1. Clean and stimulate the scalp.
If you're looking for hair growth, start at the source: the scalp. First off, a chronically inflamed scalp—caused by scalp tension, buildup, oxidative stress, and scalp conditions like dermatitis—can lead to hair loss or thinning. In fact, one study showed that inflammation caused by pollution and oxidative stress is one of the main causes of hair loss in adults.
This happens because the inflammation starts to close off the hair follicle, limiting growth and eventually leading to shedding. "This inflammation will affect the quality of your hair growth. It happens when you have product, dirt, and oil building up around your follicle opening—which is where your hair grows out of—and that buildup starts to slowly suffocate your hair root," says trained trichologist and hairstylist Shab Reslan.
First up, make sure you are regularly washing your scalp with gentle washes. "While shampooing, massage the scalp to increase the flow of blood, relieve stress, and stimulate hair follicles. It's a win-win!" says hairstylist Miko Branch. Additionally, regular massages have been shown to promote hair growth. Scalp massages encourage blood circulation to the area, which helps deliver vital nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicle
2. Take hair-growth supplements/serums, like collagen and biotin.
These two ingredients help promote hair health and growth by providing the body with all the right nutrients. Hair is made of the protein keratin, which has an amino acid profile including cysteine, serine, glutamic acid, glycine, and proline.
Both collagen and biotin supplements have high amounts of many of these amino acids, meaning the supplements provide the body with the building blocks of hair.* Research backs this up, too, as studies show taking these supplements supported hair growth.*
Biotin is perhaps most famous for its healthy-hair benefits, as it's one of the main actives in a lot of hair-growth supplements. that's why biotin is one of the main ingredients in our hair growth serum
3. Protect it from physical damage.
This doesn't necessarily encourage growth, but it does protect the hair length you already have. Physical damage—caused by daily wear and tear, harsh brushing, or the shower—leads to breakage. And while the occasional snapped strand is perfectly normal, having breakage-prone hair can make achieving your length goals nearly impossible.
A few things to consider when addressing physical damage: Too-tight hairstyles can cause friction and pulling, so consider using soft hair ties. You should also consider switching up your style regularly so you're not putting pressure on the same spot day in day out.
For example, "You never want to repeatedly do the same thing to your hair," says hairstylist Levi Monarch. "Sometimes I see people with thinning at their part, or it might even look like the hairline is receding in that area, and one thing I always recommend is to flip the part. Not only is it healthy for your hair, but it will completely change your look and add volume."
4. Keep it moisturized.
"The hair on your head is probably the driest thing on the body, and if you are trying to grow it longer, you need to keep it moisturized," says hairstylist Anthony Dickey. "If your texture is naturally drier, it is even more essential to keep hair hydrated. Dry hair turns to brittle hair and brittle hair breaks."
The research as to why moisture is so important for hair is fascinating, too: If your hair is dry and brittle, you likely have open cuticles.
"Your cuticle is your outermost layer of hair; it's the protective layer of your strand," says Monarch. When cuticles are open or lifted, it means they are not sealed down; this allows moisture and nutrients to escape easier. (Some people are just more prone to this, while others may have open cuticles from chemical treatments, like coloring).
However, conditioning agents can actually help seal the cuticle down. This not only helps trap in water and your hair's nutrients, but a closed cuticle means less friction between the strands—which in turn, also means less breakage.
Everyone's hair needs are going to be different, of course, so for some a simple conditioner will do the trick, while others will need weekly hydrating hair masks and oil treatments.
