How Men Can Make Their Hair Grow Faster and Stronger
Regardless of how you wear your hair – high and tight, business casual, metalhead long, or anything in between – you want it to be as healthy and strong as possible. For us guys, our hair is a symbol of our strength and vitality. None of us wants to experience what happened to Sampson. Unfortunately, not all men have full, fast-growing, healthy locks. No matter their age, thinning, slow-growing hair can be a curse and a source of embarrassment. Fortunately, there are ways that you can make your hair grow faster and stronger. In this article, we’ll highlight the best methods.
How Fast Does Men’s Hair Grow?
Before we get into the treatments, tricks, and tips for guys to grow their hair faster, knowing how fast hair grows and how it does so is beneficial.
The National Library of Medicine reports that men’s hair typically grows approximately a half inch per month. Genetics plays a major role in how fast you grow hair, so that yours could be slightly above or below these statistics. Other factors include your general health, what your diet consists of, and how much stress you experience.
For men concerned about hair growth, and more specifically, hair loss, you can perform an easy hair loss test right in the comfort of your own home. Although this test is more accurate if a dermatologist does it, you can try it independently to determine if you’re losing more hair than you should.
The Pull and Tug test is a good indicator of hair loss. Grasp about 40 strands of hair and give them a gentle tug. If six or more strands come out, you’re losing more hair than the average guy. Although only a healthcare professional can accurately diagnose a hair loss condition, the Pull and Tug test is a good starting point to see if you should speak to a professional.
The Cycle of Hair Growth
The hair on our head has four distinct cycles. At any given time, each one could be in a different stage. Humans are not like other mammals who experience cyclic or seasonal shedding; ours is random. Each phase will continue in its timeline until moving on to the next phase.
- Anagen – The active phase of hair growth is called the anagen phase. During this time, a new hair is formed and will push up through the hair follicle. This one lasts the longest of all phases, typically about 3 to 5 years. Generally, 90% of your hair is in this phase.
- Catagen – The catagen phase starts once the anagen phase has been completed. Hair follicles begin to shrink, and hair growth significantly slows. At any given time, only about 5% of hair is in the catagen phase, lasting more or less about ten days.
- Telogen – During the telogen phase, your hair is at rest. It’s no longer growing, but it hasn’t yet fallen out. Also, new hairs are beginning to form in the hair follicles during this time. About 10 to 15 percent of hair is in the telogen phase. Hair remains in this phase for around three months.
- Exogen – The exogen phase is when you’ll experience hair loss directly from the scalp. Lasting around 2 to 5 months, hair that’s reached the end of its lifespan is usually removed naturally while brushing and shampooing.
How Can I Grow My Hair Faster and Stronger Naturally?
If you’re more of a natural type of guy, you may want to try to grow your hair faster and stronger with more home-grown methods. Many men have succeeded with an increase in fuller hair by making lifestyle changes. It may not work for everyone, but there’s no harm in doing everything you can to prevent hair loss and improve your hair’s health.
Here are some tips to naturally improve hair growth, non-invasive and without medications. They may not directly help grow hair faster but can help improve hair growth.
Grow Your Hair Faster With a Balanced Diet
For optimal hair growth, you’ll want to maintain a healthy diet. Incorporating certain foods can help to grow thicker hair and give a boost to its growth phase. In addition, adding or increasing the frequency of these foods could help hair grow faster:
- Eggs – Biotin and protein are needed for healthy hair growth, and eggs are packed with both.
- Spinach – This leafy green is a fantastic source of iron vital for hair growth.
- Berries – Vitamin C in berries is an antioxidant that protects hair follicles. This vitamin also helps to produce collagen, a protein that keeps hair from becoming brittle.
- Fatty fish – Salmon and mackerel are high in omega-3 fatty acids and are good choices to add to your diet for those looking to boost hair growth.
- Avocados – Avocados are high in Vitamin E, essential for scalp health.
- Nuts – This delicious treat contains Vitamins B and E, zinc, and essential fatty acids, all required to keep hair healthy.
Boost Hair Growth With Supplements
There are vitamins, fatty acids, and minerals that can help to grow your hair faster. Many can be found in supplement form. Ensuring that your body has what it needs to produce healthy and strong hair is a wonderful natural way to try and grow your hair faster. Some hair growth supplements you should consider taking are:
- Vitamins C, D, and E
- Omega-3 and Omega-6
- Biotin
- Iron
- Zinc
While diet rich in nutrients is crucial for healthy hair growth, taking supplement packs specifically designed for men can provide additional support. Supplements like biotin, zinc, and vitamin D have been shown to improve hair thickness, strength, and growth. However, it’s essential to consult with a doctor about getting better hair to ensure you receive a personalized intervention plan appropriate for your needs.
Perform Regular Scalp Massage
Some research suggests that regular scalp massages could help boost hair growth and thickness. The idea is that massaging the top of the head helps improve blood flow in the scalp, which could improve the health of hair follicles. More studies are needed before scalp massage could be considered a viable method to improve hair growth, but results are promising.
Scalp massage increases blood flow, reduces stress, and promotes relaxation, which can lead to healthier hair growth. You can easily incorporate a scalp massage into your grooming routine by using your fingertips to perform circular motions at medium pressure for a few minutes each day.
Use Essential Oils
Sure, essential oils smell great, but did you know there are other uses besides making your home smell nice? For example, a 2020 study suggested that the use of essential oils could help to improve scalp conditions which in turn could promote faster hair growth. Suggested essential oils include:
- Thyme
- Tea Tree
- Lavender
- Lemongrass
- Chamomile
- Peppermint
Mix a few drops of these essential oils with 3 or 4 tablespoons of grapeseed or jojoba oil. Massage into your scalp and leave it on for about 10 minutes before washing it out.
Use Onion Juice
As odd as it sounds, onion juice has been used for decades as a home remedy for thin, lackluster hair. While some call it an old wives’ tale, there are some scientific reasons why it might work.
Onions are high in sulfur, something our bodies need. When blended into a watery paste and applied to the scalp and hair, onion juice can supply more sulfur needed for healthy hair. Onions also contain collagen, which can help to promote hair growth naturally.
Reduce Damage to Your Hair
Several hair growth grooming tips can help your hair to grow faster. On the other hand, certain hairstyles and hair products could cause slow hair growth and increased hair loss. Sometimes eliminating bad habits is key for fellows who want to boost hair growth. It’s like harm reduction for your hair.
- Avoid abrasive hair products – You may want to cover up those sneaky grays with hair dye or go for a fun streak of color, but hair dyes can damage even the healthiest hair. Avoid using abrasive products such as permanent hair dyes for men who have trouble growing strong hair.
- Be mindful about your hair styling – The use of hair dryers and hair straighteners can cause a lot of hair damage and increase the chance of hair breakage. If you must use a hair dryer, consider lowing the temperature. Hairstyles such as cornrows, braids, and ponytails could also increase hair loss by applying too much long-term pressure on hair follicles.
Check the Medications You Take
If you’re having hair growth issues or have thin hair that constantly breaks, it could result from a medication or medications your doctor prescribed for other conditions. Several common prescriptions could be the culprit. Many medications used to treat heart disease can cause hair loss. Some of the most common ones are:
- Acenocoumarol
- Enoxaparin
- Dalteparin
- Heparin
- Warfarin
Top Tips to Avoid Hair Loss
Along with doing everything you can to help your hair grow faster and stronger (supplements, massage, medications, etc.), you should also do some things to avoid losing it. Some of these suggestions may seem obvious, but covering all bases is always a good idea.
- Eliminate stress – Stress has been known to induce hair loss. If you’re overly stressed, practicing yoga or meditation can help to ease your mind.
- Get regular trims – Have your barber or stylist trim your hair regularly. This will help to eliminate split ends which could cause hair to break.
- Shampoo and condition – To keep your scalp and hair as healthy as possible, make sure that you regularly use a high-quality shampoo and conditioner.
- Rise with cool water – Many of us guys love our hot showers. However, hot water can cause scalp inflammation which could damage hair follicles.
What Treatments Will Help My Hair to Grow Faster?
Medical science has made great strides in combating hair loss and stimulating new hair growth. Numerous medications and treatments help grow hair faster, but a few have proven very effective, especially for men with male pattern baldness. Some treatments have become so popular that they’ve become household names.
Minoxidil
You may have heard of the medication Minoxidil. If you haven’t, you surely know it by its brand name Rogaine. It’s wildly popular and clinically proven to stop hair loss and promote growth. You don’t need a doctor’s prescription either, as Minoxidil is available as an over-the-counter medication, topical liquid, or foam.
Minoxidil typically takes approximately 3 to 6 before results are obvious, and most men have a positive experience when using it to stop hair loss and to regrow their natural hair. However, side effects can include scalp irritation.
Finasteride
Finasteride is a prescription pill that needs to be prescribed by your doctor. Better known as Propecia, it’s well tolerated by men hoping to end their hair loss and regrow it. Although clinically proven effective, this medication can take a year to show results.
Like most medications, Propecia does have its share of side effects. Although rare, it has been reported that some users have had issues with a loss of sexual desire or erectile dysfunction.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Treatment
Men who haven’t responded to medications like Minoxidil and Finasteride can look into Platelet-Rich Plasma Treatment, usually referred to as PRP. Be forewarned, PRP treatment isn’t a pill you swallow or a topical foam you apply to your scalp. Platelet-rich plasma treatment is much more invasive.
PRP treatment involves first having blood drawn. Once collected, it’ll be processed to collect the platelets injected directly into the scalp. The treatment is expensive and most likely not covered by insurance.
How Do You Grow Your Hair Faster and Stronger?
There are many different solutions to grow your hair faster – everything from improving your diet to taking supplements to massage your scalp. Some even swear by some stranger methods like using essential oils, onion juice, and blood platelet scalp injections.
Moreover, modern medicine provides many ways for men to grow their hair faster. You only need to book a consultation with a specialized healthcare provider and take it from there. A telemed consult and a personalized program are all you need to get started.
But we’re men, and we do have egos. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to grow your hair faster or to have stronger, thicker hair. We all want to look our best and should be free to pursue it however we feel fit. After all, hair health is a sign of overall good health, something that is and should be a top priority for modern men these days.
We hope that something in this article works for you. Unfortunately, not all suggestions or treatments are suitable or effective for all men. Some guys may have to use the old trial-and-error technique to see what works for them. If faster hair growth is your goal, do whatever you can to achieve it.