I admire women who can stick to one hair length and style, something that becomes their signature look. Personally, I get bored easily and like to switch it up. After a case of damaged hair and an impulsive decision to chop off my hair into a bob, growing out my hair tested my patience. Hair growth seemed to take forever. If you’re in the same boat, you’ll know how frustrating it to wait for hair to grow. After reading every how-to guide and listicle on how to make hair grow faster, here are some tips that have worked best for me.
How to Make Hair Grow Faster – 15 Helpful Tips & Tricks
1. Trim your ends frequently.
Make sure to set an appointment with your stylist and get a regular snip so your ends are in tip top shape. Aside from preventing split ends, frequent trims can make your hair grow faster and keep it looking healthy.
2. Take a break from bleach.
If you want long hair, put down the bottle of bleach. Bleach wrecks the hair cuticle and leaves it more vulnerable to damage, especially if you have dark hair. Blondes may have more fun but they may also have more breakage and split ends. Kidding aside, it’s important that you give your hair a break for healthy hair growth.
3. Give your scalp some TLC.
Take a holistic approach to haircare by removing build-up that accumulates at the roots, a breeding ground for bacteria. Massage your scalp to stimulate blood circulation so your hair grows healthy. Invest in hair treatments like oils and masks with tea tree, peppermint and citrus oils to get rid of the gunk that blocks proper circulation and hair growth.
4. Try a hot castor oil treatment.
Drench your strands in castor oil so you can soak up its nourishing benefits. It removes bacteria in the hair that can cause scalp infection, it moisturizes the hair with omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin E and proteins, and it seals the hair cuticle to lock in all those nutrients. For a home hot oil treatment, distribute the oil all over your hair and roots, squeeze it into a shower cap and blow dry for 15 minutes for instantly smooth hair.
5. Nourish your hair from the inside.
Check your diet and ensure you’re taking in enough vitamins and minerals such as zinc, biotin, vitamin C and D, iron and omega-3 and 6. A lackluster diet has an impact on hair growth. Hair doctors (or trichologists, as they’re commonly known) recommend a diet filled with healthy fats and proteins to make your hair grow faster.
6. Hit pause on heat styling tools.
Aside from bleach, heat is one of the most damaging things you can expose your hair to, especially if you want to grow hair faster. Considering taking a break from your hot tools. If this is not feasible, always use a heat protectant and tone down the temperature on your blow dryer or flat iron to avoid hair damage.
7. Skip shampoos.
You’ve probably heard that overshampooing is bad for your hair. The surfactants in shampoo can be drying to the hair and overuse can lead to parched, brittle and broken strands. If you’re finding that your scalp is oily between washes, use a dry shampoo to soak up the excess sebum released by the hair follicles.
8. Consider taking hair growth supplements and vitamins.
While a balanced diet is the best way to take in nutrients and vitamins, I know when things are hectic, it’s just impossible. Talk to your doctor if you think you’re vitamin deficient before taking hair growth supplements. Hair vitamins aren’t a cure all, though, and it’s still best to get your nutrients from whole foods for healthy hair follicles.
9. Rinse hair with cold water.
Hot showers and baths are my fave way to calm down and destress but if you want hair to grow faster, wash it with cold water to seal the hair cuticle. This locks in moisture and makes hair look shiny and healthy. This simple trick will take you seconds and pay off so much in the long run for hair growth.
10. Brush and detangle wet hair gently.
Be gentle with your hair when you brush it, especially if it’s wet or damp. Don’t force the brush through the hair when you’re detangling. Start combing from the ends and work your way up to the roots. This helps prevent unnecessary hair fall caused by brushing from the roots down which only tangles up the strands when your reach the tips. Brushing hair properly stimulates the scalp and encourages hair growth.
11. Invest in a silk pillowcase.
Give your hair the royal treatment and buy a silk pillowcase. Sleeping on a rough surface can result to tangles and hair loss due to friction as you toss and turn throughout the night. Even woven cotton may be too harsh on the hair. Silk is the way to mitigate damage to the hair. Plus, it feels like you are sleeping on a cloud!
12. Dry your hair with a microfiber towel.
I used to just twist my drenched hair up and cover it with a bath towel after showering. I didn’t know any better. This common beauty faux pas pulls on the strands and causes so much breakage and hair loss. Instead, reach for a microfiber towel, which is gentler, or an old t-shirt, to wrap around your hair for healthier growth.
13. Use a hair growth shampoo, conditioner, and treatment.
Treat your hair like a baby and it will grow like a weed. Use a gentle shampoo that’s cleansing but not stripping on the hair. Go for an ultra-nourishing conditioner and treatment to plump up the strands and keep your hair healthy and strong. The Hair Growth Shampoo from Bondi Boost is one of the best I have tried.
14. Ditch the hair elastics.
Elastics are damaging to your hair because wrap so tightly around the strands, causing hair loss and breakage due to the tension. You can still put your hair up into a ponytail but use pins and clips instead so you can grow your hair faster without breakage.
15. Change your hairstyle.
Following from the previous point on elastics, it’s a good practice to switch up your hairstyle because going for a ponytail or bun everyday wears out the hair because of the tension in the same points. This leads to hair loss which can affect hair growth. Changing your hairstyle could be as simple as tying your bun in a lower place so your hair stays strong and grows faster.
Wrap Up
To make hair grow faster, it takes lots of patience and a few expert-backed techniques to make sure your hair grows healthy, long, and strong.
Remember to clean up your diet and nourish your hair from the inside and out. When styling, it’s best to use a heat protectant all over the hair before exposing it to heat. Don’t overshampoo or use elastics if you want healthy hair. And to maximize hair growth, condition and treat your hair. Lastly, don’t neglect your scalp if you want to grow out your hair.
If you try out one or two of these tips, you’ll have mermaid-long hair in no time. Here’s to long hair days ahead!