12 Hair Growth Tips to Stimulate Thicker Locks

Table Of Content

• Reduce stress
• Limit Heat
• Comparing the best hair growth products
• Add a daily scalp massage to your routine.

However, a person can maintain the health and growth rate of their hair. Maintaining a healthy diet and exploring natural remedies, such as scalp massage and essential oil use, may help improve the hair’s appearance. Some studies and anecdotal evidence have shown that using herbs like rosemary water as a hair tonic or wash can prompt the growth of hair without the added chemicals or toxins that other products may contain. A theory is that herbs might encourage blood flow to the scalp, which reduces inflammation and supports a healthy environment for hair growth. One test-tube study found that keratin might decrease hair loss, treat damaged hair, and increase hair diameter. Still, more research is needed to better understand how this nutrient might support hair growth.

Reduce stress

While biotin deficiency has been linked to hair loss, research on the effectiveness of biotin supplements for hair growth is inconclusive,” says Chun. Some people have success with biotin supplements for hair health, but note it may not be the most important nutrient for everyone for hair growth. If you’re losing more hair than usual or noticing a lack of regrowth, it’s best to see a healthcare provider to determine the underlying cause of hair loss before starting a supplement. There are many reasons for hair loss ranging from nutrient deficiencies, malnutrition, and stress to underlying medical conditions like a thyroid disorder.

Limit Heat

Hair loss is not harmful in and of itself, but it's normal if it causes you stress. It’s understandable that you may be looking for ways to increase hair growth and hair fullness. Hormonal abnormalities, anemia and other nutrient deficiencies can short-circuit the growth pattern. Dr. Bergfeld recommends having your doctor do some tests to identify any possible deficiencies.

Comparing the best hair growth products

In addition to using hair growth products, there are a variety of other methods you can take to improve the thickness and health of your hair. While not specifically formulated for hair growth, a multivitamin may help fill nutrient gaps in your diet, which could cause hair loss. OLLY Heavenly Hair Gummies contain biotin and zinc, as well as several herbs that may actually work to support hair growth. Mix a few drops of rosemary oil into a carrier oil, like argan oil or jojoba oil, and massage it into your hair and scalp before rinsing. We consulted two dietitians and three physicians for guidance on choosing the best vitamins for hair growth. They provided insights on the health benefits of vitamins for hair growth, what to look for, and who can most benefit from them.

While there’s no direct way to make your hair grow faster overnight, there are steps you can take to keep your hair healthy and long. Researchers are still looking into what triggers our bodies to switch on the anagen phase, and more studies are needed to know for certain what can be done to promote hair growth. Slow hair growth can be caused by age, stress, lack of sleep, diet, and hair habits (like tight hair styles and not keeping your scalp free of buildup). If you are concerned about your hair growth, visit a dermatologist or hair professional, like a trichologist. While peace of mind and exercise can reduce stress and make you feel better than before, practicing yoga is believed to stimulate hair growth.

Best B-Complex for Hair Growth

The 14 Best Hair Growth Serums for Thicker, Fuller Hair - Health.com

The 14 Best Hair Growth Serums for Thicker, Fuller Hair.

Posted: Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

To protect your hair, “it’s essential to avoid products containing sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and silicones that can dehydrate, weigh down your hair, and irritate the scalp,” adds Sobel. A nutritious diet with the recommended essential nutrients, including protein, antioxidants, iron, and fatty acids, can help support healthy hair growth. Avoiding deficiencies can help prevent hair loss due to a lack of nutrients. Unfortunately, hair loss around three to six months after delivery is completely normal. This phenomenon is called telogen effluvium, and it’s estimated that around 40% to 50% of women experience this shedding to some degree, according to Dr. Steven Line, MD. Hormonal changes during and after pregnancy are the culprits of this hair loss.

Factors That Affect Hair Growth

Trying a scalp scrub that helps gently exfoliate the surface while improving moisture and nourishment can be a simple step in your hair care routine. You may use this type of product as needed before conditioning your hair in the shower. The average scalp contains around 100,000 hair follicles—and it's normal to lose about 100 hairs every day. Supplements aren't regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the same way that medications are in the United States. Check with a healthcare provider before trying one out to ensure you're not getting too much of a particular vitamin or nutrient.

Inadequacy of this particular nutrient is not an issue most people will run into, as biotin deficiency is relatively rare in the U.S. McMahan says some people (i.e. those who are not pregnant or breastfeeding) can start an over-the-counter topical minoxidil (Rogaine) extra strength, twice a day. McMahan advises those experiencing hair loss or shedding to seek an expert's help to determine the root cause of the problem. Great food sources of omega-3s include salmon, tuna, flaxseed, walnuts, and plant oils such as soybean and canola oil.

Collagen is a protein that supports healthy skin, cartilage, bones and connective tissue. With your scalp wet, James says it can also be helpful to integrate a topical solution to your haircare routine. "It is packed with peptides, along with other nutrients for nourishing the scalp and hair, and the spray lightly coats the surface area without leaving any buildup behind." Exactly how much time it takes for hair to grow depends on genetics.

St. Surin-Lord says that sweet potatoes are loaded with beta carotene, the precursor for vitamin A that not only promotes a healthy scalp but effectively promotes hair growth, too. Not to mention, the starchy vegetable supports gut health, acting as a prebiotic, by being a good source of soluble and insoluble fiber. Legumes (aka beans and lentils) are saturated with hair-improving vitamins and minerals like zinc, iron, and, most importantly, biotin. "Biotin strengthens the structure of keratin, which makes up the hair, skin, and nails," notes St. Surin-Lord.

Cysteine, which is an amino acid, is important in the rate of hair growth. According to one 2016 article, a lack of protein can lead to hair fragility and brittleness. They also note that folate deficiencies can cause changes in the color of the hair. Folate is present naturally in foods, while manufacturers typically add folic acid to foods. Also, rapid weight loss or a decrease in protein intake can lead to a condition called telogen effluvium (TE).

11 Best Hair Growth Serums to Address Thinning Hair

Table Of Content

• Don't Miss This Rare Sale On My Favorite Product For Supple Skin & Healthier Hair
• Best prescription treatment
• Ways to Make Your Hair Grow Faster and Stronger
• Thorne Basic Nutrients 2x/Day

However, there are things we can avoid that may cause impaired growth and increased shedding. For example, minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine) has been proven to support hair regrowth for many people and is more likely to give you the results you are looking for than an untested ingredient. We looked for products and treatments from reputable brands with the most significant research behind them and the most effective ingredients. These solutions contain some of the most popular ingredients for regrowing hair, like finasteride, minoxidil, dutasteride, and spironolactone, which are available by prescription. Happy Head offers a variety of prescription tablets and topical solutions along with OTC supplements, shampoos, and conditioners. One of the most notable differences with Happy Head’s prescription treatments is that their topical solutions are customizable.

Don't Miss This Rare Sale On My Favorite Product For Supple Skin & Healthier Hair

But these do take longer to work, as supplements “must first be metabolized by the body and dispersed by the bloodstream to be beneficial,” says Dr. Shaver. And oral supplements may have more systemic side effects and interactions with other medications, so it’s especially important to check with your doctor before taking a supplement. Topical products containing collagen, such as skin creams and serums, are available, but research backing their efficacy is lacking. Collagen is found in deeper layers, but collagen fibers are too large to permeate the outer skin layers, and peptides (shorter chains of collagen) are unsuccessful. Collagen supplements and products containing collagen are available. Before using a collagen supplement, look at the ingredient list and protein profile, and avoid supplements with too many additives or fillers.

Best prescription treatment

Meanwhile, “the goal of a serum is to target the hair follicle directly by delivering compounds that may allow for improved or optimal hair growth,” says Dr. Mirmirani. These ingredients are those that aren’t typically found in the diet, such as minoxidil and plant-based compounds. There's no guarantee that the collagen you eat directly benefits areas such as skin or joint health, but foods that support collagen production are still generally recommended as part of a health-supporting eating plan.

Ways to Make Your Hair Grow Faster and Stronger

People who’ve been losing hair for only two or three years are more likely to see noticeable results than those losing it for 10 or 20 years. Omega-3 naturally occurs in foods such as fish and flaxseed, but you can also find it in supplements like fish oil. The protein is used to make keratin — the protein that hair is mostly made of.

Check Your Medications

While these doses are significantly higher than the RDA of 600 IU, the Endocrine Society recommends a minimum of 1,500 to 2,000 IU for most people to maintain adequate stores, and higher doses for short-term repletion. However, this may be more than some people need, especially younger people who get enough vitamin D from sun exposure. Cascading curls, intricate braids, swinging ponytails—the options are endless when it comes to hairstyles for long hair! And while we love Ree's hair (and all the other short and medium-length hairstyles out there), sometimes we long for something well, longer. Male pattern baldness can occur as early as the teen years or twenties, but usually starts in middle age.

Yes, You Can Actually Make Your Hair Grow Faster—Here's How

"When you have split ends, what happens is the hair slowly splits up the shaft, which leads to slower growth,'" says celebrity hairstylist and Biolage brand ambassador Sunnie Brook. Heat styling works by breaking down the hydrogen bonds in hair15—that's how it restructures and restyles your hair pattern (be it straightening curls or adding curls to straight hair). And when you do this too much, it can lead to suboptimal moisture in the hair. When cuticles are open or lifted, it means they are not sealed down; this allows moisture to escape easier. (Some people are just more prone to this, while others may have open cuticles from chemical hairstyling, like coloring). Finally, be mindful of how you are shampooing and showering as hair is most vulnerable when wet.

Cleanse (i.e. shampoo) regularly, use a targeted serum daily/nightly, and apply a weekly intensive scalp mask or treatment. It works by stimulating hair follicles to enter the anagen (growth) phase of the hair growth cycle and increasing blood flow to the scalp. Some studies have shown certain essential oils like rosemary oil to be as effective as medicated topical products for regrowing hair in certain cases. You may want to try other nutrient-rich oils—like coconut oil, argan oil, and olive oil—that have moisturizing fatty acids that can support a well-nourished scalp.

Change Your Hair Care Habits

However, you need to find a high-quality hair serum with the right ingredients to expect any actual change. You can also take advantage of topical antioxidants, in the form of hair oils, serums, or sprays, which are especially in combating oxidative stress that comes with UV rays or pollution. Just look for products that contain vitamins or other common antioxidants like botanical extracts and vitamin E. There is limited research4 on the use of biotin for hair growth in healthy and nutrient-replete individuals (i.e., including the B vitamin biotin). Rumor has it that over-shampooing can lead to broken, dry, and brittle locks, due to the cleanser stripping the hair of its natural oils. Depending on your hair type, the number of times you should shampoo your hair per week varies.

Best Overall: Nutrafol Hair Serum

15 Best Shampoos for Thinning Hair (Tests & Reviews 2024) - Cosmopolitan

15 Best Shampoos for Thinning Hair (Tests & Reviews .

Posted: Wed, 03 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Correcting a deficiency in any of these nutrients may help treat hair loss and promote the rate of hair growth. A study of 100 people found that a spermidine-based nutritional supplement prolonged a phase of active hair growth called the anagen phase. The longer a hair follicle stays in the anagen phase, the longer it will grow (32). A lack of zinc in the diet may promote telogen effluvium, a common but reversible form of hair loss caused by a lack of nutrients.

After all, “harsh brushing can cause breakage, so especially if you have curly, fragile, damaged, or fine hair, be mindful when brushing and styling,” says celebrity hairstylist Marley Xavier. When brushing, Xavier recommends switching to a gentle brush like the Manta detangling brush. While you are unlikely to consume excess biotin through food, many supplements for hair, skin, and nail growth contain biotin over the recommended daily intake (1).

Another celeb favorite, Viviscal supplements are used by the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and Reese Witherspoon. Most product reviews are positive, while negative reviews have to do with people having difficulty canceling or being charged after they have canceled the service. Once a doctor reviews your information, they’ll suggest a treatment plan for you. Happy Head offers prescription strength 8% minoxidil in their topical solutions, which is higher than OTC Rogaine, which contains 5% minoxidil.

The rest of the follicles are in either the catagen (transitioning) phase or the telogen (resting) phase. For some lucky individuals, the growing phase lasts as long as seven years; for others, it's as little as two. At the end of this stage, the strand falls out, and its follicle remains dormant and hairless for about three months.

Trimming removes split ends, preventing breakage that can hinder growth. Hair loss may be due to poor scalp health from conditions such as psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and dandruff. Still, discuss with a healthcare provider whether adding collagen to your daily routine is right for you.

They're high in vitamin C—so much so that they contain triple the amount than oranges, with green peppers containing 95.7 mg, red peppers containing 152 mg, and yellow peppers containing an impressive 341 mg. If you lack any of these nutrients, try adding some of the above foods to your diet. A person can also maintain the health of their hair through everyday care.

If you’re experiencing unexplained and/or severe hair loss, you should schedule a checkup with your doctor, as certain health conditions can cause hair loss. In such cases, treating the underlying cause may help reverse hair loss issues. Talk with your doctor before trying supplements like biotin, keratin, or other nutrients. They may interact with any medications you take and cause unintended side effects.

Eating a healthy, nutrient-dense diet that includes adequate protein is key. Using certain products and treatments may also help, while dialing back on heat treatments and chemical processing can help, too. Stress may cause your follicles to go into a resting phase during which they shed hair instead of growing new strands.