How To Boost Hair Growth, According To Experts

How many times have you passed somebody on the street and been totally awestruck by their hair? $50 says you thought something along the lines of “good genes… lucky”, huh? But is magnificent hair purely a result of good genes, or something else? While genes certainly play an important role in hair type, texture and strength, shine and other health related results don’t come effortlessly. To boost hair growth and make it healthy from scalp to ends, you will have to reevaluate your product choices, enrich your diet and eliminate poor habits. Here’s how.

Hair consists of three parts – follicle, root and shaft. The shaft is the visible part we call “the hair”. The follicle is a tiny pit where the hair root resides. At the bottom of it, we have a papilla that connects blood arteries to the roots, stimulates cell multiplication, and provides nourishment. Growth happens in the follicle, where rods of new cells move upwards. As they travel from the source of nutrients, they slowly die and turn into keratin. One of the vital roles of keratin is to strengthen the structure and create hair resilience.

While scalp hair takes years for the growth cycle to finish, body hair and beard take only months. They all grow from follicles, but their thickness and features are different. Body hair texture is thicker, often curly, or even has a different colour than your scalp hair. Still, regardless of their differences, a beard requires the same care as hair to reach its full potential. 

Mother Nature has a cure for many health issues, hair problems included. Whether it comes to scalp irritation, dryness, dandruff, high porosity, or any other hair annoyance we go through at some point, the solution most likely lies in hair treatments with natural ingredients. Herbal extracts, butter, and plant oils repair and thicken hair while smoothing the cuticle and helping with hydration. In addition, some essential oils like Monoi and Sunflower are vital for protecting the hair during heat exposure, boosting the hair’s natural defence and providing moisturising agents. So if you want to make your hair healthy and promote its growth, opt for a premium product where high performance is guaranteed! 

A study from 2014 shows how the use of peppermint oil in products can stimulate the follicle and promote hair growth. Peppermint has been used for centuries because of its revitalising, soothing, and analgesic properties on the scalp. Something to consider when you’re on your next shopping trip! 

Since our skin and scalp are places where growth is happening, it requires extra care and attention. Most hair issues start from the roots. So a healthy scalp usually means a healthy shaft (unless your hair has been a victim of heat and chemical damage). Even though there are not enough studies to claim scalp massage improves hair growth, 2016 and 2019 research shows that it can lead to thicker strands and stabilise hair loss.

However, it’s safe to assume that head massage during wash stimulates blood vessels responsible for follicle nourishment. Dedicating a couple of minutes of your wash regimen to a gentle scrub rub will help with more efficient nutrient absorption, root strengthening, and genuine relaxation. And, if you have a partner or stylist who can do it for you, why not treat yourself a little?

Dedicating a few minutes of your hair washing routine to scalp massage will relax and deeply cleanse your hair and roots, but also stimulate the capilars and increase blood float to the scalp. IG image source 

The easiest way to optimise your metabolism and general health is through a well-balanced diet. And whilst supplements may help speed up certain processes, there is nothing like nature taking its time. Plenty of minerals and vitamins that boost hair features occur in regular food intake. More importantly, food is the only natural source of healthy fats (Omega-3) that our bodies can’t produce on their own. Omega-3 is vital for the promotion of circulation in the scalp. Therefore, a diet rich in vitamins and proteins will make your hair look amazing because a healthy diet really does result in healthy hair.

While hair trimming might not directly impact your hair growth, it will help you achieve a healthy look and prevent damage. Since growing hair goes through a lot of changes, the bottom parts of the strand may become weaker and dryer in time. Aggressive hair products, lack of hydration, and heat and chemical treatments can lead to brittleness and split ends. If not removed, split ends will travel up the strand, damaging it further. Split ends look unhealthy and shears in fragments, often resulting in hair that looks poorly maintained. The strand might grow 0.5 inches per month, but the monthly damage to its length can travel faster than that. So preventing split-ends expansion and trimming hair at least three times a year will make sure your hair looks voluminous and healthy.

Sadly, you are more likely to face factors that will harm your hair and slow down its growth than to accelerate it in daily life. Mechanical, chemical, heat, and environmental damage affects us daily, and even by limiting exposure to each of these, we cannot entirely avoid it. For hair health and protection, it’s crucial to limit, or completely eliminate dangerous factors that affect the state of the scalp, follicle, and shaft, such as:

• Haircare products with paraben and sulphates,
• A poorly balanced diet,
• Smoking and polluted environment,
• Improper hair protection during heat styling,
• Aggressive hair dyes,
• Extensive sun exposure,
• Stress,
• Hard water minerals, sea salt, chlorine…

Regardless of your current hair problems, good results take time to achieve. Boosting your hair growth can’t and won’t happen overnight. There are so many hair types and textures, and each of them has different needs. Not to mention other factors that can affect your hair’s well-being, such as age, medical condition, lifestyle…Care for your hair at mature age will differ from hair care in your early 20s, and so will the problems your hair and scalp might have. However, when it comes to hair –  most issues you’re facing are probably interconnected. You can’t expect to see efficient results for your desired look if you’re focusing on one thing at a time. The most important thing is finding the problem for your solution before boosting specific features. And while some cheats may get you there faster, such as using minoxidil and platelet-rich plasma treatment, the best way to boost hair growth is to make the right product choices and combinations, prevent damage, and alter your habits and hair maintenance. Consistency is key, and trust me, you will get out of your hair what you put into it!

Featured image source: knotandrouge