How to Grow Healthy Long Hair As Quickly as Possible

Co-authored by Arthur Sebastian

Last Updated: September 30, 2024 Approved

Growing your hair out can be a frustrating process. You want your new look overnight, but you'll have to allow time if you want to properly protect your hair. Ensuring that your hair stays healthy and strong will make it grow out more naturally.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Arthur Sebastian
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 29 April 2019.} Remember to be patient; on average, hair grows approximately six inches a year. While you can speed up growth by protecting your hair from damage, time will always be the major factor in growing it out.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Washing Your Hair Correctly

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Wash your hair less. You eliminate the naturally produced oils when you rub shampoo through your hair.^{[2]
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Research source} These oils protect your hair shafts and moisturize your scalp.
- When you send processed chemicals through your hair, you break it down and prevent it from growing out in a healthy fashion. Think of it like obsessively washing your hands. The more you wash, the drier and more cracked they become.
- You don't need to stop washing your hair entirely. Start by washing every other day. Once you get used to this, you can wash every three days. This schedule is recommended in solidifying good hair health.
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Shampoo properly. When you wash your hair, make sure that you aren't damaging it. Overuse of shampoo can crack your hair and make your split ends worse.^{[3]
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- Shampoo your scalp only, being careful not to scrub the ends of your hair. The soap will slide down your ends when you rinse, cleaning them without excessive force. Harshly scrubbing the ends themselves will deteriorate your hair.
- Some people think that you have to change your shampoo often. According to experts, it's better to stick with a product that works for you.
- If you have oily hair or use product, you might want to break up your routine with a clarifying shampoo. Stronger shampoos wash away extra residue left behind from oil or overuse of products.
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3
Condition when you shampoo. While shampooing too often will damage your hair, most conditioners replenish lost lipids and proteins.^{[4]
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Research source} Whenever your hair is wet, you'll want to condition it.
- Any dye or heat application strips your hair of these essential lipids and proteins. The strands toward the base of your hair grow weaker over time. You want to bolster them again.
- You'll also seal the cuticle at the end of hair. This prevents future damage from occurring. If you can fight these issues, your hair will stay healthy and strong for a longer period of time.
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Comb your hair carefully. Studies show that any irritation or inflammation to the scalp can greatly damage the health of your hair.^{[5]
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Research source} Some people don't notice their hair damage until it begins to fall out. You want to avoid this fate by taking care of your scalp now.
- It's dangerous to aggressively comb or brush your hair at any point. When it's wet, however, your hair is even more vulnerable. Pulling on it will put physical stress on your hair fiber, as well as leading to flaking in the protective cuticle.
- Use a wide-tooth comb and begin brushing from the bottom, rather than the top. This prevents breakage.
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Dry your hair naturally. Rushing to dry your hair quickly can be very problematic, and it's a major way to damage its health. Blow drying, like any "flash drying" method, will fry the surface moisture on your hair.^{[6]
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Research source} Unfortunately, it will also dry out the water bound to your hair, otherwise known as the "water of hydration."
- Sucking out this water will make your cuticles dry, rigid, and brittle. This causes your cuticles to crack, leading to more significant breakage.
- You also want to avoid putting your hair in a towel. Any time you wrap wet hair up tightly, you damage it. Even rubbing your hair dry with a towel can cause your hair to deteriorate.
- If you do need to dry your hair quickly, wrap it in a soft microfiber towel or a cotton T-shirt.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Implementing Proper Hair Care

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1
Trim your split ends.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Arthur Sebastian
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 29 April 2019.} Contrary to popular belief, trimming your split ends doesn't actually make your hair grow any faster.^{[8]
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Research source} The follicles in your scalp determine the speed at which your hair will grow. When you trim your split ends, you ensure that your new locks are as healthy as possible.
- The ends of your hair are the oldest part of your hair and have the most broken follicles, as they are most affected by coloring, curling, and straightening. When you trim the ends, you'll shed these damaged parts. This gives more room for healthy hair to grow in.
- When your hair grows longer, your cuticle grows weaker and breaks. This leaves the middle strands of your hair unprotected, and your split ends move higher up your hair. Prevent this by taking care of unhealthy split ends quickly.
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Apply an oil treatment. There are many oil treatments that improve the health of your hair. You can buy these natural oils at your local health or vitamin store.^{[9]
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Research source} By applying one of these treatments weekly, you'll promote the healthy growth of new hair.
- Coconut oil contains a large amount of Vitamin E. Vitamin E strengthens your roots by improving your body's circulation. Your hair will grow in much thicker and shinier.
- Argan oil, while quite expensive, contains a large variety of nutrients that will improve the strength and flow of your hair.
- Extra-virgin olive oil, the same oil that you use to dress salads, improves scalp health and fights bacteria.
- Make sure that you're properly applying these oil treatments. Massage a bit of oil, either room temperature or slightly warmer, into your roots and scalp. Let it pass down your tips like you would with any condition.
- Slip on a shower cap and let the oil sit for about half an hour, then wash and rinse normally.
3
Switch to a softer pillowcase. While we often sleep on cotton pillows, the coarser texture of cotton mats your hair while you sleep, causing it to tangle. If you allow your hair to rub against this cotton, your hair will become damaged and unhealthy.
- Silk fabrics compare very closely to the structure of human hair, containing 97% amino acids and 3% waxy and fat fibers.
- Satin pillowcases are cheaper than silk pillowcases and also benefit the health of your hair. Cotton pillowcases drain moisture from your hair. This will make your hair coarser, drying it out and making it brittle.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Improving Inner Health

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Try hair-boosting vitamins. Having a healthy dose of vitamins in your diet will improve your overall health. You can also purchase certain vitamins that lead directly to improving the health of your hair.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Arthur Sebastian
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 29 April 2019.} Research products specifically for your hair type to find what will work best for you. Most of these vitamins can be incorporated into your eating routine naturally, if they aren't included in it already.
- Biotin, otherwise known as Vitamin H, improves the health of your hair. It increases your hair's elasticity and moisturizes dryness. This will prevent breaking. You can find biotin in brown rice, lentils, oats, among other foods.
- Vitamin A helps produce healthy sebum, an oily substance released by your scalp. Sebum helps prevent dryness. Do not overload on Vitamin A, however, as an excess of it can actually lead to hair loss.
- Vitamin E promotes healthy skin while improving your body's blood circulation. This vitamin increases your body's ability to intake oxygen. Having a steady flow of oxygen into your body will aid your body in producing new hair cells.
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Supplements can help nourish your hair. "Supplements address common hair and scalp issues like oily scalp, dry hair, and thinning hair with blends of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids."
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Eat more protein. In addition to strengthening your hair, more protein in your diet will improve your inner health. When your body digests protein, it breaks it down into smaller amino acids.^{[11]
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Research source} These will aid in the construction of new body tissues, antibodies, hormones, enzymes, and blood cells.
- Meats like steak, chicken, and fish contain healthy protein and amino acids. If you're a vegetarian, you can get your protein from tofu, beans, nuts, and legumes. These foods also replenish other vitamins crucial to healthy hair growth.
- Protein is necessary for tissue repair. Your cells need amino acids to remain intact and healthy. Protein is the active substance in repairing broken cells, so having it in your diet will help replenish dead skin and hair cells.
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Incorporate Omega-3 acids into your diet. While they're tough to come by, Omega-3 fatty acids are vital to improving your inner health. Good fatty acids in your diet will lower triglyceride levels, reducing your risk for heart disease.^{[12]
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Research source}
- Researchers have found that high levels of Omega-3 acids may also lead to lower levels of depression. Fish oil may even boost the effectiveness of certain anti-depression medication.
- While you can get Omega-3 acids from supplements, you should incorporate them into your diet. Many types of fish, including salmon, herring, and mackerel, contain high levels of healthy fatty acid.
- For vegetarians, get your Omega-3 acids from walnuts and flaxseed. Canola and soybean oils also contain these acids.
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Drink more water. Because so much of our body is made of water, the amount that you drink reflects in your healthy skin and hair.^{[13]
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Research source} You want to make sure that you're properly purifying your water, so you aren't getting unwanted toxins.
- If you're exercising regularly, you need to replenish the water that you lose through sweat. Pay attention to the color of your urine. A pale yellow or colorless stream will prove that you're drinking a healthy amount.
- Drinking water will flush out toxins in your body. Drink at least eight cups a day, or a cup for every twenty pounds of your body weight.
- A lack of water will dry up your hair. You will be left unwanted frizziness, and the healthy growth of your hair will be halted

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What can I do to make my hair grow faster?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Giving yourself regular scalp massages can help stimulate the follicles. Eating a balanced diet with plenty of protein is also essential.

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How much does hair grow in a week?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Hair grows an average of half an inch per month. So, in a week it only grows a tiny bit, maybe 1/16th of an inch.

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How can I make my hair grow stronger?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

You can eat a balanced diet rich in protein. Using nourishing oils like argan can also make a big difference.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Try to eat a healthy diet. Your hair looks better when you eat nutritious food and drink a lot of water. And most importantly, be patient! Growing your hair takes a really long time, and you can't rush it.
Get a good detangling spray. Brushing out tangles causes breakage, so you should use a detangling spray to minimize that breakage.

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