How to Grow Your Hair as Fast as Possible

Medically reviewed by Marisa Garshick, MD

Many people seek ways to help their hair grow as fast as possible. Fortunately, there are a few methods that can help accelerate the process. Embracing a nutrient-rich diet and incorporating regular scalp massages are among the top contenders for fostering rapid hair growth.

However, it's crucial to understand that individual hair growth depends on various factors such as genetics, overall health, and lifestyle choices. This article will explore effective methods to help promote faster hair growth.

Hair Length and Growth Speed: What to Know

Healthy hair usually grows about 0.35 millimeters (mm) every day. That's roughly one-half inch every month and about 6 inches every year. Most adults have between 80,000 and 120,000 hairs on their head that grow like this, and it is normal to shed between 100 and 150 scalp hairs every day.

Hair growth occurs in these four main phases:

• Anagen phase: This is the active growth phase, in which hair follicles continuously produce new hair. It can last anywhere from two to eight years and determines the length of your hair.
  

• Catagen phase: This is a transitional phase, in which hair growth slows down and the hair follicle shrinks. This phase lasts for about two weeks.
  

• Telogen phase: This is the resting phase, in which the hair follicle remains dormant. During this phase, the old hair is shed, and new hair grows in its place. It lasts for about three to four months before the cycle repeats itself.

• Exogen phase: During the exogen phase, the old hairs that have completed their life cycle are shed, making room for new hair growth. This shedding is a natural process and allows for the renewal of the hair follicles.
  

10 Ways to Help Grow Your Hair Faster

Approximately 9% of hair follicles are in the telogen phase at any given time. However, various factors can influence the transition from the growth phase (anagen) to the resting phase (telogen), such as:

• Inflammation

• Hormonal fluctuations

• Stress

• Nutritional imbalances

• Insufficient sleep
  

Try a Scalp Massage

A regular scalp massage may effectively stimulate hair growth, resulting in thicker and healthier hair. Research shows that regular scalp massage can increase hair thickness by applying mechanical stress to cells in the scalp's deeper layers.

This stress triggers the activation of dormant hair follicles and encourages the expression of genes responsible for promoting hair growth. Scalp massages also reduce the activity of genes linked to hair loss.

Eat a Nutrient-Rich Diet

Consuming a balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and protein is essential for promoting hair growth. Nutrients like biotin, vitamin E, zinc, and iron support healthy hair follicles and encourage faster growth.

Reduce Stress

High levels of stress can disrupt the hair-growth cycle and lead to hair loss. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress. Chronic stress can elevate cortisol levels, disrupting the hair growth cycle and leading to conditions like telogen effluvium, in which hair prematurely enters the resting phase and eventually sheds, resulting in hair loss.

Managing stress through relaxation techniques, exercise, and sufficient sleep may help maintain a healthy hair growth rate.

Avoid Tight Hairstyles

Tight hairstyles like ponytails, hair extensions, and tightly braided hair can put stress on the hair follicles and lead to breakage and even hair loss. Opting for looser hairstyles or wearing hair down more often can help promote healthier growth. Consider using gentle styling techniques and minimizing the use of heated styling tools that can prevent unnecessary stress on the hair.

Consider Hair Growth Supplements

In some cases, supplements containing vitamins and minerals specifically targeted for hair growth, such as collagen and amino acids, may be beneficial. However, it's essential to consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement regimen.

Use Peppermint Oil

There is evidence to show that peppermint oil may help promote hair growth by increasing blood circulation to the scalp, which delivers vital nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicles. In turn, this activates the follicles and encourages the early onset of the anagen phase of the hair cycle.

Bond-Building Treatments

Bond-building treatments, such as Olaplex or similar products, are designed to repair and strengthen damaged hair. While they don't directly stimulate hair follicles or increase the rate of hair growth, they may indirectly support healthier hair growth by improving the overall condition of the hair.

By minimizing breakage and damage, bond-building treatments may preserve the length of the hair strands. This means that as new hair grows from the scalp, it may be less likely to break off prematurely, allowing you to retain length and achieve longer hair over time.

Rogaine (Minoxidil)

Rogaine (minoxidil) is an over-the-counter topical medication primarily used to treat hair loss by promoting hair regrowth in people with certain types of alopecia, such as androgenetic alopecia (male- or female-pattern baldness). It works by stimulating hair follicles to enter the anagen (growth) phase of the hair growth cycle and increasing blood flow to the scalp.

There is no evidence that Rogaine directly affects the rate at which hair grows. However, it may lead to thicker, longer, and more densely packed hair strands over time.

Keep Your Scalp Clean

There is evidence that an unhealthy scalp leads to unhealthy hair. Hair loss may be due to poor scalp health from conditions such as psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and dandruff.

Keeping your scalp clean promotes healthier hair growth by creating an optimal environment for hair follicles.  Additionally, a clean scalp helps reduce the risk of scalp infections, inflammation, and dandruff, which can negatively impact hair health and growth.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is used as a treatment to promote hair growth in individuals experiencing hair loss. PRP contains growth factors that may stimulate hair follicles, improve blood flow to the scalp, and encourage the growth of thicker, healthier hair.

While PRP therapy may stimulate dormant hair follicles and potentially enhance the overall quality of hair, it doesn't directly affect the rate at which hair grows. However, PRP therapy supports healthier hair growth and improves the condition of existing hair follicles, which may help hair grow longer over time.

Growing Your Hair Out: Short to Long

Embarking on the journey to grow short hair into longer locks requires patience and a strategic approach. This section will explore effective tips and practices to get you through the grow-out phase and get the longer hair you desire.

Styling Tips

Heat styling can cause damage and breakage, which can disrupt your hair growth goals. Persistent damage to the hair can also escalate to more severe issues such as thinning strands or, in extreme cases, patches of baldness. A few styling tips to help get your hair to a longer length include:

• Let your hair air-dry.

• Avoid flat irons and curling irons whenever possible.

• If you must use heat styling, use the lowest setting.

Other hair styling tips that will reduce damage to the hair and prevent breakage include:

• Avoid brushing hair when wet.

• Wear hair loosely instead of pulling it back tightly.

• Add more time between coloring, perming, or relaxing your hair.

• Always use conditioner after shampooing.

• Avoid rubbing shampoos into the length of your hair (only gently massage it into the scalp).

• Avoid drying your hair by rubbing it into a towel.

With Layers

If you are trying to grow out layers in your hair, you may want to get periodic trims, especially when transitioning from short styles like pixie cuts or bobs to longer hair. Adjusting the layers along the way can help ensure that your hair maintains an appealing shape and style throughout the growing process.

Without these adjustments, you may have unevenness or awkward lengths that compromise your style. Consult with a hairstylist to strategize and customize a plan for each phase of your grow-out journey to aid in the faster and smoother growth of your layered locks.

Regular Trims

Contrary to popular belief, trimming your hair regularly (every 8 to 12 weeks) may actually help grow your hair in the long run. Trimming removes split ends, preventing breakage that can hinder growth. Aim for small trims to maintain health while growing out your hair.

Summary

While several hair growth factors are out of our control, eating a nutrient-rich diet, stress management, and gentle hair care practices may help you grow your hair. Understanding the natural hair growth cycle and implementing strategies like scalp massages and peppermint oil may also help stimulate hair follicles, promoting a healthier and quicker growth process.

Additionally, embracing looser hairstyles, reducing heat styling, and incorporating periodic trims can safeguard against breakage, ensuring the overall health of your hair as it grows longer.

While individual results may vary, patience and consistency with these practices may help contribute to a healthier head of hair over time.

Read the original article on Verywell Health.