Photo KnowInsiders
10 Simple Tips At Home To Make Your Hair Grow Faster And Stronger. Photo KnowInsiders

Raise your hand if you’ve tried to give yourself a haircut during the pandemic. It’s a safe bet that over the past year, most, if not nearly all, of us have gotten out a pair of shears to attempt a haircut in place of booking an appointment with a stylist. Whether your salon was closed, or you just weren’t feeling comfortable going yet, doing a DIY haircut seemed like a good idea at the time—until it wasn’t.

If you’re dealing with an unfortunate pandemic haircut, you’re likely wanting your hair to grow out as soon as possible. Or perhaps your hair is overprocessed and you’re yearning for healthy-looking locks. Maybe you’ve always wanted the long, luscious tresses often seen in old-school shampoo commercials.

Whatever your reason, you may want to know how to grow your hair even faster to reach that desired look. Luckily, this is where science, and some DIY tips from the pros, are on your side.

How long does it take to grow hair?

Photo: Luxy Hair
Photo Luxy Hair

Don’t expect a change overnight just because you left the hair mask on overnight. Hair growth takes its own time and we can only help promote it in a way that the natural process is not hindered by any foreign element.

Studies say that on an average half an inch growth is expected in a month, under usual conditions. This means six inches per year. Consistent care and sticking on to your hair care routine can show speedy results. Stress, hypertension and depression can also be detrimental to your hair growth process.

Everyone’s hair goes through the same natural growth cycle. Contrary to the popular opinion that our hair grows together as one unit, there are some strands that rest when others grow. These are the three stages of hair growth that will help you understand how to grow your hair long:

• Growth phase - This active phase of hair growth lasts for 2-8 years.

• Transition phase - Your hair stops growing in this stage that lasts for 4-6 weeks.

• Resting phase - Your hair starts falling out during this period. It lasts for 2-3 months.

In the growth phase, you have over 90-95% hair follicles on your scalp. And about 5-10% follicles in the resting phase, which results in nearly 100-150 hair strands falling every day. This hair fall is normal. Now, this growth phase might make you wonder, how long does it take for hair to grow? Well, we have answers.

Simple Tips At Home To Make Your Hair Grow Faster And Stronger

1.Let Wet Hair Be

Photo Women's Health
Photo Women's Health

Wet hair is super-stretchy. If you brush it when it’s dripping, you could break strands or damage the cuticle, the shingle-like cells that protect each hair. Using heat tools on very wet hair can create bubbles in the hair shaft, making it extra fragile. If your hair's straight, let it air-dry, then comb gently with a wide-tooth comb. For textured or curly hair, gently detangle with a wide-tooth comb while it’s damp.

2.Handle With Care

Photo All Day Chemist
Photo All Day Chemist

If your hair breaks easily, it needs extra pampering. For example, Black hair tends to be fragile, so pour on the TLC:

Don’t over-wash. Just do it enough to remove product buildup. That might be weekly or every other week.

If you relax your hair, go to a pro. Be sparing with touch-ups. Get them only about every 2-3 months, and only to new hair growth.

Treat your hair to a hot oil treatment every couple of weeks.

READ MORE: How to Wash and Care for Your Synthetic Hairpiece

3.Use cold water at the end of your shower

When it's time to wash your hair, remember to do so with cold water at the end of your shower. The cold temperature will help to stimulate growth and keep your hair healthier for longer. According to what the celeb approved stylist said to Vogue, this happens because it seals the hair fiber, thus smoothing the cuticle and trapping in moisture, which helps to prevent snagging and the damage caused by heat.

Don’t Wash Hair Too Often

Keeping your hair clean is essential for hygiene and hair growth. But overdoing it can cause more harm than good. Shampooing your hair every day can dry your hair out and flush out the natural scalp oils. A good alternative would be chemical-free shampoos enriched with hair-lengthening ingredients. Shampooing every day can also dehydrate your hair. Also, hair roots are the weakest when wet. Hence, you must comb hair gently after every wash

4.Get Into Condition(er)

Use conditioner every time you shampoo. It not only helps your hair behave and look better, it strengthens it and shields it from the sun's harmful UV rays. If you have fine hair, apply it to just the bottom of your hair to avoid weighing it down. For Black hair, coat the tips well to nourish those fragile ends.

Coffee can be used as a leave-in conditioner for hair growth. It detoxifies the scalp and promotes blood circulation, thanks to the phytosterols present in it. It’s the caffeine that helps in making hair smooth and shiny. You can even use it as a hairspray. Coffee also helps prevent premature grey hair or balding in both men and women.

Tip: Brewed coffee powder mixed with ingredients like honey, olive oil and yoghurt can act as a homemade hair mask that benefits the hair growth process tremendously.

5.Consider Microneedling

Microneedling uses a roller with hundreds of fine needles to make tiny punctures in your scalp. It's shown promise in helping people with hair loss, especially when used with other treatments like minoxidil. Scientists think it helps the medications penetrate your skin. You can buy microneedling kits over the counter, but it's safer to see a dermatologist. Microneedling is complicated and can even make some conditions worse.

6.Use low-pressure hair ties

Photo healthline
Photo healthline

Just like cotton pillowcases, elastics can also pull on your hair if you’re not careful. “Constant pulling will result in permanent follicle damage and prevent the follicles from operating normally,” says Yates. “If you like to wear your hair in tight ponytail, try one a bit lower, towards the nape of your neck, to limit strain.” Also consider swapping out your regular elastics for silk scrunchies or hair ties that distribute pressure more evenly, like the Invisibobble.

7.Avoid wrapping your hair in a large towel

No matter how soft your towel is, stop using it to wrap your hair in after every shower, because it's causing a lot of damage. When you repeat this action –which you've surely been used to doing since you were little– the hair gets trapped in the towel's woven fibers, and the pressure you exert when rolling your hair up in the towel will make each strand prone to breakage.

Photo Wikihow
Photo Wikihow

A good alternative for removing excess water from your hair, without damaging it, would be to use a fine, soft microfiber towel and wrap your hair gently, as if it were a turban

8.Eat Some Gummies and Supplements If You Want

Vitamin gummies taste delicious and they probably won’t hurt (unless you’re trying to curb a sugar addiction), but don’t put all your faith in them, either. “Hair-growth gummies, or any hair-growth supplement for that matter, have the potential to work, provided there is a nutritional need,” Burg says. So if you’re extremely stressed, having trouble chilling out, or on a restrictive diet of sorts, popping some supplements may make a noticeable difference.

Is it safe to take hair supplements for hair growth?

A. Supplements such as biotin, viviscal and other multivitamin tablets may help promote faster hair growth. Although it’s imperative to check with your physician before taking any medicines. Side effects may be seen on some, as people react differently to the medicines. It’s always safer to rather opt for a good sleep cycle, a balanced diet and an adequate water intake.

9.Try Massaging Your Scalp

Photo hair la vie
Photo hair la vie

One easy way to start mellowing out right this instant is by massaging your scalp. Forget all that “increasing blood flow to the scalp” rhetoric — it’s actually the self-care part that helps with hair growth. “Scalp massage can boost mood and relieve the stress that has a negative impact on the hair-growth cycle,” says Kingsley. The two most common methods are called effleurage (circular stroking movements) and petrissage (gentle kneading and lifting of the scalp). Kingsley advises you start at the front of your scalp and work your way back with “gentle yet firm and consistent pressure.” Investing in a scalp massager can help turn this into a special little ritual, like when you roll your face.

10. Give Your Hair Some Space

Beyond the gentle brushing, try to leave your hair alone as much as humanly possible. That means cutting down on hair-drying, flat-ironing, curling, chemically straightening, dyeing, teasing, baking it in the sun, and yes, even crimping. The less you alter it and mess with it, the more it can truly thrive.

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