasts maximum 100 days).
In many individuals, the hairs stop growing normally for various biological and external reasons. Understanding the specific reason for slow hair growth in the concerned individual is the first step in choosing the proper remedy for faster hair growth.
Below given are the primary reasons for ‘slow’ or ‘no’ hair growth:-
Chemical Treatments on Hair
Frequent use of chemical treatments or their application on hair, such as hair coloring, bleaching, hair styling gels, hair fixers, hair relaxing, perming, etc., damages the hair and gradually kills or destroys the hair follicles themselves.
Hereditary and Genetic Reasons
Hereditary factors are a significant cause of hair loss, especially the ‘pattern of baldness in men and women. The hair growth trends remain quite identical among members of the same family.
Nutrients Deficiency
Healthy hair growth is possible only when sufficient vitamins and minerals reach the hair follicles as nutrients for hair growth. Most of the hair growth problems are due to a lack of essential vitamins required for hair growth.
Certain Diseases and Medications
The medicines used as a treatment for a particular disease like diabetes, cholesterol, cancer, epilepsy, high blood pressure, thyroiditis, etc., stunt hair growth and give rise to increased hair loss.
Hormonal Changes
Hair growth becomes slow, and hair loss increases with hormonal imbalance. This is particularly noticed in women during pregnancy, initial months of menopause, while on contraceptive pills or steroids, etc.
Physical and Mental Stress
Excessive physical and mental stress for a prolonged period creates a hormonal imbalance in the person. Excessive stress also reduces the life span of hair follicles as they enter the so-called resting phase early.
Sleep Deprivation
An adult person requires a minimum of 6-7 hours of daily sleep. During sleep hours, the body repairs and regenerates the body cells. Lack of sleep reduces the efficiency of the hair follicles to produce the cells that form the hair.
Addiction and Unhealthy Habits
Excess amounts of caffeine intake, heavy doses of nicotine from smoking, side effects of substance abuse, etc., have a direct effect on slowing down hair growth. Most of these addictions reduce the flow of blood to the hair follicles. They not only bring the unhealthy elements that make the hair dry, thin, and split into the body but also weaken the hair follicles.
Environmental Pollution
People exposed to severe air and water pollution often experience a high rate of hair loss and slow growth. The water used for bathing and drinking must be pure and safe for the body.
Sedentary Lifestyle
Being physically active is very important for the body’s and hair’s health. The blood circulation to the tissues surrounding hair follicles becomes stagnant or blocked due to a lack of sufficient physical activities.
Wrong Hairstyles and Fashions
Many people, especially the youth, damage their hair by following certain hairstyles and fashion trends. For example, excessive use of hair styling gels, hairpins, chemical hair colors, sinister headgear, faulty threading of hairs, etc., leads to damage and loss of hair.
Processed Junk Foods
Processed junk foods often do not contain the essential vitamins required for hair growth. The bad cholesterol and sugar these foods bring into the body create fatal diseases that eventually lead to severe hair loss and stunted hair growth.
Several other reasons lead to the slow growth of hair. If you can identify the exact reasons that are causing trouble to your tresses, then it will be easy to find a solution to the problem of ‘how to make hair grow faster.’
Read the article “How To Make Your Hair Grow Faster.”
Solutions and Treatments to Grow Your Hair Faster
I have been researching a lot to find the most common and practical solutions that promote the speedy growth of hair and stop abnormal hair loss. I have encountered many remedies for faster hair growth, but let us look at only the most popular ones here.
1. Taking Good Care Of Your Hair Always
The hairs are delicate and must be given gentle care to keep them healthy and strong. For example, regularly trimming the split ends, oiling, brushing, gently washing, using healthy organic hair masks, etc., are ways to improve the hair’s health.
2. Healthy Intake of Vitamins and Hair Protein
If you want to grow thick and beautiful hair faster, your body must receive adequate vitamins, nutrients, and proteins required to nourish hair. You can look at the article on vitamins for hair growth for details.
3. Healthy Brushing of The Hair
Brushing the hair twice or thrice a day is good, but excess brushing will damage the hair. It is enough to gently brush the hair for 2-3 minutes at a time. Brush the hair and scalp, as it will activate the blood vessels on the scalp.
Wet and tangled hairs should not be brushed forcefully as it will damage the hairs badly. To detangle the hair, make the hair dry and start brushing from the bottom of the hair. Do not use force as it may even hurt the hair roots and follicles.
4. Gentle Scalp Massage
It is good to gently massage your scalp for a few minutes, especially while oiling or shampooing the hair. Use all your fingers to massage the scalp, as it will help increase blood flow into the scalp and hair follicles and allow the nutrients in the oil and shampoo (organic) to penetrate deep into the hair roots.
5. Protecting the Scalp
It is essential to protect your scalp as all hair roots are embedded in the skin tissue layers on the scalp. Do not allow dust and dirt to clog the pores on the scalp. Avoid wearing rough and heavy helmets and headgear, as they will damage hair in many ways.
Do not apply chemical-based conditioners or hair gels and sprays on the scalp. All these should be applied only to the hair’s length.
6. Oil Massage on Scalp and Hair
Massaging your scalp and hair with mildly warmed pure and healthy plant seed oils (Aragon, coconut, olive, castor, jojoba, arnica, etc.) is suitable for faster hair growth.
Use the oil mask treatment for the hair at least twice weekly to grow longer hair faster.
My favorite oils are coconut oil and castor oil, as these two have several natural ingredients that are good for the hair.
There is evidence showing that coconut oil works for faster hair growth. Another good hair oil is castor oil, which has specific nutrients for better hair growth.
7. Hair Care While Sleeping
While sleeping, avoiding hair masks and hair caps/wraps is better. Let your hair loose and free while sleeping, as it will help in healthy oxidization of the scalp and hair.
It is better to use silk pillowcases as it will reduce the hair friction on the pillows.
If you have long hair, you can conveniently spread your hair to one side of the bed before you sleep to avoid getting pressed and rubbed between your body and the bed.
8. Use Only Organic Conditioners and Shampoo
Chemical contents in the conditioner and shampoo can cause havoc to the hair in the long run. Most of the popular hair conditioners have chemical waxes and silicon that are bad for the hair follicles.
Using only good natural products for your hair-care needs is always healthy. Shampoo and conditioner are good for making your hair look beautiful and shining, but at the same time, do not use them more than twice or thrice a week.
9, Hair Growth Supplements
If you cannot maintain a healthy and balanced diet with the proteins and vitamins required for growing your hair, you may have to use a good hair growth supplement. If you can find the exact reason for your hair loss, choosing the right hair growth supplement that fits your needs is more accessible.
10. Cold Water Rinse for Hair
It is unsuitable for the hair if you regularly wash it with warm or hot water. The warm water shower makes your hair dry and removes the natural shine on hair.
The warm water also removes the sound effects of the oil and conditioner from your hair.
Cold water or a regular shower helps protect your hair’s natural moisture.
11. De-stress Your Body and Mind
As we have mentioned earlier, stress and anxiety lead to a hormone imbalance that adversely affects the hair follicles. Several people lose hair and experience the slow growth of hair as they are physically and psychologically overstressed.
It is good to de-stress your mind and body through meditation, yoga, leisure activities, etc., to make your hair grow faster.
12. Take Precautionary Measures to Avoid Side Effects of Medicines
Hair growth becomes stunted, and hair fall increases with medications for certain diseases. It is good to discuss the matter with your doctor and find a suitable remedy that will erase the side effects of the medicine.
It is also good to take multivitamin pills and medicines to minimize their side effects.
Foods that Make Your Hair Grow Thicker and Faster
How do you get thicker hair? Simple…Just eat nutritious foods daily.
As discussed earlier, food and diet significantly promote the faster growth of thicker hairs.
We should be eating various food diets that will supply the body with essential vitamins and nutrients required for hair growth. Include in your daily diet foods high in vitamins A, C, and D, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, and selenium. Vitamin B-complex (Biotin), in particular, is extremely important for making your hair grow faster.
If you are wondering how to get thicker hair, the first step is to have a balanced diet daily. A healthy diet will supply essential vitamins and minerals for hair growth.
Ensure sufficient daily protein intake, as good hair growth also requires protein.
Some of the best foods for hair growth are dairy products, red meat, fish, eggs, whole grains, salmon, spinach, broccoli, bell peppers, cabbage, grapefruit, avocado, parsley, oats, and alfalfa.
Flax seeds, walnuts, coconut oil, olive oil, winter squash, carrots, beetroot, and lettuce are also good for the hair.
These healthy diets are necessary to achieve faster hair growth naturally.
Drinking at least eight glasses of water daily is essential to avoid dehydration. Lack of water intake will dry your hair and upset the regeneration of hair cells in the hair follicles.
Multivitamin Pills and Supplements for Hair Regrowth
Suppose you cannot access a balanced diet with various foods due to your living conditions. You should use multivitamin pills or hair growth supplements to meet the vitamins and nutrients needed for hair regrowth.
Usually, all the good-quality multivitamin pills include all those nutrients required for fast hair growth.
Most health experts disapprove of the prolonged use of multivitamins as it may cause specific side effects in the long run. Opting for ‘Whole Food Multivitamins’ is better than the chemical ones.
The hair growth pills may not produce the desired results if your hair loss problem is associated with other serious health issues.
There are also specially prepared hair growth supplements that contain all nutrients exclusively required for hair growth.
Final Thoughts
I hope the above-discussed hair growth tips have given you a definite answer to the question ‘of how to grow your hair faster.’
The growth of hair depends on the internal care (vitamins & nutrients) and the external care you give to your hair.
Love your hair and care for it gently. We all begin to realize the value of hair in our lives only when we begin to lose it.
Do not run after all hair care products; try all sorts of chemical hair styling materials on your hair. Most hair care products will give only temporary results, but in the long run, you will be left with poor hair growth because of them.
The best tips for hair growth are a wholesome diet, cautious medication, and regular external care for your hair, such as brushing, oiling, scalp massaging, etc. Strictly avoid all chemical-rich hair care products and opt for organic and natural shampoos, conditioners, etc.
Healthy and happy living with a lot of physical exercise and stress-free minds also adds to the faster growth of hair.