You were wondering whether or not speeding up hair growth is possible. Eventually, this thought caused you to consult the internet to find a piece of content that could enlighten you on this subject. And, ( fortunately) you found this article! The story might be quite different than that. Regardless of how you ended up here, let’s find out whether or not it is possible to speed up hair growth and, if so, how.
Overview
To begin with, it is necessary to say that; there is a couple of factors that play a significant role in hair growth rate. And, you can’t change them.
But, don’t despair right away. Because, how fast your hair grows is also in your hands.
If you think that your hair grows slower than it should, you need to know that some factors might be impeding the normal speed of your hair growth.
Being aware of these factors and eliminating them will enable your hair to grow as fast as possible.
So, in this article, we have gathered 13 tips that may help your hair grow faster. These tips also include some factors that you should change or eliminate so that your hair grows in the fastest way possible.
But, firstly let’s briefly examine the unchangeable factors that heavily influence your hair growth rate.
Note: When it comes to hair growth, the golden rule is patience and effective, regular hair care. After all, there is no magical formula that will grow hair strands instantly.
Unchangeable Factors That Influence Hair Growth Rate
One might think that everyone’s hair grows at the same rate. But, the truth is that the speed of hair growth varies from person to person (1).
So what factors determine how fast someone’s hair grows?
The following four factors heavily influence at what speed your hair grows. And, they cannot be changed.
- Genetics: As you may have already guessed genetics play a significant role in your hair. It determines many things in your hair such as hair colour, hair thickness and also how fast your hair grows.
- Gender: Predominantly, men’s hair grows at a faster rate than women’s (1).
- Age: This one is not too hard to predict though. Your age significantly influences how fast or slow your hair grows. Note that: Hair grows at a slower rate after mid-age (2).
- Hormones: Hormonal changes as well can affect the speed of hair growth. For instance; women can experience a slow down in hair growth and experience hair loss after childbirth. (3).
13 Tips That May Help You Speed Up Hair Growth
It bears repeating that there is no magical formula that grows the hair instantly. However, there are certain things that you can do to help your hair grow as fast as possible.
In the previous section, we have looked at the factors – that you can’t change – that significantly influence the speed of your hair growth.
But, instead of what we can’t change, we should focus on what we can change.
Without further ado, let’s look at the 13 effective tips that may help you speed up your hair growth rate.
1- Eat Enough Protein
If the subject is hair, the name ‘protein’ will emerge soon or later. Let’s be more direct and say protein is indispensable for optimal hair growth!
Indeed, there are many other nutrients that play a significant role in hair growth. But, it is safe to say that protein has a special place and role when it comes to hair.
What makes protein such an important nutrient for hair growth though?
The answer is quite easy. The hair itself is made of protein (4).
According to medical experts; if protein lacks in your diet you are very likely to experience restricted hair growth and even hair loss (4), (5).
Put it simply, if you are eating less protein than you should, your hair grows at a slower rate.
So, to speed up hair growth make sure you are consuming enough protein in a day.
The recommended dietary allowance for protein is 0.8 grams per kg of your body, according to Harvard Health Publishing (6).
For instance; if you weigh 80 kg you may consider eating 80 × 0.8 = 64 gr protein per day.
2- Eat These Nutrients Sufficiently
In the previous section, we underlined the importance of protein for optimal hair growth. Yet, protein alone is not enough to maintain healthy hair.
The presence of the following nutrients in your body also determines how fast or slow your hair grows (4), (5):
Vitamin A helps the production of sebum, which keeps the hair moisturised and healthy. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA); For adult men, 900 micrograms (mcg) for women 700 mcg of (6).
Vitamin C plays an important role in the production of collagen that keeps hair strong and healthy. RDA is 90 mg for men, 75 mg for women (7)
Vitamin D is significant for hair growth as it plays role in the production of new hair follicles. RDA is 400–800 IU or 10–20 micrograms (8).
Vitamin E supports hair growth and protects the hair against sun damage. RDA is 15 mg daily or 22 IU for adults (9).
Iron: If you don’t have enough iron your body can’t stimulate hair growth. RDA is 8 mg for adult men and 18 mg for adult women (10).
Omega-3 keeps your hair and scalp hydrated and also prevents inflammation in hair follicles (11).
Zinc deficiency is known to cause hair loss and dry scalp. RDA is 11 mg for men, 8 mg for women (12), (4).
Biotin plays a significant role in hair. In its deficiency hair loss may occur. RDA is between 2 to 5 mg (13).
These specific nutrients individually play a significant role in your hair. Therefore, if you lack one of these nutrients, it may impact your overall health and also the speed of your hair growth.
Make sure you are eating enough of the above-given nutrients to maintain optimal hair growth.
3- Scalp Massage
Getting a scalp massage on a regular basis may create a suitable environment for optimal hair growth.
How so? In fact, the formula is easy.
Your scalp contains follicles in which your hair strands grow.
When massaging the scalp, the blood circulation to the hair follicles increases. Increased blood circulation means enough oxygen and nutrients necessary for hair growth are reaching the hair follicles effectively.
To consolidate this suggestion, let’s refer to a study about scalp massage and hair.
In a 2016 study; researchers found that a 4-minute daily scalp massage for 6 months resulted in thicker hair in 9 Japanese men, who participated in the study (14).
Scalp massage may not boost the speed of hair growth. However, it can certainly contribute to the health of your hair.
4- Be Careful About Coloring Your Hair
Dermatologists warn that frequent hair dyeing can weaken hair strands, therefore, making them more prone to breakage (15),(16).
In fact, dyeing becomes a real problem if you overdo it. The chemicals in the hair dye can harm the structure of your hair, and thus can impede the hair growth process.
Try not to dye your hair too frequently to maintain healthy hair.
5- Caffeine May Speed Up Hair Growth
Caffeine can do wonders for your hair and may speed up the hair growth rate, studies suggest.
Consuming caffeine or using the caffeine-made products topically? Which one of them can promote hair growth?
Both can help stimulate hair growth and combat hair loss, according to dermatologists and studies.
One laboratory study conducted in 2007 suggested that caffeine can promote hair growth both in males and females (17).
In another study (2014); researchers found that caffeine has a hair growth-promoting effect in both sexes at molecular, cellular and organ levels (18).
There is also a recent study (2019) that shows the potential effectiveness of caffeine in hair growth. It was also noted that caffeine can be more effective in female hair follicles (19).
To sum up; caffeine-added hair products and caffeine consumption can stimulate and speed up hair growth.
6- Quit Smoking
Above, we touched upon the importance of blood circulation for hair growth.
Here is a habit (smoking) that can significantly impede blood circulation, thus preventing hair follicles from getting a sufficient amount of nutrients necessary for hair growth.
When you smoke your blood vessels constrict and narrow. And, that, in turn, limits your blood flow not only to hair follicles but also to other organs and cells.
According to medical experts; poor blood circulation due to smoking can damage the hair at the root and negatively affect the hair growth cycle (20).
What’s more, smoking can also cause premature white hair!
7- Avoid Rubbing the Hair With a Towel
May you be harming your hair and damaging the hair growth cycle by drying your hair harshly with a towel? Many people do! Here is why rubbing your hair with a towel can potentially damage your hair.
Leon Van-Gorkom (a hair care expert) who talked to HuffPost stated that drying the hair vigorously with a towel can destruct the outer layer of hair strands. And, this can lead to hair fall (21).
So, you should know that if you vigorously dry your hair with a towel you can damage your hair follicles. And, in turn, can slow down the hair growth rate.
8- Avoid Using Shampoo Everyday
Are you washing your hair nearly every day with shampoo? If so, you are unwittingly damaging your hair and also impeding your hair growth. Here is why.
We use shampoo to get rid of excess oil and also to keep the scalp clean. However, the problem starts when we use it too frequently.
Accordign to HealthLine; shampoo removes the necessary oils from the scalp and leaves the hair rather dry (22).
To allow these important oils to hydrate and repair hair, avoid shampooing your hair more than 2 to 3 times a week.
In doing so; you can help your hair to grow as fast as possible.
9- Consult Your Doctor About Minoxidil
There is an ingredient, known as minoxidil, that shows promising effects on hair regrowth and stopping hair loss.
The reason we mention this specific ingredient is that there are clinical tests that show its potential positive effects on hair, including hair growth.
So, where can you find this specific ingredient? There are some hair products that contain minoxidil. And, these products may help promote hair regrowth.
Nevertheless, we recommend you talk to your dermatologist/doctor about the use of products that contain minoxidil.
Your dermatologist would recommend the most ideal minoxidil-containing product that may speed up your hair growth rate.
10- Lower Your Stress
As it affects many functions in your body, stress can damage your hair as well, therefore, interrupting hair growth.
According to studies and medical experts; a high level of stress can cause three types of hair loss (23), (24).
- Telogen effluvium
- Trichotillomania
- Alopecia areata
Obviously, these terms may look unfamiliar to you. The most important thing to know is that uncontrolled stress can negatively affect your hair as it affects your whole body.
For this reason, in times of high stress, you may expect a slower rate of hair growth.
Try to relax and manage your stress with relaxation techniques.
11- Consider Using Silk Pillowcase
Even the type of pillowcase you are sleeping on may affect the health of your hair.
According to; Jesleen Ahluwalia, M.D, a dermatologist at Spring Street Dermatology in NYC, sleeping on a silk pillowcase can avoid hair tangles and breakage (25).
Consider using a silk pillowcase. It may minimise hair damage while sleeping and also may promote optimal hair growth.
12- Beware of Heat Damage
When it comes to healthy hair, heat is a big issue. When you don’t pay enough attention and expose your hair to excess heat, your hair unavoidably becomes prone to breakage. And, that in turn, interrupt the hair growth cycle.
When can you expose your hair to excess heat? For instance;
- While using curling irons
- While using hair dryers
- When using hair straighteners
- Even when taking a hot shower
You may not want to give up using these machines entirely. Fair enough.
You can, at least :
- decrease the temperature of the tools
- avoid using these heating tools too frequently on your hair
- avoid taking hot showers
- use heat protectants
Endeavour to protect your hair against heat as much as you can. In this way, you may see significant development in hair growth rate.
13- Try These Essential Oils
Last but not least. Applying some essential oils whose potential effectiveness on hair is demonstrated in studies may boost hair growth.
Let’s find out what these essential oils are and in what way they may speed up hair growth.
- Pumpkin seed oil: Studies show promising results on this oil’s hair growth-promoting effect. One study found that the hair count of men who took pumpkin seed oil in the capsule form for 6 months significantly increased (26).
- Peppermint oil: In a 2014 animal study; researchers found that peppermint oil stimulated hair growth in mice. And, it can be used in humans as an alternative medicine for hair loss (27).
- Lavender oil: One 2016 study found that lavender oil has the potential to improve hair growth (28).
- Rosemary Oil: Research showed that the use of rosemary oil can be effective in restoring hair growth (29).
These studies, although many of them are animal studies, point out that using these oils may encourage hair growth and also may speed up the hair growth rate.
The Bottom Line
As mentioned at the beginning, there are some unchangeable factors that heavily determine how fast your hair grows.
On the other hand, though, there are many things that you can do to maintain healthy hair growth. And, we shared the 13 most effective them that can provide optimal hair growth.
Hopefully, these tips will help you maintain healthy hair.
Nonetheless, if you experience heavy hair loss or another concerning hair problem, talk to your doctor to find out potential causes.
Tarkan is an experienced health writer ( currently more than 600 articles ) and also the founder of this website namely www.neededforhealth.com. His expertise in health stems from in-depth medical research and knowledge which he obtained over the course of many years.
Tarkan enjoys sharing factual knowledge on health, psychology and nutrition. He always aims to deliver evidence-based recommendations, provide links to related scientific studies.