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Health

How Long Does It Take for Hair to Grow, and How to Speed Up Hair Growth?

7 min read 2023 Apr 4
Written by Moerie Team
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Picture this: it’s a gorgeous Sunday morning, and you’re all pumped up to get a much-needed haircut. You’re all excited until… the one-inch-trim you’ve asked for turns into something else. 

You try to stay cool and collected, but inside, you’re screaming. Four-inch-long hair pieces are falling on the chair cloth like it’s a snowstorm in July, and all you can do is pray that it’s a bad hair loss dream. 

It’s done. You and your hairdresser got lost in translation. 

We’ve all been there, and it’s a frustrating experience, to say the least. But what’s even more frustrating is waiting for your hair to grow back to its former length and glory.

Growing out your hair is a slow and steady process; unfortunately, no magic pill can make your hair grow overnight. However, there are things you can do to speed up the process and get your hair to look healthy and luscious in no time.

In this article, we’ll explore the process, how long does it take for hair to grow, and the best ways to promote healthy growth. Let’s dive in!

Understanding Hair Growth

Let’s begin this by talking about the different stages of hair growth. There are 3 main stages: anagen, catagen, and telogen

Anagen is the active growth phase, and it typically lasts between 2 to 6 years. During this stage, hair grows at an average rate of about half an inch per month. Catagen is the transitional phase, and it lasts for about 2 weeks. Finally, telogen is the resting phase, and it lasts for about 3 months. During the resting phase, the hair follicle is inactive, and the hair will eventually fall out, making room for new hair to grow. Worry not – this hair loss phase is absolutely normal.

So, what does this mean for your hair growth rate? 

Well, it means that the rate at which your hair grows depends on which stage it’s in. During the anagen phase, when hair is actively growing, it will grow at an average rate of half an inch per month. However, the growth slows down during the catagen and telogen phases and eventually stops altogether.

Now, let’s talk about the average rate of hair growth. As mentioned previously, hair grows at an average rate of about half an inch per month during the anagen phase. However, this can vary depending on several factors, including age, gender, and ethnicity:

  • Age: Younger people tend to grow hair at faster rates than older people, as the anagen phase tends to shorten as we age.
  • Gender: Men tend to grow hair at faster rates than women, which is why some men can regrow hair much faster than women can.
  • Ethnicity: People of Asian descent tend to grow hair faster than people of African descent. This is because the anagen phase tends to be longer in people of Asian descent, allowing for more hair growth.

In conclusion, understanding this process can help you better manage your hair and achieve your desired length and style. So, be patient with your hair! 

However, there’s more we have to tell you about. Keep on reading.

Factors Affecting Hair Growth

When it comes to growing out your locks, there are several factors that can impact how fast and how well your hair grows. 

Some of these factors are internal, meaning they are determined by your genetics and body chemistry, while others are external, meaning they are influenced by your environment and lifestyle choices. Let’s take a closer look:

  • Genetics: Some people are simply born with faster-growing, thicker hair than others. Genetics can influence the age at which you start to experience hair loss, as well as the pattern and severity of the hair loss.
  • Nutrition: Your hair needs certain nutrients to grow, such as protein, iron, and vitamins A, C, and E. If you’re not getting enough of these nutrients through your diet, your hair growth rate can slow down. 

It’s also important to mention crash diets or diets that are extremely low in calories – such eating behavior can slow down the process of growing out your hair, as your body will prioritize other essential functions over it. Additionally, a poor diet can lead to hair loss.

  • Stress: When you’re under stress, your body produces the hormone cortisol, which can interfere with the hair growth cycle. If this factor gets left out, you might even experience stress-related hair loss. Additionally, chronic stress can lead to poor sleep, which can also slow things down while restoring your hair length. 
  • Haircare: Over-styling or over-processing your hair can lead to breakage, which can slow down the process of growing longer, healthier hair. Using harsh chemicals, such as hair dyes and relaxers, can also damage hair health and make it more prone to breakage. Heat styling tools, such as flat irons and curling irons, can also damage your hair if used too frequently or at high temperatures.

Honestly, it doesn’t really matter if you’re trying to grow out your hair or not. The external factors mentioned above should be taken into consideration at all times – especially if you want luscious locks!

Tips for Promoting Healthy Hair Growth

So, now you know everything about growing beautiful tresses. But where’s the actual tutorial? What exactly should you do to make your hair grow? 

Don’t worry; we’ll cover that right here, right now. 

If you want to promote a healthy hair growth cycle, there are several things you can do to support your hair’s growth cycle and nourish your hair from the inside out:

Maintain a balanced diet

One of the best things you can do for your hair is to maintain a healthy, balanced diet. Your hair needs a variety of nutrients, including protein, iron, and vitamins A, C, and E, to grow and thrive. Incorporating foods that are rich in these nutrients into your diet, such as lean meats, leafy greens, and fresh fruits and vegetables, can help your hair grow.

Manage stress

As mentioned earlier, stress can affect hair growth by increasing the production of the hormone cortisol. Finding ways to manage stress, such as through exercise, therapy, meditation, or spending time outdoors, can help reduce cortisol levels. And, just a reminder, make sure you eat well – undereating can spike up your cortisol levels, which can lead to hair loss or slowing down the cycle of growth. 

Avoid heat styling tools

Using hot styling tools, such as flat irons and curling irons, can damage your hair health if used too frequently or at high temperatures. If you absolutely can’t go a day without using these tools, be sure to use a heat protectant spray and keep the temperature on a lower setting. Or, try some overnight hairstyles! 

Use gentle haircare products

Many haircare products on the market today contain harsh chemicals that can damage your hair and even slow down new hair growth over time. Sulfates, for example, are a common ingredient in many shampoos and can strip your hair of its natural oils, making it more prone to breakage and hair damage.

Other harmful ingredients to look out for include silicones, which can weigh your hair down and make it look greasy, and alcohol, which can dry out your hair and lead to breakage. These harsh chemicals can also clog your hair follicles, which can impede healthy growth and lead to hair loss.

Using gentle haircare products that are free from these harsh chemicals is essential for those new baby hairs and long tresses! Moérie’s haircare line is sulfate-free, silicone-free, and paraben-free. Moérie uses ingredients like fulvic minerals, vitamins, biotin, and amino acids that are specifically designed to nourish all hair types and promote healthy growth. By using safe, gentle haircare products like these, you can help protect your hair from damage and support hair growth over time.

Massage your scalp

Did you know that every growth-promoting spray or oil mix works way better when you massage your scalp beforehand? That’s right! Good scalp health will absolutely promote a faster natural growth cycle.

Massaging your scalp can increase blood flow to the hair follicles and stimulate growth while also getting rid of some dead skin cells in your scalp. You can use your fingers to massage your scalp or invest in a scalp massager.

Take supplements

In addition to a healthy diet, taking supplements can help promote healthy hair growth. 

  • Biotin is a B vitamin that has been shown to support hair growth and prevent hair loss. 
  • Vitamin D helps to regulate the growth and cycle of hair follicles.
  • Iron helps to carry oxygen to the hair follicles and promotes healthy cell growth, which prevents hair loss
  • Collagen supplements may also help to boost growth and thickness, as well as improve overall hair health and quality. Collagen has been shown to help support the production of keratin, the protein that makes up most of our hair strands.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve explored how long does it take for your hair to grow: the process, the different stages, and the internal and external factors that can impact hair health, growth rate, and quality. 

We’ve also provided tips and strategies for growing out your hair in no time, including maintaining a balanced diet, leading a healthy lifestyle, managing stress, avoiding hot styling tools, and using gentle haircare products.

If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution for hair that’s both well taken care of and ever-growing, Moérie’s range of haircare products may just be the answer. 

Moérie shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, and hair spray all contain ingredients specifically formulated to promote hair growth, including biotin, essential oils, fulvic minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. Plus, these products are gentle and free from harsh chemicals, making them an excellent choice for anyone looking to maintain healthy, lustrous locks!

So there you have it – with a bit of patience, some TLC, and the proper haircare routine, you can make your hair grow like no never before! 

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