These pro tips will help your hair grow naturally and quickly.
Trying to grow longer or thicker hair can feel like an endless waiting game. Although hair is the fastest growing tissue in the human body, it grows at an average rate of 0.5 to 1.7 centimeters per month, or about 2 to 8 inches per year, according to the Trichology Institute. The growth feels minimal—especially when you’re waiting for it to happen.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), losing 50 to 100 hairs a day is normal, but if you think your hair growth is really stunted, you can make some tweaks to your daily hair care routine to stimulate growth. You can experiment with different hairbrushes, adjust how often you use your blow dryer to damage your hair less, or add hair tonics and foods to help your hair grow back faster after a routine.
Here are the tips and home remedies for fast hair growth, according to top dermatologists, renowned hairstylists, skincare experts, and the pros in our beauty lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute.
- Prune often.
It may seem counterintuitive, but if you want really long, healthy hair, you need regular trims. “Haircuts won’t make your hair grow any faster, but they can eliminate split ends that cause breakage,” explains Los Angeles-based celebrity hairstylist Michael Dueñas. “Eliminating breakage will make your hair appear to grow faster.” Finally, broken split ends can lead to longer hair—not to mention shine, volume, and smoothness. - Eat right.
Having long, stiff hair doesn’t just depend on what products you put on your hair; it also depends on what you put in your body. “To promote hair growth, you need to ‘feed’ the hair from within,” explains New York City dermatologist Francesca Fusco, MD. So, what foods can make hair grow faster? Those rich in protein, the building blocks of hair, include meat and other sources. “Try increasing your protein intake with foods like fish, legumes, nuts and whole grains,” she advises. Even if you’re not a meat eater, you should still aim to maintain a high-protein diet to promote hair growth. Women with insufficient hair loss often experience “more hair loss,” says Dr. Fusco
And stay away from the popular “clean” for various reasons. “Cleansing is bad for your hair because you’re depriving your body of nutrients,” warns Dueñas. “After a week of cleansing, you’ll notice slower hair growth and dull hair.”
- Add healthy hair vitamins to your morning routine.
If your diet isn’t providing you with enough nutrients, supplements can make a world of difference. “Look for a multivitamin that’s formulated and labeled ‘for hair, skin, and nails,'” advises Dr. Former Fusco. “These contain important vitamins like biotin and C and B to support hair health.” Stefani Sassos, associate director of the Nutrition Laboratory at the Good Housekeeping Institute, recommends these vitamins and minerals for healthier hair:
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Zinc
Iron
Omega-3 fatty acids - Wash your hair less and moisturize more.
How often you wash your hair can actually affect the health of your hair. “Shampooing [only] 2-3 times a week allows the hair’s natural oils to penetrate, allowing it to moisturize and repair itself,” explains renowned Los Angeles-based hairstylist Ken Paves. To get thicker and fuller hair quickly, choose a shampoo labeled “volumizing” or “thickening.”
According to the pros at GH Beauty Lab, regularly coating your locks with a smoothing deep conditioner, mask, or detangler can also help prevent damage while you’re styling them. Apply a store-bought or homemade hair mask once a week from roots to ends: Liana Zingarino, a freelance hairstylist in New York City, says a hair mask with cinnamon boosts blood circulation, making hair instantly stronger and longer.
- Put away the bleach.
As chic as platinum blonde hair looks, going from dark to light blonde can get between you and your longest hair. “When hair’s cuticle is damaged by bleach, more breakage or split ends can occur,” explains Elizabeth Hiserodt, senior colorist at Cutler Salon in New York City. “The less chemical treatments you have, the better your hair will grow.” - Avoid overheating styling.
“Stop over styling your hair,” says Paves. If you must heat, he recommends lowering the heat and always using a heat protectant—otherwise you risk damaging your hair, causing breakage and frizz. - Comb your hair regularly.
It may seem tempting to go to bed without a brush when you’re tired, but a few quick blow-dries can be very beneficial for the overall health of your hair and scalp. “Start at the scalp and use a boar-bristle brush to evenly distribute scalp oils throughout the hair to help keep hair naturally moisturized,” advises Meri Kate O’Connor, celebrity stylist and colorist at Cooper in West Hollywood, California. Bonus: This simple step every night also helps increase blood flow, which in turn contributes to a healthier scalp. - Take a cool bath and pay attention to scalp care.
Taking a hot shower can dry out your skin—and your hair, too. “Turn the water down to low when cleansing,” advises Paves, and give your scalp some extra love. Massage with your fingers when shampooing to remove dirt thoroughly and promote blood circulation.
- Protect hair from physical damage.
Hair is especially prone to breakage when wet, so detangle your hair before shampooing. “Exposure to water swells and stretches the hair shaft, causing the outer band-like layer to lift, and the extra pressure of brushing in this state can cause the shaft to break,” says Sabina Wizemann, lead chemist at the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab.
When you need to comb wet hair, do it right: Apply a high-quality leave-in conditioner from roots to ends, use a gentler wide-toothed comb or detangling comb to reduce friction, and snip into small pieces from the tip combing point To prevent hairline cracks, Wizemann recommends.
- Sleep on silk pillowcases.
It’s possible to get better hair overnight – just change your pillowcase and enjoy the hair health benefits of silk. “Silk is gentle on hair—it helps prevent tangles and breakage,” says Jesleen Ahluwalia, M.D., clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai in New York City. The less hair breaks, the longer it will grow. In fact, they’re so good that the Good Housekeeping Institute even conducted an entire study to find the best silk pillowcases. - Try minoxidil.
GH Beauty Director April Franzino recommends a bottle of Ladies Rogaine. “The active ingredient minoxidil is FDA-approved and has been shown to help stop hair loss and promote hair regrowth with continued use according to package directions.” For a more targeted solution, take Hers Minoxidil 2% Topical solution and use the dropper applicator to focus on more specific problem areas.
But be wary of shampoos that claim to grow hair—the benefits of shampoos “haven’t been scientifically proven, at least in published studies or by FDA standards,” says Dr. Jeni Thomas, chief scientist at Procter & Gamble Beauty.
When to Discuss Hair Loss with Your Doctor
The underlying cause of hair loss may be slow (or no) hair growth. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it’s estimated that more than 50 percent of women experience significant hair loss—and that’s not counting those who have naturally thinning hair. “Natural [fine] or thinning hair diameter is genetic,” says Joyce Davis, MD, a dermatologist in New York City. “Hair loss is usually a genetic (or androgenic) thinning that is often patchy.” Another common type of hair loss is telogen effluvium (TE), or all hair loss, due to hormones or health issues such as Thyroid or autoimmune disease and anemia.
In TE, hair usually grows back once the problem is treated; see your doctor for a diagnosis. For androgenic loss, the aforementioned over-the-counter topical minoxidil has been shown to grow hair with consistent use. For all types, professional treatments use scalp injections of blood growth factors to stimulate the growth of PRP (platelet-rich plasma), says Dr. davis. Consult a dermatologist to see if it’s right for you.