Are you a fan of long, flowing, lustrous hair? Trying to grow out your hair for that look? While styling a hair with a good cut is very easy and quick, getting long hair is neither easy nor is it quick. It can be a lengthy and frustrating process.
Your hair needs care and nourishment in order to grow healthy and long. Some changes in your diet and lifestyle along with a good hair care routine can stimulate your hair growth immensely and give better results. Our hair is mostly made up of proteins. Hence, include proteins and omega-3 fatty acids in your diet for stimulating hair growth.
Eating milk and dairy products, avocados, nuts, fish, chicken, beans, leafy greens, and eggs, taking supplements for biotin and multivitamins can also encourage hair growth and make them healthier and shinier. Regular wash and frequent trimming are also essential for strong and damage-free hair. Of course, you can go for hair extensions or wigs too if you want a quicker alternative. Discussed below are few tips to Increase hair growth.
Tips to Increase Hair Growth
1) Nourish Your Hair
While striving for longer hair, we often overlook a very important fact: our hair is a part of our body. Therefore, our hair will be healthy, strong and long if we are healthy. Improving your diet goes a long way to improving your health and consequently your hair.
I. Increase Your Intake of Protein – Our hair is mostly made up of proteins. Hence, including proteins in your diet will increase hair growth and nourish the hair internally. This doesn’t mean you need to stuff your face with meat. Simply adding one or two protein-rich food items in your diet can also be enough. There are a lot of ways to include protein in your diet. Here are a few examples:
For non-vegetarians there is an abundance of protein sources to choose from. Almost all types of meat like beef, chicken, fish, pork, etc. are rich in protein. Just include the meat of your choice in your diet to increase your protein intake. Eggs are a great source of protein. Some types of cheese are also rich in protein. Both are also easily available to include in your diet. For vegetarians beans and other legumes can be included in the diet. Leafy vegetables like spinach as well as milk and other dairy products are also good sources of protein. Soya bean is also considered a very good source of protein.II. Include Omega-3 Fatty Acids In Your Diet – Omega-3 fatty acids are unsaturated fatty acids that have immense benefits for the human body. The human body, unfortunately, cannot synthesize omega-3. Hence, these essential fatty acids can be obtained only through our daily diet. Omega-3 reduces inflammation and nourishes hair follicles, encouraging hair growth and health. They also soothe and moisturize the scalp, promote blood circulation, prevent dryness, dandruff and hair loss. They can be found in fish such as salmon and sardine, walnuts, flax seeds, linseeds, soybeans and chia seeds and can also be consumed as supplements.
III. Try Hair Growth Supplements – Hair growth supplements are also an effective way of encouraging hair growth. Although, this isn’t a quick fix. You need to maintain a continuous intake of your chosen supplements for some time (mostly a few months) before you see any visible results.
Biotin is a popular hair growth supplement. Beta-sitosterol and Vitamin E supplements also lead to faster hair growth. These and other supplements can be taken in form of tablets or capsules. Do consult your physician before starting on which supplements are best for you. Another method for taking hair growth supplements is applying oils like Atlantic Cedar oil, Argan oil, Lavender oil, Egg oil, etc. and massaging the scalp with it. This stimulates blood circulation and allows the oils to provide nourishment. You can also include Amla (Indian Gooseberry) in your diet in some way if easily available. Amla is very rich in vitamin C and essential fatty acids. It has amazing benefits for hair and is considered very beneficial for hair growth. You can use it in many ways. Drink Amla juice regularly, or massage your scalp with amla oil. You can also use its powder in hair masks for conditioning.IV. Drink Lots of Water – Water helps in keeping the scalp nourished, hydrated and moisturized. Dehydration affects your hair too, making it dull and prone to damage. Drinking a healthy amount of water helps in keeping the hair shiny, lustrous and healthier. Consume at least 2-3 liters (0.5-0.8 US gal) of water in a day. You can drink herbal tea or flavored water if you don’t like drinking plain water. Try to avoid too much soda, caffeine, and alcohol. This will have a positive impact on your health too.
2) Care For Your Hair
It is important to have a healthy body for good hair health. But you can also do some simple tasks that can take care of your hair. It is important to take proper care of your hair to encourage a better growth. Caring for your hair is easy. Little changes in your routine can be enough to encourage better hair care. Some easy and essential ways to care for your hair are given below:
I. How You Wash Your Hair Matters – It is imperative that you take proper care while washing your hair. How often you wash your hair and what temperature water you use are important factors that affect the length of your hair. If the water is too hot it will cause the hair to dry and become brittle over time. This may lead to hair fall and prevent your hair growth. Similarly, washing your hair every day or too often also leads to hair damage. To avoid this, you should wash your hair less often (2 or 3 times a week is ideal) and with cold water. If you are used to washing your hair daily then washing it less often might be trying. At first, your hair might look a little greasy. But once your scalp gets used to producing less oil, things should be fine.
II. Be Gentle When Drying Your Hair – Gentle treatment and care is essential for glossy, nourished hair. When you towel-dry your hair roughly, you do more harm to it than any other chemical or product. Wet hair tends to break more easily. Hence, after washing, you should pat dry your hair with a towel and let it air dry. Blow drying your hair too often also leads to damage like hair fall, frizz, and split-ends. So, save it for special occasions only. Brushing your wet hair also leads to more hair fall. Try detangling the hair with your hand or use a wide-toothed comb if you have to.
III. Prevent Damage Caused by Exposure – Continuous exposure to sun, heavy winds, dust and air pollution can also cause great damage to your hair. Similarly, chlorinated water used in swimming pools can also be harmful to the hair. If you’re spending long hours out in the sun, you can protect your hair from overexposure by covering it up with a scarf or a hat. Wear a swim cap when you go for swims. Also, make sure to use gentle or mild hair products to wash and condition it afterward.
IV. Say No To Harmful Chemicals – Most hair products contain sulfates that strip your hair of its natural oils and make it dry and prone to damage. Silicone found in hair conditioning products is used to give the illusion of shine but it is a sealant that coats your hair in chemicals.
Instead of using products that contain such harmful chemicals, try using an all-natural shampoo which contains only natural oils and no chemicals. You can make your own shampoo if so inclined; there are many methods of making natural shampoo at home available online. For conditioning and moisturizing your hair, you can use a rinse made of diluted Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). Alternatively, you can also use natural oils like coconut oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, amla (Indian gooseberry)oil, etc. along with apple cider vinegar for better results. This completely natural alternative may take some time but it will definitely give you much better results in the long run. For deep conditioning treatments, instead of going to salons and spas, you can use hair masks made at home. They work in the same way and are also completely natural and easy to use. Hot oil masks are great for conditioning. Use coconut oil and almond oil mask for a good shine and nourishment. Coconut oil has high penetration and can reach the roots of your hair. Almond oil conditions and gives the hair a healthy shine. You can also use a combination of olive oil, cinnamon, and honey. This lightens as well as conditions your hair. Massage the mask on your hair and put on a shower cap. Run a warm blow dryer over it for 8 to 10 minutes. Now wash your hair. Do this regularly for a few months to see your hair get more healthy, shiny and long. You can also try fruit masks. For example, use fruits like strawberry, avocado, banana, etc. in paste form and mixing it with natural oils like coconut oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, lavender oil, etc or with milk, yogurt or honey to make a hair mask. Apply this mask on your hair from roots to tips and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly. Use a hair mask once every two weeks to see better results. They help in repairing any damage, nourishing and moisturizing the hair, and stimulating hair growth and health.V. Try Natural Hair Styling and Treatments – Hair styling tools like dryers, curlers, heating irons, etc. use intense heat to set your hair in a particular style. This can damage your hair if done on a regular basis. Instead of using these tools, try going for gentler and natural styling methods. Use natural hair sprays and gels which are free of chemicals. You can also make your own hair gels, it’s not that difficult. Instead of using cosmetic products, try using oils like argan oil to smooth out flyaways and frizzy hair. Use natural products that can straighten or curl your hair in place of heating irons and other tools. Give your hair a chance to look naturally beautiful!
3) Hair Extensions and Wigs for Instant Hair Length
This is probably the fastest and easiest way to get longer hair. Hair extensions are of three types: Clip-in, Tape-in, and Weave-in. For a seamless look, it is critical that your extensions match your hair color, texture, thickness, and density. Hair extensions can give your hair length as well as volume. They are easily removable too. However, it is best to go to an experienced professional to get your extensions clipped, taped or sewn into your hair. Trying this yourself may cause hair fall and greater hair damage. Even for removal, go to a professional and try using organic and natural products for the process as much as possible. Another option is to try a wig. Wigs can be made as long as you want. Also, you can experiment with all kinds of hair colors and textures without damaging your real hair.
4) Change Your Lifestyle
Simple changes to your lifestyle can help you get faster growth and healthier hair. If you are really determined to grow out your hair, try these few lifestyle changes and get healthier, shinier and naturally longer hair.
Trim Your Hair Regularly – Trimming your hair every 2-3 months is necessary for a balanced hair growth. Damaged hair, split ends, frizzy hair can lead to hair fall. Regularly trimming your hair will help you get rid of those damaged hair and help the hair grow longer. Don’t cut off a lot of hair in every trim. Only remove the damaged part and let the rest grow long and healthy. Massage Your Scalp Regularly – Regular massage of the scalp is very beneficial for stimulating blood circulation. In addition, it also mobilizes the oils in the scalp and helps your scalp stay nourished, strengthen the roots and keep the hair moist. Regular oil massage is a surefire way to boost hair growth and overall hair health. But if you cannot use oil regularly then dry massaging your scalp regularly also works nicely. Oils like coconut oil, amla oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, etc. are great stimulants and conditioners for your hair. Switch Your Pillows – You can also try switching to silk pillow covers for less hair fall or tangles. Hair tends to get tangled a lot during sleep. This leads to more hair fall when brushing hair. Silk is smoother than cotton and thus causes less friction resulting in less tangled hair and hair fall. Don’t Wrap Your Hair In A Towel – Wet hair is more prone to breakage. And when you wrap it in a towel tightly, it gets tangled in the woven fibers of the fabric. This makes the fragile hair more prone to breakage. You can use soft microfiber towels instead. Reduce Stress – High stress can negatively affect your hair growth and cause a lot of hair problems. Stress can make your hair lose its density and volume making it look dull and lacking in nourishment. Reducing your stress can help in reducing a lot of hair health problems. Try practicing Yoga, meditation or some other stress relieving activities of your choice. Ensure you get eight hours of sleep every day. Also, taking out time every day to do something that relaxes and refreshes you like listening to your favorite music or reading a book or engaging in activities like dancing, etc. can also help a lot in reducing stress. Get Enough Sleep – It is necessary that you get enough sleep to facilitate good hair growth. This is not a joke. Sleep is the only time which your body spends on repair and growth of the body. It is essential to help the body to rejuvenate properly and get ample rest. Eight hours of sleep every day is advisable for good health and a boost in hair growth.These days everyone is looking for quick and easy ways of getting long and beautiful hair. What they fail to understand is that growing your hair is a lengthy process. There is no quick fix for boosting hair growth. There are a lot of factors that contribute to a boost in hair growth. Some are mentioned here and you can experiment with them to see what works best for you. However, along with these tips, some determination, dedication and a lot of patience are the keys to a surefire boost in your hair growth.