Elle Turner
Top trichologist, Stephanie Sey, notes “the only treatment that is clinically proven to grow hair thicker and faster is minoxidil (commonly known as Regaine), however this medication is only used for those suffering with male or female pattern hair loss.”
What causes hair loss?
“Lifestyle factors like smoking, alcohol and high sugar diets can lead to scalp problems,” says Michael Van Clarke, hairdresser and founder of 3 More Inches. Crash dieting can be detrimental, too. “As hair is a non-essential tissue, it’s the first part of you to be deprived of nutrients when your diet is lacking,” says Kingsley. “Therefore restrictive eating deprives your hair of nutrients and this can cause excessive hair shedding,” she explains.
It might be worth keeping an eye on how tight you tie your ponytail, too – “this can cause traction breakage and may even pull out hairs from their follicles,” warns Kingsley.
How to grow hair faster?
In general, the healthier you are, the healthier your hair will be, so rather than simply turning to products, it’s important to keep an eye on your lifestyle. We’ve put together all the factors to consider when encouraging your hair to grow faster so you can identify which may be most relevant for you…
A well-balanced diet
“Hair is made of 97 percent protein,” says top trichologist, Stephen Carson. “Hair needs sufficient regular amounts of complete protein, vitamins, minerals and water as well as the omega 3 fatty acids found in oily fish, fruit and vegetables,” he adds.
“To ensure your hair is getting the protein it needs to grow, eat at least a palm sized portion of protein at breakfast and lunch. Great examples are fish, eggs, lean meat, low fat cottage cheese, quinoa and pulses,” says Kingsley. “To help ensure that your hair is receiving enough energy for growth (hair cells are the second fastest growing cells the body produces after bone marrow), include a portion of complex carbohydrates with each meal. I.e. brown rice, whole-wheat toast, potatoes with skin-on or oatmeal,” adds Kingsley.
Supplements and vitamins
As we’ve established, a healthy, well-balanced diet should be the first line of defence. “Vitamin supplements shouldn’t be a substitute for a varied diet,” says Clarke. But if you’re still struggling to get all the nutrients you need, “supplements can help those with an unbalanced regime,” he says.
“Your hair has especially high nutritional requirements which can be difficult to meet through diet alone,” Kingsley acknowledges. “Supplements can be very handy in that they provide your hair with easily accessible nutrients.”
Look for protein, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin D, Omega 3 and Biotin. “B12 is especially important for vegans, as B12 is only found naturally in animal products,” says Kingsley. Philip Kingsley Density Amino Acid Protein Booster Supplement (£32) contains a blend of essential vitamins and minerals including biotin. However, before taking supplements, it’s best to consult with a doctor and take a blood test first, advises Carson.
Quality sleep
“To enable your body to recover and repair itself, you need quality sleep,” says Carson. “If you have a stressed lifestyle, sleep is important for adrenal recovery.” Effectively, sleep is one of nature’s best medicines – much more effective than what you’ll find in any pharmacy – and it’s free, so it’s important to make it a priority and plan your evenings around ensuring you get enough.
Regular trims
A trim won’t make your hair grow faster, but it can make it look a whole lot better and healthier. “A trim can help to improve and maintain the quality and density of your ends,” explains Kingsley. “Regular trims will help get rid of the old weathered ends of the hair,” agrees Sey. “The ends of the hair are the oldest having gone through repeated washing, combing and styling,” she adds. So while those wisps can add length, they can also contribute to the hair looking thinner overall. Plus, split ends can cause hair to rip further up the shaft, so snipping them off early is a good idea.