5 Tips for Fast Hair Growth
Man, woman , black, white, Millennial, Boomer. There's one thing nearly everyone in each of these groups have in common: they want to learn how to grow their hair, and they want to grow it fast. Hair is a sign of youth, vitality and good health. Historically, a woman's hair was seen as a sign of her beauty. For men, hair represented youth and vitality. more than anything, hair allowed people to present to the world who they were.
There could be any number of reasons that you want to grow your hair out. Maybe you had a really bad cut. Maybe you tried a style and realized that it made your head look like a square. Maybe you're freaking tired of two-inch ponytails. Maybe you’re healing after a period of intense stress or an illness, and you're ready to grow out healthy locks again. Whatever the reason, how to grow hair fast is one of the most common searches on Google. Following are five ways to grow your hair fast.
Important Note: There are three distinct stages of hair growth. The anagen phase is the growth phase where a strand of hair is actually growing. This phase lasts anywhere from 3 to 5 years (less or longer in some people). How long this phase lasts is based on genetics.
The catagen phase is the next phase. It lasts about two weeks, during which the hair follicle shrinks, and the papilla goes into a resting phase, preventing the strand from receiving nourishing blood.
The telogen, or “shedding” phase is the last phase. The hair will shed from the scalp during this phase. How your hair behaves during these stages will play a HUGE role in how long your hair gets. Having said that, there are ways to help you grow your hair and retain length.
1. Take Your Vitamins
Vitamins can be extraordinarily helpful for people who are not getting the nourishment they need for their hair to grow. if you’re deficient in vitamins and nutrients that promote healthy hair growth, your hair will look like it's not growing. Supplementing your diet with these vitamins can help bring your hair back to health, making it stronger and more supple, ultimately helping it grow. Key vitamins and nutrients for hair growth include biotin (and other B vitamins), MSM, iron, zinc and protein, so look for vitamins that include healthy doses of these. Some of the most popular hair vitamin brands include long-time favorite Viviscal and super-hot, super-new Nutrafol.
2. Protect It
Sometimes, the reason that your hair seems like it's not growing is because it's literally breaking as it's growing. If your hair grows an average of half an inch a month and you don't see that growth, it's pretty clear that something's happening to restrict its growth. Even the slightest breakage that comes from things like using the wrong combs and brushes or not moisturizing your hair enough can literally eliminate any growth that you get during the month. When you go to sleep, use a silk pillowcase and or cover your head with a silk or satin scarf. In winter, line the insides of your hats with silk so that your delicate hair remains protected from the rough fabric. Wear protective styling so the ends of your hair are safely tucked away and protected from the breakage that comes from constant styling. Protective styles include everything from extensions and wigs to braids and locs.
3. Use Rice Water
If you've seen one YouTube rice water video, you probably seen all 7326 of them. In the past year, rice water took over the Tube as one of the best ways to make your hair grow super fast. Rice water is literally the water left over after rice has been cooked or been left to soak. It's been used by women throughout Asia for centuries to help them condition their hair, making it nice, smooth and shiny while allowing it to grow faster. The reason rice water is thought to work is because the rice water contains tons of vitamins and minerals including amino acids, vitamin A, B vitamins and minerals.
To make rice water, simply rinse half a cup of uncooked rice. Put it in a bowl filled with 2 to 3 cups of water. Let it soak for half an hour, and drain the water into a bowl. Some people go a step further and say that you need to use fermented rice water over regular rice water, claiming that it has a higher number of antioxidants that can reduce skin cell and hair cell damage. To make fermented rice water, let the rice soak in water for two days so that it ferments. Drain. Use the rice water as you would conditioner, leaving it on for 20 minutes before rinsing.
After using rice water, people have reported hair growth as much as one inch per month.
4. Moisturize Again and Again and...
Dry, unmoisturized hair is one of the biggest reasons that many people experience apparent slow hair growth. Moisturizing the hair keeps the strands supple, soft, strong, preventing it from breaking. With constant breakage, it appears the hair doesn’t grow. Treat each strand of hair like a delicate piece of silk. Do conditioner washes as often as you can, keeping the hair away from harsh, sulfate-laden shampoos.
FIgure out if your right combination of moisturization is LOC (liquid, oil and cream) or LCO (liquid, cream, oil). These acronyms represent the way you layer moisture onto your hair. Oils like argan oil and Jamaican black castor oil are loaded with vitamins and rich in ricinoleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that helps lock in moisture. Moisturize the hair, and watch your hair grow lickety split.
5. Take MSM
If you‘ve visited any hair forum in the past few years, there’s no way you missed hearing about MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), the organic, sulfur-rich compound that’s been lauded as the reason that thousands of people have achieved rapid-fire hair growth. Sulfur is one of the most important minerals found in the body, and it’s also the third largest compound found in the body. It’s responsible for the development of collagen and keratin, both necessary for strong, healthy hair.
When taken as a dietary supplement, many people report explosive hair growth resulting in stronger, thicker, healthier strands. You can take MSM in pill or powder form. It’s generally recommended that you start off taking 1000mg of MSM a day, and increase your dosage over time as your body gets used to it. Some people report seeing improved growth in as little as two weeks.
