Short of getting hair extensions, you can’t really speed up your natural hair’s growth rate, as human hair grows an average of 1/2 inch per month. However, factors such as certain drugs, excessive stress, illness and genetics will all affect hair growth, so lifestyle changes can indeed impact your hair’s growth. Additionally, damaged hair will break and split, making your hair appear to grow slower. All you really need to do to grow your hair as fast as possible is eat right and avoid damaging it as it grows.
Provide Optimal Nutrition
Once your hair grows out of your scalp, it is considered dead protein, according to HairBoutique.com. The follicles in your scalp that produce hair are alive and well, and they need certain nutrients in order to do their jobs, particularly vitamins C, A, E and K, as well as the B-complex vitamins–especially biotin–and the minerals zinc, potassium and iron. Eating a well-balanced diet that includes such foods as eggs, dairy products, whole grains, poultry, fish, seeds and nuts will supply all the vitamins and minerals your hair follicles need to grow hair fast. If you don’t get adequate amounts of these vitamins from your diet, consider taking a multivitamin supplement to boost your hair growth.
Care for Your Growing Hair
While your hair follicles are hard at work synthesizing protein to grow your hair as fast as your genetic makeup allows, help them along by taking proper care of your growing hair. If you damage your hair through too much styling, blow-drying, coloring or other chemically treatments, it will thin and possibly fall out. Your hair follicles will have a hard time replacing all the damaged hairs with new ones–a major speed bump if you want to grow your hair quickly. Trim your hair about 1/2 inch every three months to get rid of the damaged ends and promote healthy hair growth.
Additional Tips
Many things besides harsh styling can damage your hair as it grows. LongLocks.com recommends shampooing your hair as soon as possible after swimming in a pool or the ocean, as both chlorine and saltwater can damage hair. Your hair’s pH is acidic, and saltwater is alkaline, so the two don’t mix together very well, and chlorine can damage hair protein (keratin). Stay out of the sun as much as you can or wear a hat to protect your hair. The sun’s UV rays weaken the bonds that hold hair protein together, making your hair brittle and more liable to be pulled out during brushing.
