11 Hair Growth Tips To Help Make Your Hair Grow Faster
Keep scrolling for some simple and easy ways to encourage faster hair growth.
We’ve all Googled “How can I make my hair grow faster?” in the past, but here’s the truth: there’s nothing that can magically make hair grow longer in a short period of time. This is because hair only grows around one centimetre a month, depending on whether it is in a super-healthy state (with no damage or split ends!). So, if your hair isn’t growing, you’ll need to assess its health in order to kickstart the process.
The good news? There are a few easy hair habits you can adopt to help create the perfect environment for hair to grow and flourish in – which is the next best thing! Read on to discover our top 11 hair growth tips, now.
How Quickly Does Hair Grow?
Before we share our tips for achieving lengthier locks, we’ve asked a hair pro (Unilever R&D Technical Manager for hair in the UK, Francesca Rapolla) to give us more insight on hair growth in general…
Hair growth varies from person to person depending on factors such as race and genetics, but on average, hair grows around one centimetre a month. When you think about it, this isn’t a huge amount, so it’s important that you work hard to retain your length if you want your hair to look longer.
The growth rate (of hair) varies, but on average, it’s around a centimetre per month. – Francesca Rapolla, Unilever R&D Technical Manager for hair
“The hair growth cycle is divided into 3 phases: anagen (growth stage), catagen (transition stage), and telogen (resting stage). The anagen phase can last between 2 to 6 years and is characterised by the active growth of the hair fibre; the growth rate varies, but on average, it’s around a centimetre per month. The catagen phase lasts around a few weeks and the hair growth activity slows down as the bulb of the hair fibre detaches from the follicle. The telogen phase also lasts for a few weeks and here the hair growth has completely stopped,” says Unilever R&D Technical Manager for hair in the UK, Francesca Rapolla.
11 Ways to Make Hair Your Hair Grow Longer
While you can’t make your hair grow faster, you can focus your attention on boosting your hair’s health and creating the perfect environment for hair to grow in with these easy tips.
Start With Your Scalp
If your scalp isn’t being cared for, it’ll impact the look and feel of your hair and also slow growth rate. However, with the right wash and care routine, you can easily create a healthy environment for hair to grow in.
Eat the Right Foods
Do you have a balanced diet? If not, it’s something to consider if you want to grow healthy-looking locks. Why? Hair is made of keratin (a type of hardwearing protein), so it’s no surprise that if you want your mane to grow longer, you need to make sure you have a good dose of protein.
Any vitamin deficiencies can also affect hair production, so dodge any faddy food regimes and steer clear of diets that exclude whole food groups.
Get a Trim (Or Try Dusting!)
We know it seems somewhat unnatural to suggest getting your hair trimmed as a tip to help it grow. But hear us out: getting regular trims is the key to maintaining healthy hair.
Periodic trims or dusting will rid your locks of split ends and destructive fairy knots (AKA ‘single strand knots’). It will also help stop the damage working its way up the hair strand.
Deep Condition
When your hair is brittle, it’s more susceptible to breakage. So, don’t forget to periodically use an intense deep conditioning treatment to top up on moisture and repair damaged and thirsty tresses.
Editor’s tip: If you’re dealing with severe damage, this Nexxus Keraphix Hair Masque is exactly what you need. It helps heal roughness and brittleness for smooth and healthy-looking hair.
Turn Down the Heat
Heat damage can be the reason why you’re hair isn’t growing fast enough, so it’s important to cut down on the amount of the heat you use.
Our suggestion? Become an air-drying pro or at the very least, use a heat defence spray TRESemmé Heat Defence Spray, to protect your hair from damage.
Take a Break From Hair Colouring
While dyed hair is gorgeous, the chemical process you put your hair through does inevitably cause hair damage. This also impacts your hair’s ability to grow faster and longer, so it’s best to take a break from hair dyeing if you’re on a hair growth journey.
Trade Towels for T-Shirts
When it comes to drying your mane, T-shirts are a smarter option than uneven towels. Why? Friction can cause frizz and minor traumas, which indirectly hinders length retention.
Sleep On Silk
We know it sounds extreme but sleeping on cotton also causes friction, which can result in small hair breakages. Silk and satin are much smoother surfaces, which means less contact damage while you sleep. If you can’t buy brand new satin pillows, try wrapping your mane with a silk scarf.
Explore Different Hair Treatments
From castor oil to rinsing with rice water, there’s a whole host of hair treatments you can try to improve hair growth. While these treatments won’t speed up the growth rate of your hair, they will help encourage the process to happen.
Editor’s tip: From reducing breakage to boosting shine, you can always rely on the VO5 Nourishing Coconut Hot Oil to revive your mane – all in 1 minute.
Limit Manipulation
To optimise your hair’s ability to grow longer and stronger, avoid over-brushing, styling and even limit how much you’re touching it.
Have Realistic Expectations
Last but not least: be realistic with your hair expectations. As we mentioned earlier, there is no such thing as a miracle hair growth product. And do keep in mind that generally, hair grows half an inch a month, so roughly 6 inches (or 15 cm) a year. So just be patient and you’ll have lovely long locks in no time!
