Hair needs nutrients to grow, and if you're skimping on protein, iron, or essential vitamins, your strands will pay the price. Deficiencies in biotin, zinc, and vitamin D, sudden or rapid weight loss or side effects from weight loss medications have been linked to weaker, slower-growing hair.
These include genetics, stress, age, and medical conditions like male pattern baldness. Breakage, nutritional deficiencies, and poor scalp health can all impact hair health. They can give the appearance of stunted hair growth, even if your hair is growing at the root.
To speed up hair growth, focus on a nutrient-rich diet (protein, biotin, iron, omega-3s), manage stress, get regular trims to remove split ends, and stimulate your scalp with massages, all while minimizing heat and chemical damage to support the hair's natural growth cycle and prevent breakage, though genetics determine your maximum growth rate.
Usually, if your hair roots are growing but your overall length is staying the same, it's very likely that either you are getting monthly trims, which remove the same amount of hair from the ends (which are growing in at the roots), or your hair is breaking off and/or shredding at the ends.
Your hair grows about one inch every two months (or a half inch per month), meaning you'll experience approximately three inches of hair growth in six months and six inches of hair over the course of one year.
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The "3-inch hair rule" (or sometimes the 2.25-inch rule) is a hairstylist's guideline to help you decide if short hair suits your face shape: place a pencil horizontally under your chin and a ruler vertically under your ear; if the measurement from the pencil to your earlobe (where the ruler sits) is less than 3 inches (or 2.25 inches), short hair will likely flatter you, while more suggests longer styles are better, though it's just a guide, not a strict rule.
The rarest hair type is generally considered Type 1A, which is extremely fine, straight, and wispy, lacking any natural bends or waves, making it difficult to hold a curl but naturally sleek and prone to oiliness. While curly hair types (Type 3 & 4) are less common globally, 1A stands out as the least voluminous and textured straight hair, often seen in people of East Asian descent, though it's considered rare across all populations due to its unique fineness.
The "Big 3" for hair regrowth typically refers to a combination of Minoxidil, Finasteride, and Ketoconazole shampoo, addressing hair loss through different mechanisms: Minoxidil stimulates follicles, Finasteride blocks DHT (the hormone causing shrinkage), and Ketoconazole reduces inflammation, with microneedling sometimes suggested as a fourth option.
You may develop coarse, dark hair growth on your upper lip, chin, chest, abdomen or back instead of the fine hair sometimes referred to as “peach fuzz” that commonly grows in those areas. Hirsutism can cause distress, but it's treatable.
1. 5 Best Vitamins for Hair Growth
Sleep deprivation disrupts the biological hair growth cycle, prematurely pushing follicles into the shedding phase. Over time, this leads to progressive hair loss. Improving sleep consistency helps stabilise hormones, encourages new hair production, and alleviates stress - creating conditions for robust growth.
Does hair grow quicker if you cut it? No, cutting hair doesn't affect its growth rate, which is determined by factors like genetics and overall health.
If your diet is lacking in nutrients like biotin, iron, zinc, or vitamins D and B, it could negatively impact your hair's ability to grow. Biotin, in particular, is a key nutrient that helps strengthen the hair and supports keratin production.
Their secret is the fermented rice water that they use to wash their hair 2-3x a week and just once in winter 🍚 Although their secret is rice water, scientists in China went to investigate and concluded it was actually because of their genetics 😅 but it doesn't hurt to try their rice water recipe!
Grapefruits as well as other fruits such as oranges, strawberries and blueberries, contain high levels of Vitamin C necessary for hair growth. Not only are lentils a good source of protein, they also contain ample amounts of iron, zinc, and biotin which promote a healthy scalp and strengthen hair.
Vitamin deficiencies, particularly iron, Vitamin D, Biotin (B7), B12, and Zinc, can cause hair loss by disrupting hair follicle function, keratin production, or oxygen supply, leading to thinning, shedding, or brittle strands; though rare, deficiencies in Folic Acid, Niacin (B3), and Vitamin A (excess is also harmful) can also contribute.
Japanese scalp treatments focus on cleansing, stimulating, and nourishing the scalp to create an ideal environment for healthy hair growth. These treatments remove buildup, improve circulation, and strengthen hair follicles, helping with early signs of hair loss and thinning.
Losing around 50-100 strands of hair everyday is completely normal. To understand the cause of this, we need to get into the cycle of hair growth [2]. Your hair grows in three phases: 1.
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In straight type, thin hair was judged most attractive, whereas in wavy type, hair with mean diameter received the highest attractiveness judgments. In conclusion, there was considerable variation in age, health and attractiveness perception of hair with regard to effects of hair diameter, type, and color.
Many Asian women have type 1a hair, although it is quite rare otherwise. There are many types of hairstyles that can work for Asian women with type 1 hair, slick your hair back in a sophisticated style, have a pixie hair cut or wear in a sleek ponytail.
The "7-day haircut rule" suggests that while a fresh haircut looks sharp, it often hits its peak and looks most natural, effortless, and "lived-in" around one week (7 days) after getting it, as the hair softens, settles, and blends better. It's a guideline for timing major events or understanding when your hair finds its sweet spot, allowing the initial starkness to fade into a more comfortable style, similar to breaking in new shoes.
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Biotin is a supplement thought to increase hair growth, but did you know you can find biotin naturally in foods like salmon, eggs and chicken? Hair is comprised of protein, so it makes sense to ensure you're factoring in a good amount at each meal.