Does it really feel like your hair takes endlessly to develop? You are not alone.
Ready to your tresses to remodel into lengthy, luscious locks can typically really feel like a painstakingly sluggish course of. It takes a wholesome dose of endurance.
Reading: Hair grows 1 2 inch a month
However whether or not you’ve been making an attempt to develop Rapunzel locks for years (with no luck), or are simply sick of your cropped reduce (no judgment right here!), there are some things you are able to do to assist your hair develop a bit of bit quicker. And TODAY Type is breaking all of them down with the assistance of the professionals!

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How briskly does hair develop?
It’s arduous to say precisely how briskly your hair grows — everyone seems to be totally different! — however on common, hair grows about half an inch over the course of a month. That being mentioned, it’s commonplace for hair to develop as little as a centimeter or as a lot as an inch in a month.
A lot of components can affect hair progress, a few of which you’ll management and others you possibly can’t. “The speed at which hair grows is determined by genetics but there are other factors that can affect the growth rate. Age, diet, stress, hormonal fluctuations, scalp health, hair care practices, medications and other health conditions can potentially influence hair growth,” mentioned grasp hair colorist, Stephanie Brown.
Usually, males’s hair grows quicker than girls’s, however being pregnant can truly pace up the hair-growth course of. Even the time of 12 months can have an effect on how briskly or sluggish hair grows.
“Hair tends to grow a little faster in summer and slower in winter,” mentioned Dr. Alan Parks, board-certified dermatologist and founding father of DermWarehouse. “An underactive thyroid can also slow down hair growth.”
Should you’ve bought broken hair (thanks, sizzling instruments!), genetic structural abnormalities (they usually trigger hair to interrupt off at a sure size) or sure hair varieties, your hair may also develop extra slowly.
“Some people have finer hair that breaks easily, so it just may seem that your hair isn’t growing but it is,” Brown mentioned.
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In keeping with Randy Veliky, scientific research director for HairMax, hair grows quicker from the age of 15 to late 20s and slows down significantly after that, particularly with the onset of menopause.
“Hair growth can be described in three cycles, the anagen growth phase, lasting 5-7 years; the catagen resting phase and then the telogen shedding phase. Each follicle goes through these phases independently. As we age or experience pattern hair loss, the anagen growth phase is shortened. This is why it is difficult for women over 50 to grow their hair long like they did when they were younger,” Veliky mentioned.
Earlier than you get annoyed together with your hair, attempt to understand that any variety of components, together with hair loss generally, can affect progress. “Hair loss can be caused by many things including illness, medication, poor diet, hormones and over-styling. Any one of these causes can interfere with the hair growth cycle, and can damage hair follicles, preventing them from growing hair,” Veliky said.

Can certain foods help hair grow faster?
Trying to grow your hair longer for a special event? The key just might be your diet. Hair craves nutrition, so a balanced diet filled with lots of nutrients will keep it healthy and happy.
“The foods you eat should contain vitamins and minerals known to support healthy hair growth, such as vitamin C, biotin, niacin, iron and zinc,” Veliky said.
If you want longer hair, stock up on any (or all) of the following powerful foods:
- Salmon
- Eggs
- Avocados
- Sweet potatoes
- Berries
- Nuts
- Olive oil
- Fish
- Beans
- Whole grains
- Foods rich in protein, biotin (vitamin H) and omega-3

How does your scalp influence hair growth?
Believe it or not, your scalp plays a huge role in hair growth, but it takes a beating on a daily basis — harsh brushes and strong products are often the culprit. Considering all that scalps can go through, it’s even more important that you treat yours with a bit of TLC.
“Lifestyle, diet and medication can slow down the hair growth process, so a clean, healthy scalp is truly instrumental,” said Angelo David, a hair loss and thinning expert. “Wash hair regularly and don’t overwhelm the scalp with too much product or abrasive chemicals.”
In other words, keeping your scalp healthy is all about taking little steps — like using a sulfate-free shampoo, a filter to remove chlorine from your shower or making sure to thoroughly wash your hair.
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“You just need to make sure you cleanse your scalp by shampooing and massaging to get all the dead skin cells off. And brushing your hair once a day will help. But don’t shampoo every day; try to shampoo every other day because this will help you have stronger, healthy hair,” Brown said.
Using hot tools too often or too close to the scalp can also damage hair at the root and prevent it from growing, so try to use them sparingly.
You’re bound to expose your scalp to harsh elements sometime, but the good news is, there are a few steps you can take to help protect yours:
- Wet hair is super fragile, so use a wet brush on it to avoid damage
- Condition your hair every time you shampoo
- Prevent breakage by using a light hair towel to help hair dry faster
- Use silk pillowcases instead of cotton
- Use masks and treatments, such as Olaplex, to help strengthen hair

What about vitamins for hair growth?
If you’re struggling to get the nutrients your hair needs through food alone, you might be wondering if there’s any other way to help your hair along.
“Correct eating regimen and vitamin are important to wholesome hair progress,” Veliky said. “Should you can’t get these vitamins within the meals you eat, attempt nutritional vitamins for hair progress.”
There’s typically nothing wrong with trying vitamins or supplements to boost your hair growth efforts. At the same time, foods in their original form usually hold more nutrients, so try to incorporate at least a few new foods into your diet before heading right to the vitamin aisle.
If you’ve worked your way through the list of hair-healthy foods and could still use a little help, you can always try some of these vitamins/supplements:
- Biotin
- Fish oil
- Vitamins C, B and D
- Iron
- Omega-3 and fatty acids
- Nutrafol
- Hair Detox
- Ducray Anacaps Activ+
At the end of the day, hair growth is still a bit of a mystery to scientists and skin experts alike, so no one solution will work for everyone. “We’re studying extra about how hair progress is managed at a mobile stage, however scientific proof on the way to pace up hair progress instantly continues to be missing, so sure strategies haven’t been rigorously studied,” mentioned beauty dermatologist Dr. Sejal Shah, founding father of SmarterSkin Dermatology.
However that does not imply you possibly can’t (safely) attempt incorporating sure merchandise or meals into your routine to at the very least see if they provide your hair a lift. And when all else fails, don’t underestimate the worth of standard haircuts! Frequent trims can encourage hair to develop extra in the event you’ve hit a size plateau.
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