How to grow hair faster: Simple yet practical tips for hair growth

Having long, healthy, and lustrous hair is not always a result of luck and good genes. A lot goes into maintaining that Rapunzel-like hair that makes heads turn—like a good hair care routine.  

Many people struggle with slow hair growth, feeling like it’s at a standstill, and wish they could grow hair overnight.

While there’s no magic wand to make your locks grow instantly, understanding the science behind how hair grows and following the right tips can significantly boost your hair growth journey. 

Here are all the details on how to grow hair faster through easy, simple, and practical tips. There is no mumbo jumbo here!

What is the hair growth cycle?

Before jumping on hair growth tips, let’s first understand the hair growth cycle.  

The hair growth cycle has 4 stages:  

• Anagen (growth phase): During this phase, hair actively grows for around 2 to 7 years.   

• Catagen (transition phase): This is a transition phase between anagen and telogen where your hair stops growing. This short period, lasting for about 10 days to 2 weeks signals the end of active hair growth.  

• Telogen (resting phase): In this phase, your hair practically just rests! Neither does it grow, nor does it fall out. Lasting for about 2-3 months, new hair starts to form in the hair follicles. 

• Exogen: An extension of the telogen phase, old hair starts falling out, making room for new hair growth.  The hair on your scalp is in different stages at any given moment, therefore, it is natural to lose around 80-100 strands a day as they’re in this stage.

Factors affecting your hair growth?

The factors determining your hair growth can be divided into two: Internal and External. 

Internal factors:

a) Diet: As the well-known saying goes, “You are what you eat”, nutrition plays a key role in your skin and hair health. A lack of a balanced diet, short of nutrition and vitamins can impact your hair quality and growth cycle.  

b) Stress, hormonal fluctuations, medical reasons, etc. can impact hair growth.  

c) Genetics: If your parents have had good hair, you could be lucky enough to have long, healthy hair, and vice versa.

External factors: 

A lot of external factors can affect your hair growth. For example, environmental stressors like pollution, sun damage, excessive heat styling, harsh chemicals, and usage of wrong products can affect hair growth and health.  

How to increase hair growth - Some simple tips

Now that you are aware of the hair growth cycle, you might already have some answers to your unexplained hair fall or even hair growth. 

But to ensure that the hair growth cycle is not disrupted and you are blessed with healthy hair growth, here are some simple, yet science-backed tips. :  

1. Massage your scalp: 

Massaging your scalp stimulates blood circulation, which helps nutrients reach your hair follicles faster and more effectively. Daily scalp massage can help boost hair growth naturally. Additionally, you can indulge in hot oil massage once a week with enriching oils such as coconut, argan, olive, almond, rosemary, etc., to deeply hydrate your scalp. 

2. Use targeted treatments: 

Nourishing your hair and scalp with essential nutrients can go a long way in improving your hair growth. A hair growth serum is a good hair product that when used consistently can provide various benefits like strengthening follicles, balancing pH levels and increasing blood circulation. Look for ingredients like Anagain, Redensyl, rosemary, etc., that improve hair health and boost growth. 

Dispense a few drops daily on your scalp and massage gently twice a day for best results. 

3. Watch what you eat: 

Hair is made of keratin (a protein) and thrives on a diet rich in proteins, vitamins (like biotin), and omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, it's crucial to have a balanced diet that is rich in protein, biotin, and essential fatty acids. Load up on green leafy vegetables like spinach, nuts, whole grains, and fresh fruits. Additionally, you can also consult a trichologist to prescribe supplements rich in vitamins, zinc, iron, and biotin.  

4. Avoid heat & chemical damage: 

Excessive heat styling, chemical treatments, chemical-heavy products, and their wrong usage can damage scalp health, weaken hair, cause breakage, and slow down growth. 

Ensure you read the labels of all the products you choose for your hair, be it hair oil, shampoo, or hair mask. Similarly, avoid treatments that lead to the absorption of harsh chemicals in your scalp and hair strands. 

 5. Adopt a healthy lifestyle: 

Along with a balanced diet, it's imperative that you stay hydrated in and out. Hydration keeps your scalp healthy, avoiding dry and itchy scalp that can affect hair growth.

Good sleep is crucial for the entire health of your body, including your hair and scalp. Adequate sleep also ensures your body can repair and grow cells, including those in your hair follicles.  

Lastly, avoid smoking or excessive drinking. 

Common myths to avoid while looking for hair growth tips

While following hair-growing tips, avoid baseless myths and misinformation. Here are some myths about hair growth you shouldn’t believe   

1. Myth: Cutting your hair makes it grow faster.  

Fact: Hair grows from the scalp, not the ends. Yes, regular trimming would prevent split ends and hair damage, but it can not facilitate new hair growth.   

2. Myth: The more oil you apply, the better hair growth.  

Fact: While oiling nourishes the scalp, boosting blood circulation and hair growth, excessive oiling can give the opposite results. Choose a light hair oil depending on your scalp and hair type, and massage it gently. Avoid over-saturating your scalp with. What matters is regular scalp hydration and nourishment.  

3. Myth: Hair grows faster if you brush it 100 times a day.  

Fact: Brushing your scalp and hair a couple of times a day can boost hair circulation. But overbrushing can cause breakage and hair fall. Instead, focus on gentle scalp stimulation through massages.  

There will be hundreds of results on search engines when you type: “how to grow hair faster”. However, hair growth isn’t about quick fixes but nourishing your scalp and protecting your hair from root to tip. With a healthy lifestyle, gentle hair care practices, and the usage of scientifically backed products like hair growth serum, you can create a nurturing environment for your hair to grow naturally.

FAQs

Q1. How to grow your hair faster?  

A balanced diet, healthy lifestyle habits, scalp massage, and targeted treatments like a hair growth serum can help boost hair growth.

Q2. What to eat to grow hair faster?

Protein-rich foods like spinach, nuts, whole grains, and biotin, zinc, and vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables can help grow your hair faster.

Q3. What exercise makes your hair grow faster?

Cardio exercises like jogging, yoga poses, and scalp massages boost blood circulation, promoting hair growth.

Q4. Do hair growth serums work for growth?

When used consistently, hair growth serum can help strengthen your follicles and boost new hair growth.

Q5. Which oil is best for hair growth?

Rosemary oil, castor oil, argan oil, and coconut oil are excellent for stimulating hair growth and strengthening hair follicles.