Let’s face it. What we all want first and foremost is hair growth. I mean, who wants to look like a werewolf, right? Unfortunately, this also means that a lot of guys are scared to do anything about their hair loss, and would rather live with the consequences of not taking care of themselves. And so the cycle goes on… losing more hair each day because of poor nutrition, environmental toxins, and stress. But hey, let’s set the panic aside for a second here and review what you can do naturally to speed up your hair growth, shall we?
What can affect hair growth?
These include:
Age. Younger adults tend to have faster, more robust hair growth than older adults.
Hormones. Women typically have faster hair growth during puberty and pregnancy, while men experience slower rates of growth after puberty.
Stress. Stress can cause the body to produce more cortisol, which can slow down hair growth.
Aging. Hair thins with age because each strand of hair is made up of many tiny sections called follicles, and these follicles slowly stop producing new hairs as we age.
Read About: Hair Maintenance: 15 Easy Hacks for Maintaining Natural Hair at Home
How to Grow Hair Faster
There are many natural remedies and techniques that can encourage hair growth.
Eat healthy foods
You can eat your way to healthier hair by consuming foods rich in vitamin B, vitamin C, iron, and protein.
These nutrients help your body produce more blood cells and keratin, which makes up the hair shaft. The follicles also need a constant supply of protein to produce strong strands of hair.
Vitamin A, which is found in leafy greens like spinach and kale, supports proper cell function. Other good sources of vitamin A include carrots and sweet potatoes.
Scalp massages regularly
Scalp massages can promote blood circulation to the scalp and stimulate the production of new skin cells as well as healthy follicles that produce new strands of hair.
To massage your scalp, use a conditioner-soaked cotton ball or soft toothbrush to gently rub it in a circular motion for about five minutes once or twice daily before shampooing your hair with a mild cleanser made specifically for the scalp (not one that contains conditioner).
Do not apply pressure, simply let gravity do its job while massaging your head gently with your fingertips or nails.
Shampoo routine
Shampooing every day will strip away the natural oils your hair needs to stay healthy and shiny. Opt for shampooing every other day or every two days instead, and use conditioner on the days between washes.
This will keep your scalp from getting too dried out and help keep your locks looking their best. Use sulfate-free products as well since these don’t strip as much moisture from the strands as harsher shampoos do.
Use a conditioner after shampooing
Using a conditioner regularly helps keep your hair hydrated by adding back moisture that’s been removed by shampooing. If you’re using a sulfate-free shampoo and still find that your hair is dry after using it, try using a deep conditioning mask once or twice per week instead of regular conditioner, this will give your locks extra moisture without weighing them down.
Eat lots of protein
Protein is essential for hair growth because it helps the body produce keratin, which makes up 90 percent of the hair shaft. Eating chicken breast, tuna or eggs will help you get more proteins into your diet.
Relax
Stress can make it harder for your body to produce keratin, so taking some time to relax every day is important for growing longer hair.
Try meditating or reading a book before bed instead of watching TV or scrolling through social media, this will help you relax and fall asleep faster without stressing.
Rinse your hair with cool water
Hot water can dry out your scalp, making it harder for new growth to come through at its full potential.
Rinsing with cool water after washing with shampoo helps keep your scalp moisturized and promotes healthy growth by preventing breakage from excessive combing and brushing during styling (this also means no blow-drying).
Derma roller
Derma rollers are small, surgical-grade needles that can be used to stimulate the skin. The process is called microneedling and it’s been used for decades to reduce the appearance of scars, stretch marks, and wrinkles.
Derma rollers are also an excellent way to stimulate hair growth. The rolling action stimulates collagen production in your scalp, which helps promote hair growth by rejuvenating your follicles and increasing blood flow to your scalp.
Avoid coloring your hair too often
Coloring your hair on a regular basis will damage it and make it more difficult for it to grow as fast as possible.
It’s best to wait at least 6 months between coloring appointments so your hair has time to recover from the damage caused by chemical treatments like dyeing or bleaching.
Apply baby oil to your hair daily
Baby oil is an excellent way to keep your scalp hydrated while encouraging new hair growth because it moisturizes dry skin cells while leaving a light residue that protects against split ends and breakage.
If you have thin, fine, or oily hair then baby oil will work well on all types of strands, however, if you have coarse or thick strands then you may want to avoid using baby oil because it can make them look frizzy.
Try topical ointments
If you want to know how to grow your hair faster, then consider topical ointments. These products are applied directly to the scalp and can be used in conjunction with other natural remedies.
These products work by increasing blood flow to the area that they are applied to which increases the amount of nutrients that are delivered to the follicles of your hair.
This will help promote healthy growth while also preventing breakage from occurring as quickly as it would otherwise.
Avoid tight hairstyles
Another way that you can help your hair grow faster is by avoiding tight hairstyles. Tight hairstyles place stress on your strands which can lead to breakage over time if not cared for properly.
By avoiding these types of styles altogether or only wearing them sparingly, you’ll help keep your strands healthy and strong so they can grow longer without breaking off prematurely due to overuse or misuse until they reach their full potential length.
Detangle properly
It’s important to detangle your hair properly when washing or conditioning it because this will help prevent breakage and split ends while you’re combing through knots and tangles with a wide-toothed comb or brush.
Make sure you don’t tug too hard on your strands while detangling, gently comb through each section of hair until all knots are gone before moving on to the next section.