Your hair is your crowning glory and every woman desires long, strong and lustrous hair, but only a few have it. Each time you get a lob or bob you start missing your long hair, don’t you? While short hairstyles are stylish and edgy, long hair looks attractive and beautiful. So it is natural if you often find yourself asking how to increase your hair growth. So for all those women who have poor hair growth, or want to grow out their short hairstyles, here are some dos and don'ts that will certainly help you get there faster!
We’ve used our experience and the help of a few experts to arrive at an answer to this million dollar question. On average, your hair grows by a quarter of an inch to half an inch per month. However, if you feel that the growth of your hair has become stagnant, we may have the answer to your problem. All you need to do is keep these tips in mind and you'll have healthy and long hair within no time!
- Tip #1: Get regular trims
- Tip #2: Avoid washing your hair daily
- Tip #3: Use hair masks
- Tip #4: Limit the use of heat styling tools
- Tip #5: Exfoliate your scalp
- Tip #6: Eat a protein- and biotin-rich diet
- Tip #7: Practice yoga and meditation
- FAQs about Hair Growth
Tip #1: Get regular trims
This might sound a little crazy, considering you are looking for ways to increase your hair growth and we are asking you to get regular trims! But hear us out. One of the reasons why the growth of your tresses gets stagnant is because you have a lot of split ends. Not getting rid of them from time to time will leave you with brittle, damaged and frayed hair that will split further and cause hair loss. This also makes your hair appear thin and lifeless. Therefore, if you wish to have long hair, trim it every 10 to 12 weeks to prevent split ends from ruining your efforts.
Tip #2: Avoid washing your hair daily
The purpose of a shampoo is to cleanse your hair and scalp to remove the dirt, oil and product build-up, however, the ingredients in said shampoos are harsh and do not differentiate between the natural oils and the grimy ones that get collected over time. During the process of cleansing, shampoos strip off the natural oils from your scalp and hair, leaving you prone to dryness. Frequent washing will only make this problem worse. Therefore, if you want to increase your hair growth, stop washing your hair every single day, and restrict it to twice a week.
Tip #3: Use hair masks
The conditioner that you use after washing your hair isn’t enough to deep condition your hair and offer superior nourishment. To ensure your hair and scalp receive deep conditioning, it is important to use hair masks every 15-20 days. You can either buy a deep conditioning hair mask or you can prepare one at home using ingredients from your kitchen. Wondering how to increase your hair growth using a DIY hair mask? Here’s the answer! Take about four tablespoons of coconut oil and add a teaspoon each of honey, almond oil and jojoba oil. Mix it well and apply all over your hair from root to tip and leave on for 15-20 minutes before shampooing and conditioning to get healthy, shiny and smooth hair.
Tip #4: Limit the use of heat styling tools
Heat styling tools are probably the most damaging for your tresses. Sure, they keep your hair in place but using them regularly will make your hair frizzy and eventually cause it to break. The healthier your hair is, the longer it will grow. Therefore, limit the use of these tools and if you absolutely have to, spritz some heat protection spray to prevent damage. The simple answer to how to increase your hair growth is limiting the use of products, tools and ingredients that potentially cause damage.
Tip #5: Exfoliate your scalp
Your scalp is like the soil on which your hair grows and if your scalp is unhealthy or dirty, it will definitely hamper the growth of your hair. Just like any other part of your body, your scalp too needs to be exfoliated at least once a month so you have healthy hair growth. You can prepare a DIY scalp scrub by mixing two tablespoons each of sea salt, olive oil and lemon juice. Wet your hair in the shower then gently massage your scalp in circular motions to remove dirt build-up, dandruff and other impurities that have collected on your scalp. Allow it to sit for a few minutes before washing.
Tip #6: Eat a protein- and biotin-rich diet
Another effective way to increase hair growth is by eating a balanced diet rich in protein and biotin, both of which are essential for healthy and strong hair growth. There are a lot of foods loaded with the goodness of protein and biotin to give you long and lustrous hair. Include foods like eggs, berries, spinach, sweet potatoes, fatty fish, nuts, seeds and avocados in your diet for best results.
Tip #7: Practice yoga and meditation
Stress is another cause for hair loss, hair greying and stagnant hair growth. It is necessary to stay calm, sleep well and be at peace in order to reduce the effects of stress and anxiety on the body. A good way to do that is by practising yoga and meditation, The increase in flow of oxygen in the body will also promote hair growth. This is one of the lesser known, yet easy and effective ways to increase your hair growth. You can also do deep breathing exercises for a minimum of 10 minutes every day to promote overall health.
FAQs about Hair Growth
Q. How do I make my hair grow faster?
A. Several reasons are responsible for hampering the growth of your hair. If you wish to grow your hair faster, avoid getting frequent chemical treatments and massage your hair with a conditioning oil once every two weeks for effective hair growth.
Q. Does coconut oil help with hair growth?
A. Coconut oil is loaded with nourishing ingredients, vitamins and fatty acids that increase the growth of hair. It is an excellent oil for all hair and scalp types and helps by nourishing and preventing a lot of hair issues.
Q. Which fruits are the best for hair growth?
A. A lot of foods contain essential vitamins and nutrients that can increase your hair growth. Include fruits rich in vitamin C, as they help with the production of collagen which strengthens the follicles. Fruits like blueberries, oranges, kiwi, strawberries are the best for hair growth.
Written by Sanya Hamdani on Mar 05, 2020
Sanya Hamdani is a skincare enthusiast and lipstick hoarder, she truly believes no two red lipsticks look exactly alike. With a Master's degree in Communication & Journalism and 5+ years of digital writing experience up her sleeve, Sanya has some of the biggest beauty experts in the country on her speed dial. When she's not swatching products or writing about the latest trends in beauty, you will find her watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S. or cooking up a storm in the kitchen.