How To Make Hair Grow
Over the years we've experimented with loads of different hair products and home remedies in an attempt to get long locks. After a lot of reading and heaps of testing, we've finally found a formula that really works.
We know it's hard to believe, but this article really can teach you how to grow your hair in one day, and up to one inch a week! It's time to get the hair you've always dreamed of...
How fast does hair grow?
Before you start learning how to make hair grow faster, it's helpful to first figure out how quickly it naturally grows so we can understand what to expect.
According to the U.S Center for Disease Control, hair grows at an average of 0.50 inches (1.25cm) per month. This means the average person can expect to grow 6 inches of hair per year.The speed at which your hair grows depends on both genetics and the shape of your follicles - Asian hair is on average the thickest and most coarse hair compared to Caucasian and African hair.
Hair grows at 0.50 inches on average per month which sounds like a lot, right? So why does it never feel like it? Well, things like over-styling,
bad diet and not taking good care of your hair can result in split ends and breakages which shorten the length of your hair.
This leads us to another important question...
Why your hair stops growing
Is your hair not growing? It doesn't just decide to stop growing - there are lots of things that can stunt hair growth. Try avoiding the following:
1. Overstyling
We all want gorgeous-looking hair, but it should never be at the expense of hair health.
If you're using heat tools every day - whether that be hot irons or the hair-dryer - try to cut down. Heat can weaken your hair so even just alternating or going an extra day without heat can dramatically improve the condition of your hair.If you must use heat, try to gently towel and air dry your hair until it's around 60% dry then use the hairdryer on a medium setting.
TOP TIP: invest in a high-quality hair protection spray - they really do help to keep your hair healthy.
2. Poor diet
As with most things health and beauty, diet plays a massive role in not only the condition but your rate of hair growth.
If your hair won't grow, your diet could be deficient in vitamins, minerals and protein.
3. Wrong products
When it comes to hair products, sometimes less is more. Whilst some creams really can benefit hair health and help make it grow, others cause more damage than good.
Don't just use anything on your hair - harsh chemicals will dry it out and may stunt hair growth.
4. Tight hairstyles
Tight ponytails and high buns might look nice, but they can cause serious damage to our hair health.
Bobbles grip the hair, causing friction which may lead to fraying and split ends - we've all pulled one out before to find it covered in our precious hair. Tying your hair up every once in a while is no big deal, but having the same updo every day will cause damage over time.Braids are another thing to do sparingly if you want to preserve your hair health - if done too tightly, they can physically pull the hair away from the roots and cause splitting, hair weakness and follicle damage.
When it comes to wet hair, putting it up should be avoided at all costs. Wet hair is more prone to splitting than dry, the evidence of which will be on your hair bobble should you ever try it.
5. Hormonal imbalance
Everything from thyroid-related disorders to stress, menstruation and puberty can cause a change in hormones that impact our hair.
Estrogen and progesterone are specific hormones that promote hair growth, whilst androgen and testosterone discourage it. When these hormones become imbalanced, it forces the hair into the telogen phase, causing hair loss and thinning.
How to make your hair grow faster
1. Eat protein & Biotin-rich foods
Biotin, also known as Vitamin H, forms a part of the B-complex group of vitamins that help turn food into fuel for energy. It also assists in the metabolism of fats, carbs and amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.
As we discussed earlier, hair begins to grow from the root of the follicle which is made up of cells of protein. For faster hair growth, you need to eat a diet rich in both Biotin and protein in order to facilitate the building blocks of protein.The daily recommended allowance of Biotin is 30 micrograms, which you can ensure you're achieving by taking in a supplement form. If you prefer, you can eat foods that are naturally high in Biotin. It has many many other body-boosting benefits too, such as stronger nails and eyelashes.
Here's a list of Biotin and protein-rich foods which can accelerate hair growth:
- Almonds, Peanuts, Pecans and Walnuts
- Eggs (the yolk has one of the highest concentrations of Biotin)
- Milk and Cheese
- Pork and Cooked Liver
- Salmon and Sardines
- Avocado
Check out The World's Healthiest Foods for all you need to know about foods rich in Biotin, from what foods to eat to how to cook and prepare.
2. How to make hair grow with the inversion method
If you take just one thing from this article, make it The Inversion Method - yes, we capitalised it because it's that important!
The Inversion Method claims to achieve one inch of hair growth a week, and whilst it might not work for everyone it's definitely worth a try.
Method:
- Get your hair trimmed to remove and split ends which may affect results.
- Measure your hair so you can compare it to the end results.
- Use your fingertips to massage your scalp for 5-10 minutes. Make sure you use a timer so you are continuously massaging.
- You can help boost the method and give your hair an intensive moisturising treatment using a natural oil like Coconut Oil, Olive Oil or Argan Oil whilst massaging. If you can, leave it in overnight in a shower cap. More on these oils later. You don’t have to use the oil, but it will help condition so your hair will feel stronger and shinier than ever.
- Repeat every day for seven consequetive days, then leave for a month before repeating.
If you're serious about hair growth, a wire scalp massager is a great tool to invest in. They're cheap, comfortable and will prevent your fingers and hands from becoming tired.
3. Shampoo to make your hair grow
You can opt to give your hair a little extra growing power everytime you wash it by switching out your everyday shampoo for one that helps accelerate growth.
There are many different shampoos to help hair grow - check out some of the professional's favourites over on the Superdrug website.
4. Rinse hair with cold water
Not many people know, but hot water strips the hair of moisture and weakens hair strands making it more perceptible to breakage. To prevent damage, make sure you're washing your hair with lukewarm water, and definitely not hot or scorching.
Warm water will cause follicles to open, enabling you to clean the scalp thoroughly. It's important, however, to finish off with a blast of cold water to close them again to reduce hair loss and frizz. This one step alone can make a huge difference to your hair, helping it to grow faster and fall less.
5. How to promote hair growth with grass-fed gelatin
Gelatin is more than an ingredient in jelly - it's derived from animal parts and extremely high in protein and other nutrients too.
It can help to nourish your entire body, but is especially beneficial to your hair, skin and nails. This is because gelatin increases the production of collagen in the skin - an amino acid that enhances the appearance of pretty much every body part.
Although many beauty products claim to encourage collagen production, it's important to boost collagen from the inside as well as the outside, especially as we age and production decreases.
You can get your gelatin fix from common foods like low-calorie jelly, but for an even bigger boost try Grass-fed gelatin. It comes from cows that graze on grass instead of grain. Healthier cows boast higher gelatin prowess according to the suppliers.
You can buy grass-fed gelatin as a supplement that can be added to hot and room temperature drinks. Great Lakes have an affordable range and can be bought from Amazon. Simply add a teaspoon to your morning tea or coffee.
Check out Butter Believer's Guide to Gelatin Powder for more information on all things gelatin.
6. Hair Growth Treatments
If you enjoy experimenting with hair products, we have a recommendation you can really rely on. Lee Stafford's Hair Growth range includes a Hair Treatment which contains a unique 'Pro-Growth' Complex which is high in protein. It helps to fertilise your hair follicles and encourage new growth as well as anchoring your existing hair to your scalp.
New hair growth and less hair loss = win, win.
You don't need to use all the products, but we highly recommend the leave-in conditioner and the treatment. The treatment can be used every time you massage your hair during the Inversion Method instead of a natural oil.
Some blogs may recommend natural products and the 'no-poo' method, which involves cutting out all haircare and relying on baking soda to clean your hair. Whilst we're a big fan of baking soda, we love using coconut oiland olive oil as both beauty and hair care products, and have also found the Lee Stafford range to really work.
7. Cut out the heat and let your hair loose
There's no escaping the fact that heat damages our hair. Just because we can't feel the heat, it doesn't mean it won't affect our hair - after all, you're essentially ironing it.
If you want to encourage your hair to grow faster, the best thing to do is leave it au natural. This means leaving it to air dry, avoiding styling, and leaving it loose or tying it in low hairstyles.
8. How to make hair grow with vitamins & minerals
Diet is just as important for us on the outside as it is on the inside. Besides protein and Biotin-rich foods, it's also important to get as many vitamins and minerals as possible.
- Spinach is a particularly important vegetable for hair growth, as it's high in protein and Vitamins A and C which your body needs to produce sebum which moisturises your scalp. A deficiency in these vitamins can result in brittle hair or even hair loss so make sure you are eating plenty of spinach in your diet.
- Broccoli is another of the best greens you can eat for hair health. As well as Vitamin A and C it also contains essential B vitamins that are needed for strong hair. The antioxidants in broccoli, particularly vitamin C also prevent hair loss by eliminating the free radicals, contributing to healthier and thicker hair.
Both are reasonably priced so make sure you eat at least one portion of either once a day and you'll start to notice not only a healthier bowel, but your skin hair and nails should look better than ever too.