How to Grow Your Hair Faster (Without Falling for the Myths)

You can’t make your hair grow much faster than it already does. That’s the honest answer, and the good news is that most people lose length to breakage long before they run out of growth.

So the real goal is two things: help your hair grow at its natural speed, and stop it from snapping off at the ends. Here’s what that looks like, what’s a myth, and what’s a waste of money.

How fast does hair actually grow?

A review hosted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) puts it at about 1 centimeter a month, which is a little under half an inch. The Cleveland Clinic says hair grows about 4 to 6 inches per year, and that around 80% of your hair is in its active growth phase at any time.

Each strand stays in that growth phase for a long time, but not forever. The NIH-hosted review says it lasts about two to eight years for scalp hair. Those individual differences are probably part of why two friends can follow the exact same routine and end up with different lengths. It’s also why comparing your hair to someone else’s is a losing game. If you’re feeling that way, try how to stop comparing yourself to others.

Quick math: at 1 cm a month, a 3 cm difference takes about three months to show. If you’re checking every week, you’re going to feel like nothing is happening.

Do trims make hair grow faster?

No. This is the most common hair myth, and it’s worth being straight about it. Dermatologist Rochelle Torgerson, MD, PhD, FAAD, told the AAD that the idea that cutting hair more often speeds growth is a myth, because hair growth happens below the level of the skin and cutting doesn’t affect it.

But trims do help you keep length, which is what you actually see. The same dermatologist says regular cuts remove the hair that would split. The Cleveland Clinic’s expert explains the rest: split ends travel up the hair shaft, and regular trims keep hair from breaking and getting even shorter.

Growing vs. keeping: the habits that cost you length

When people say their hair “won’t grow,” it’s often growing fine and breaking at the ends. The AAD says damaged hair is fragile, so it tends to break. These are the habits from the AAD’s list of 10 hair care habits that can damage your hair that matter most:

• Shampooing the lengths. Massage shampoo into your scalp and let the suds run down the rest when you rinse. Our guide to washing your hair covers how often.
• Skipping conditioner. The AAD says to use conditioner after every shampoo.
• Rubbing hair with a towel. Blot gently or wrap your hair in a towel or T-shirt, then let it air dry.
• Brushing it while it’s soaking wet. Use a wide-tooth comb, start at the ends and work up. If your hair is thick or curly, the AAD says to comb it in the shower with conditioner in. Frizzy and breaking a lot? See why your hair is so frizzy.
• Heat. Air dry when you can, use the lowest heat setting, and aim to use hot tools about once a week or less. A heat protectant helps if you do use them. If you want waves without a curling iron, try heatless curls.
• Brushing 100 strokes a day. The AAD flat out calls it a myth: “Hair never needs 100 brush strokes a day.”

Are your hairstyles pulling your hair out?

Tight ponytails, buns, braids and extensions are the sneakiest length-killers. The AAD says repeated pulling can cause traction alopecia, and that it often shows up first at the hairline. Constant tight pulling can lead to permanent loss.

What the AAD suggests:

• Avoid frequently wearing styles that pull on your hair. Once in a while is fine.
• Wear your hair loosely pulled back, and use covered elastics made for styling instead of thin rubber bands.
• Give your hair breaks from tight styles.
• Stop a style right away if it causes pain, stinging or crusting on your scalp.
• Check your hairline once a month for broken hairs, a receding hairline or bald patches.

If a tight style hurts, it’s not “beauty is pain.” It’s a sign to take it out.

Does what you eat change how your hair grows?

A little, in a boring way. The Cleveland Clinic’s dermatologist says a balanced diet with enough protein and iron supports your hair, and that vegetarians and vegans should make sure they’re getting all the protein and nutrients they need. The AAD lists too little biotin, iron, protein or zinc as a reason for hair loss, and says hair can regrow once your body gets enough.

The AAD’s hair loss causes page also says that heavy shedding can follow a stressful event and usually stops once the stress passes. The Cleveland Clinic adds that rapid weight loss and fad diets that lack protein can trigger shedding. That’s one more reason crash diets are a bad idea. Stressed lately? Try our coping skills for teens.

One more thing that helps: a calm scalp. The Cleveland Clinic says an itchy or flaky scalp causes inflammation that can slow hair growth, and that anti-dandruff shampoo can help.

Biotin gummies, rice water and other “growth hacks”

Before you spend your allowance on anything labeled “hair growth,” here’s what the sources say:

• Biotin and supplements. The AAD says biotin deficiency is rare and that supplements should only be taken if you have a deficiency. High doses can also mess up lab results, especially thyroid tests. Talk to a parent and a doctor before taking any supplement.
• Rice water. The Cleveland Clinic says there’s no scientific evidence that it promotes hair growth.
• Rosemary oil. The Cleveland Clinic says older research supports it for regrowth, but more study is needed. It’s not a proven way to grow hair faster, and if you try an oil on your scalp, test a small spot first.

When hair isn’t growing or is falling out a lot

Everyone sheds. The NIH-hosted review says it’s normal to shed about 100 to 150 hairs a day. But if you’re seeing clumps, thin patches, a widening part or a receding hairline, don’t guess. The AAD says your hair care may not be the root cause, and that most causes can be stopped or treated. Hair loss can also be a side effect of some medications, and the AAD says to ask the prescribing doctor before you stop any medication.

See a doctor or board-certified dermatologist if you notice any of that. Not sure how to start? Read how to make a doctor’s appointment.

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