How To Make Your Hair Grow Faster and Stronger: It can feel like you’re always waiting when you’re trying to make your hair longer or thicker. The Trichological Society says that hair grows at an average rate of 0.5 to 1.7 centimeters per month, or about two to eight inches per year. Hair is the body’s fastest-growing tissue. That growth might not seem like much, especially when you’re waiting for it to happen.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), you should lose between 50 and 100 hairs every day. But if you think your growth is really slowed down, there are some changes you can make to how you care for your hair every day to speed it up. You can change the hair brush you use or the number of times you use your hair dryer to protect your hair from damage. You can also add hair growth oils and foods to your routine to help your hair grow faster.
Here are the tips and home treatments that top doctors, famous hairstylists, skincare experts, and our own Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab pros say will help your hair grow quickly.
How To Make Your Hair Grow Faster and Stronger
1. Get your hair cut often.
Even though it might not make sense, you need to get your hair cut regularly if you want long hair that is healthy. A famous hairdresser in Los Angeles named Michael Dueñas says, “Getting a haircut doesn’t make your hair grow faster, but it does get rid of split ends that break your hair.” “Eliminating the breakage gives the appearance that your hair is growing faster.” When a split end breaks, your hair can lose length, shine, thickness, and smoothness, among other things.
2. Make sure you eat right.
It’s not enough to just use hair products to get long, strong hair. What you eat also makes a difference. Francesca Fusco, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City, says, “To make hair grow, you need to “feed” it from the inside.” What kinds of food help hair grow faster? Those that are high in protein, which is what hair is made of, like meat and other foods. “Try increasing your protein intake with foods like fish, beans, nuts and whole grains,” she advises. For hair growth, you should still try to eat a lot of protein, even if you don’t like meat. Often, women who don’t get enough of it have “more hair shedding,” says Dr. Fusco.
Remember to stay away from popular “cleanses” for many reasons. “Doing a cleanse is terrible for your hair because you’re depriving your body of nutrients,” Dueñas says. “After doing a cleanse even for a week, you’ll notice slower hair growth and lackluster locks.”
3. Take a hair-healthy vitamin first thing in the morning.
A vitamin could make all the difference if your food isn’t giving you enough nutrients. “Look for a multivitamin that’s formulated and labeled ‘for hair, skin and nails,'” Dr. Fusco advises. “Those contain important vitamins like biotin and C and B that can support hair health.” Stefani Sassos, deputy head of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab, says that the following vitamins and minerals can help your hair stay healthy:
- Vitamin A and Vitamin C
- Zinc, vitamin E, and iron
- Fish oils with omega-3s
4. Don’t shampoo as much and use more water.
The health of your hair is affected by how often you shampoo it. A famous hairstylist in L.A. named Ken Paves says, “Shampooing your hair [only] two to three times a week lets your natural oils penetrate your hair, letting it hydrate and repair itself.” Choose a shampoo that says “volumizing” or “thickening” on the box to get stronger hair quickly.
A smooth deep conditioner, hair mask, or hair detangler used regularly can also help protect hair from damage while detangling it, say experts at GH Beauty Lab.Put a store-bought or home-made hair mask on your hair from root to tip once a week:Liane Zingarino, a professional hair stylist in New York City, says that one with cinnamon can quickly make hair stronger and longer by increasing blood flow.
5. Don’t use bleach.
There is a chance that going from a darker shade to light blonde could stop your hair from growing as long as it can. The senior stylist at Cutler Salon in New York City, Elizabeth Hiserodt, says that bleach can damage the cuticle of the hair, which can lead to more breaking or split ends.”The fewer chemical treatments, the better your hair will grow.”
6. Don’t use too much heat when styling.
Paves tells her, “Stop styling your hair too much.” If you have to use heat, he says to lower the temperature and always use a heat protectant. If you don’t, you could damage your hair and make it break and frizz.