So many women cut their hair off in a fit of styling frustration and then regret it weeks later when they start to envy another’s long, flowing locks. If you’ve ever been in this position, chances are you’ve tried everything to discover how to grow hair faster. While there certainly isn’t any overnight miracle treatment, there are some things you can do to promote hair growth and improve its health.
Increased Growth at Home
Obviously, you can’t grow long hair in a week – or even in a single month. So how fast does hair grow? The average scalp will grow hair one quarter to half inch per month. And realistically, there is nothing out there that will make the natural hair on your head increase in growth speed, but keeping hair healthy does ensure long, undamaged locks that will allow you to hang onto more length.
Coconut oil is trending right now as a total fix all for everything from skin and hair to allergies and injuries. Sure enough, it does work well to bring life and health to your tresses. Coconut oil works to naturally nourish your scalp and remove product build up from hair follicles, thus clearing the way for healthy growth. You can use coconut oil for hair growth after using your regular shampoo and conditioner – simply heat it up in a bowl with hot water and then massage it into your scalp after it’s completely melted. Wrap your head in a towel and leave it on overnight for maximum impact.
Castor oil for hair growth is also very popular. Mix some in a small bowl with your coconut oil. Since it contains ricinoleic acid and omega fatty acids, blood circulation to the scalp is theoretically accelerated. Thus, hair will grow and roots will be strong.
If you truly want to learn how to make your hair grow faster but don’t want to spend a lot of money, these home remedies are simple and affordable for any budget.
Home Remedies to Avoid
In the search for how to grow hair faster, some women choose to try vitamin supplements. Unfortunately, these aren’t always the safest option. While coconut and castor oils are topical and all-natural, not all supplements actually are. One of the best tips for hair growth is – if you have to physically ingest something, always tread with caution and consult your doctor.
One popular choice is Biotin. The hair growth products sold in health stores actually tend to contain approximately 2000% of the average person’s biotin needs, and this extremely high level can actually cause physical damage – including hair loss. While vitamins for hair growth may be FDA approved, they are usually not recommended and can actually bring more harm than good.
Keep Things Trimmed
It’s natural to fear the salon if you’re trying to grow hair longer, but in reality you do need regular trims. While they won’t help your hair grow faster, they will keep it looking healthier and abolish those rotten split ends that will force you to cut off more length in the long run if they aren’t prevented.
Visit your stylist every 10-12 weeks (not 6 weeks as the old recommendation goes) and have them trim off an eighth of an inch. If you are itching to learn how to grow hair faster, get your salon involved – as long as they promise to only stick to trims.
Keep Things Conditioned
When your hair is wet, you need to condition it. This rule goes for post-shower, swim or inopportune rain storm. Strands of hair start to thin when they are dehydrated, so use conditioner regularly to replace your shaft proteins. Knowing how to make your hair grow faster includes a daily conditioning treatment that you can remain totally dedicated to.
On the flip side, you really don’t need to shampoo your hair every single day. Shampoo is great at washing away buildup and grime, but it is also notorious for switching hair off its natural oils and suppleness. Instead, only shampoo when truly necessary and then focus only on the scalp area. The rest of your hair will catch up during your rinse.
Rinsing with cold water really does help grow hair and keep it healthy. The cold temperature lays down the outer layer of hair and locks in moisture that’s lost if you step right out of a hot shower.
Pamper Hair and Use Caution
If you want to be an expert on how to grow hair faster, start by treating it like royalty. Many women grew up being told that brushing your hair a hundred times per day will increase growth – but in reality, this just causes breakage. Instead, brush it as gently as possible and restrict it to once or twice per day. Using a natural boar bristle brush will really make an impact, as these are great at distributing natural scalp oil while being gentle on delicate strands.
Brushing your hair from the scalp down can actually cause more tangles, which in turn, causes you to lose hair that you’re so lovingly trying to grow long.
You also should think twice before wrapping your hair in a standard bath towel. This can cause huge amounts of breakage. Instead, go for a super thin microfiber hair towel when you want to turban up your hair after your shower.
Finally, get rid of common items that cause breakage and tangles. This includes a ponytail always in the same spot and even cotton pillowcases. Switch out your bedding for sateen instead of woven cotton and you’ll notice that your hair not only grows healthy, but stays tangle-free, too.
There are so many supposed tricks of the trade out there that claim to grow hair longer and faster – but the hard reality is the only way to grow long hair is through healthy hair. If you want long locks in the shortest time frame possible, utilize oils for hair growth as well as regular moisture renewal, gentle towels and bedding, and even treat yourself to a new brush. Avoiding money-making schemes like supplements and expensive “miracle” shampoos will keep you healthy as you wait for that beautiful hair to make its debut.
Useful Tips on How to Grow Hair Faster – Dos and Don’ts