Don’t you just wish you had a magic wand that could make hair grow faster?
I mean, it’s a known fact of life… girls are constantly changing their hair. They grow it out for years, just to decide they want short hair.
So naturally, they chop it.
But after a week of short hair, they realize that they miss their long hair, and the cycle starts all over again.
But sadly, it can take several years for your hair to grow long… and can feel like even longer.
So what should you do when you want long hair faster?
Look… I’m not gonna promise you a secret formula that will give 6 inches of new hair overnight because I can assure you… that’s impossible.
But I’m about to drop 8 of my absolute best tips to start growing longer hair today! These realistic tips will honestly promote healthy hair growth, and you should notice real results within a few months.
💡TIP: Pin this article to your Hair Care board so you can always come back to it when you need to! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
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Tip #1: Protect Your Hair From Damage
The first thing you should do to make hair grow faster is to eliminate sources of damage. If your hair breaks off more quickly than it grows, it will never get longer.
Just so you know… I was once known as the queen of damaged hair.
I can’t even count how many times I bounced between black and platinum blonde hair. It literally wrecked my hair. And take it from me, you never want to do that to yourself.
But these days, my hair is actually pretty okay. It’s much longer and pretty dang healthy.
Here are some of my best tips to keep your hair damage in check:
- Lengthen the time between hair color applications and take advantage of grown-out color trends like color melting and balayage. The longer you give your hair to heal in between coloring, the healthier it will become.
- Do Olaplex No. 3 treatments to rebuild your broken hair bonds. I promise this product is worth its weight in gold.
- Do a deep conditioning treatment 1-2 times per week. You can just do them in the shower; wash your hair when you first get in and then let the treatment sit in your hair while you do everything else.
- Cut down on heat damage. Only use hot tools when you have to and always make sure to use a good heat protectant. You can also take advantage of heat-free hairstyles like braids and updos.
- Use high-quality sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner.
If you really want to make hair grow faster, you really have to keep the damage to a minimum.
▶︎RELATED: How To Straighten Your Hair With The Neuhauser Hair Straightener Brush!
Tip #2: Trim Your Hair Every Six Weeks
Okay, let’s just start by saying that cutting your hair doesn’t actually make hair grow faster… but it does eliminate split ends, which could lead to breakage.
The best analogy I’ve ever heard is to think of your hair like a piece of rope.
When rope starts to fray, you have to burn it to seal off the loose ends. Otherwise, it will just continue to unravel up the rope.
Likewise, if you don’t trim your split ends, they may continue to split further up your hair, eventually causing breakage. Breakage means shorter hair… which we can’t have if we’re trying to make hair grow faster.
But here’s the catch… If you cut too much hair off, it will seem like your hair isn’t growing.
Just remember that hair grows about 1/2″ per month. Stick to a 1/4″ trim every two months, and you should be golden. Oh… and be sure to express that you’re trying to grow out your hair to your stylist.
Make sure they’re on the same page as you before they pick up their scissors.
Tip #3: Take Vitamins
You’ve probably heard that prenatal vitamins make hair grow faster… right?
Well, it turns out that the abundance of hormones from pregnancy is what actually causes hair growth… not the prenatals.
Here’s a quick hair lesson: At any given time, 90% of your hair is in the growth phase, while the other 10% is in a resting phase. After resting, your hair follicle eventually sheds the strand of hair.
Well, the increased estrogen in pregnancy causes the hair to stay in the growing phase longer. Therefore, pregnant women don’t typically lose much hair, and they generally grow hair faster.
But the bad news is that after the baby comes, and the estrogen levels drop back to normal, they lose all the hair they would have lost over the past 9 months.
So if prenatal vitamins are a bust, then what?
Well, you could always check out some vitamins that were designed to make hair grow faster. In fact, vitamins rich in B-complex are known to really stimulate hair growth.
Vitamin B-complex contains biotin, folic acid, and inositol, which pushes your hair quicker through the growth cycle. You can even buy vitamin B-complex shampoo to help your hair grow faster.
I, personally enjoy the SugarBearHair gummies. They provide you with everything you need for massive hair growth, and they’re delicious.
Tip #4: Eliminate Factors That Impede Hair Growth
Keep in mind that everything you put in your body comes out through your hair.
Different types of medications cause different reactions to your hair. Some medications make your hair less susceptible to hair color, and others can make your hair fall out.
I promise your hair won’t seem to grow if it keeps falling out.
Things like acne medications, antibiotics, antidepressants, birth controls, anti-clotting pills, cholesterol-lowering, drugs that suppress the immune system, epilepsy drugs, drugs used in breast cancer, blood pressure medications, hormone replacement, mood stabilizers, steroids, weight-loss drugs, and thyroid medications (whew!) can all contribute to hair loss.
Before you freak out, it depends on what dosage you take and how sensitive you are. You may not even have side effects.
But I also want to remind you that I don’t work in the healthcare field… you should definitely talk to your doctor about possible side-effects and alternatives.
There are other things besides medication that can hinder hair growth.
A poor diet, dehydration, smoking, drinking alcohol/drugs are all things you should take into consideration. Oh, and we can’t forget stress…
Stress really takes a toll on our bodies. It can cause a multitude of health problems but also leads to hair loss. I know that it’s easier said than done, but you really need to get your stress in check if you want longer, healthier hair.
Tip #5: Stimulate Your Scalp
An old wives tale says that if you brush your hair 100 times every night before bed, it will make hair grow faster. Not only is that a myth, but brushing your hair is actually bad for your hair.
The bristles get caught in small tangles and can rip through your hair and cause breakage.
However, scientific brushing is said to make hair grow faster. This is a technique that stimulates and brings blood flow to the scalp to encourage hair growth. It can also help with dandruff.
So here’s what you do:
- Use a natural bristle brush to brush against your scalp, not your hair.
- Use a rolling motion as you brush.
- Keep brushing all around your hairline first and then do 1/2″ subsections throughout your scalp.
- Do this before shampooing your hair.
💡TIP: Comb your hair before scientific brushing. This will eliminate any tangles that could break your hair.
An even more relaxing way to make hair grow faster is to indulge in a little scalp massage. In fact, studies show that 4-5 minutes of daily scalp massage increases the thickness of your hair.
It’s super easy to do in the shower while lathering up. You can even use one of these little gadgets to make things easier.
Tip #6: at-Home Scalp Treatments
Have you ever heard of Nioxin? I can’t even tell you how many good things I’ve heard about this treatment system.
In fact, I once had a client ask me why her hair was growing so fast… she legit couldn’t figure it out. When I asked her what hair products she used, she told me she was using Nioxin because it made her hair feel good.
She didn’t even know that it was formulated to make hair grow faster, but now… she’s hooked for life. She even buys a new bottle before she runs out, so she’ll never be without it.
So what is Nioxin?
It’s a 3-step treatment system that detoxifies the scalp, removes and neutralizes toxins, and reduces scalp inflammation. It even cleanses the hair follicle of hormones that cause male pattern baldness.
But does it actually make hair grow? It’s controversial, but I believe that it differs for everyone. Some people say that they’ve been using it for months with no difference… but I also know people who swear by it.
Either way, you’ll benefit from a healthier scalp.
The best results are seen when all three steps of the treatment are utilized (it’s best to use a starter kit like this one). And remember to be patient… it could take a few months before you start seeing results.
Tip #7: Eat Your Protein
So check this out… I know someone who had a gastric bypass a few years back, and before the surgery, she was instructed to increase her protein intake. Along with other health benefits, the doctor mentioned that the extra protein would make her hair grow faster.
It makes sense, right? Hair is composed of 80% protein… If your body isn’t getting enough, it won’t be able to nourish the hair follicles properly. If the hair follicles aren’t getting what the need, hair won’t grow at an optimal rate.
Tip #8: Minoxidil
If all else fails, there’s always Rogaine.
Rogaine is the only FDA-approved over-the-counter topical medication that is actually proven to make hair grow faster. Minoxidil is the active ingredient in Rogaine, and exactly how it works is unproven.
It originally started as a blood pressure medication… but studies showed that it worked far better at growing hair than treating hypertension.
In fact, recent studies have shown high success rates in new hair growth with the use of Minoxidil. If you really want to make your hair grow faster, you should give it a shot!
General FAQ
How can you speed up hair growth?
While it’s impossible to speed the rate of hair growth drastically, there are some ways you can stimulate new hair growth. Getting the right nutrients, using scalp stimulation, promoting a healthy scalp environment, and eliminating damage are all ways to speed up the process.
How long does hair grow in a month?
Hair grows an average of 1/2″ per month.
How long does hair grow in a day?
Since hair grows an average of 1/2″ per month, it grows about a half millimeter per day.
How long does it take hair to grow 12 inches?
Since hair grows an average of 1/2″ per month, it will generally take 24 months, or two years go grow 12 inches of hair. Getting the right nutrients, using scalp stimulation, promoting a healthy scalp environment, and eliminating damage are all ways to speed up the process.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it… eight actionable tips you can start using today to make hair grow faster. Fortunately, most of these steps are pretty easy to do at home, and they’ll all ensure ultra healthy hair growth.
Start incorporating some of these tips into your daily routine, and your hair will truly thank you.
Until next time,
YOUR TURN: What other tips do you have to make hair grow faster? Have you had success with any of these tips? Drop your thoughts in the comments section below! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
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So True when you cut your hair you always wish later that you should not have done that! So when you get older you should cut your hair? Because old Ladies should not have long hair? Do you believe this to be true?
So old ladies should just all have f” ugly menopause hair because You think that’s the only acceptable thing ? Before you know it, you’ll be pushing 50 and some dumb squirt will be talking crap at you… then it won’t be soooo cute.
can you tell how to grow hair quickly with coconut oil
After cutting my hair short, I have been longing to grow my hair faster. Hopefully, this works for me. Thank You So Much for sharing Hollee.
I m having a severe hair fall from July. Suggest what to do
Thank you for your guide it’s the very first blog I ever read lol however I’ll follow you on PinteresT I’m using my hubby’s phone right now 😁 ladies good luck growing your hair omg I hate my short hair
me too my hair only reaches up to my ear
This sounds gross but i don’t wash my hair every day sometimes i wash it 1 time a week. I comb it from the roots with a soft briSle brush. I put it up if it starts looking greasy then in a couple days i will wash it. My hair is so soft after i wash it and i stopped blow drying it. It is almost to my waist and it is much healthier and thicker
My hair is finer then babys hair And it grows so slowely. I am so going to try all of this, just loving it
It’s been ABOUT 3 months and my hair is touching the ground it’s hard to take showers and cobm my hair and I have alot of TRUbbles curling it cause that’s the only way we can have are hair at work and I got fired
What is a brush cut?
As a guy, I am not particularly interested in growing my hair, especially since I have a brush cut. However, the tips you provide are what I use to KEEP MY Hair. I must say, since my last class reunion, they work, at least compared to everyone else I went to school with.
I had super long hair for around 7 years, down to my belly button and then I grew bored of it and a bit over a year ago, I chopped it really short (admittedly a bit too short), at my collarbones. I hated it, then liked it, and now I am trying to grow it out long again. I heard that massaging your scalp, does help to grow it out longer though luckily, my hair grows out pretty fast. This was a really informative post with heaps of great tips like Nixon.
I recently finished up five months on chemo, so I need all the hair I can get! It started growing back when I was on Taxo though. Right now it’s at the two-month mark and still in the fluffy peach fuzz stage, so it’s hard to say what the color will be now or if it’s turned curly or wavy as does happen at times. I’ve had short hair before and the worst part of hair is trying to get it trimmed every six weeks. That’s such a chore.
Congratulations on finishing Chemo! Hopefully it all grows back soon!
Natural and easy ways to grow thick & smooth hair are following the below methods twice a week before applying shampoo and conditioner:
1) Oil your hair
2) Apply on hair a pack consisting of 1 whole egg, 2 tablespoons yoghurt (depending on hair length) and 1 tablespoon honey(optional). Leave it on 30mins-1 hr and wah it afterwards with cold water
You will experience a positive change in your hair from the very first use
Ohhh thanks for sharing! I will have to try that! 🙂
What a wealth of knowledge you have shared with us.
My natural hair is thick and when relaxed it went limp. Colouring my hair black did not help matters- far too many chemicals. I ended up wearing hair extensions to give my hair body. Eight/nine years ago I wore braids to grow my perm out and I have never looked back. I doubt I will perm my hair again.
I sure don’t have trouble growing my hair! My hair stylist tells me I have the fastest growing hair she has ever seen!
Wait… I came here for other reasons but then stayed cause I like your articles. But I just read the one about hair myths and you say that trim your hair every 6/7 weeks does NOT help your hair growing faster. But in this article you’re saying just the opposite!!
Haha good call! Technically, it won’t make your hair grow faster but will prevent breakage, which would make your hair appear to grow slower. Does that make sense? Haha. Also, thank you for the kind words! I’m glad you like my articles! 🙂
One more item to add to your list is Oils! The right oils will penetrate both hair and scalp moisturizing and nurturing the cell structure. Certain botanical oils are now clinically proven to increase cellular turn over, nourish follicle cells, increase collagen activity and improve anchoring of the strand. I would welcome the opportunity to get you products to review. Oils will slow hair loss, regrow lost hair, increase growth and improve over all hair health.
DeVerne Augustus
Does Rogaine cause blonde highlights and/or blonde hair color to turn black, specifically at the roots? My blonde highlights look awful within one week and I am wondering if Rogaine is to blame? Very drying of hair too.
I am 40+ business woman working hardly day and night to improve my business. I have a big bald spot in my top head. My friend told about Nuhairrx serum and i started using for few months. I noticed a not big difference in the first 2 weeks. But after few months, I had lots of new hair growing in. I used this product combined with the vitamins. I am very satisfied.Thx.
Another brilliant and informative post! Your blog is amazing!
Hey there just a quick question? Can you still dye your hair while you use nioxin?
Yes, you should be able to. Nixon had a line for chemically treated hair!
I was taking MSM pills for my problem knee & I noticed a TON of regrowth from my roots- as my hair is dyed about 4 shades DARKER than my natural hair, the amount of regrowth was very noticeable and definitely dramatic.
When I was getting my roots colored to match the rest of my head, I told my hairdresser the only supplement I took was MSM, I dont even take multi vitamins.
She explained that MSM actually keeps the folicle in ‘growth phase’ longer than usual, hense the longer hair & surprising rate of regrowth.
MSM is also very good for your joints and overall health!!
I would definitely reccommend it!
Thats interesting! Ive heard that before and thought it was a hoax! Ill have to do an article about it! Thanks (:
I started taking MSM because my doctor said it would help with joint pain. I decided to stop bleaching my hair in January and I noticed my roots came in FAST. I’m trying to grow my hair out so I was excited. I measured the growth over a 3 month period and recorded 2 1/2 inches. It might not sound like much, but that’s above average. I also take biotin and a women’s vitamin. I believe good nutrition helps a lot.
Thanks for that information! I have actually heard that same thing from other people before too…
i want my hair to grow i messed it up
There is no quick fix for fast hair growth. Your hair grows in cycles. The best way to make get longer hair is to keep it healthy. You can do this by washing your hair to keep the follicle clean and clog free and to keep your scalp moisturize. Also take care of split ends. It’s not that your hair isn’t growing fast enough. It might just be that the rate of breakage is faster than the rate of hair growth. So, controlling breakage should be the priority.
Im so glad i accidentally came upon this site! I swear my hair grows sooooo slowly that even SEVERAL hairdressers in my past have cpmmented and marveled at it. My doctor has teated me dor everything under the sun and says I am healthy. Imagine now my frustration…and stress. I plan to try a few of the things I read because i have never hears them before…and FINALLY I have hope again. Thank you Hollee.