10 Hair Growth Tricks (That Work)
10 Hair Growth Tricks (That Work!)
Hair Care Can Be Stressful. These Methods Make It Easy.
1. Inversion Hair Method
Hair inversion can help your hair grow an inch in merely 7 days. The method involves massaging the scalp with an essential oil (jojoba, grapeseed, coconut, etc.) and then hanging your head upside down for four minutes. You can do this by sitting in a chair, bowing your head (avoid an extreme angle) so that your hair hangs over your knees, but an easier way to invert is by laying your head over the edge of a bed, and letting your head hang down over it. After inverting, you can keep the essential oils in your hair for 2-3 hours, however washing is recommended (oil build-up).
Doing this once daily is enough, but no more than 1- 2 times a day for good results. Be warned that this method can be dangerous for those with certain health conditions. This method may seem ridiculous at first, but the purpose of this method is to increase blood flow to the scalp to stimulate hair growth. Without good blood circulation in the scalp, less nutrients (proteins) and oxygen can get to the hair follicles, resulting in less growth. A recent study actually found that those that are completely bald typically have poorer blood flow than those without. So why not try it? By doing this little inexpensive experiment, you can have an inch or two of hair growth in a month with no other consequences so long as you follow instructions and invert safely!
2. Greenhouse Effect Hair Method
The GHE method is an easy way to infuse moisture into the hair strands by using a shower cap to retain a warm, moist environment causing your scalp to sweat, which stimulates the hair follicles. Before doing this however, you must first spritz your hair with water until it's damp, and apply natural oil or butter to the hair; so that when you place the plastic cap over your hair, the natural oils can easily be absorbed by your now open pores, and increase sebum oil production. The results: increased hair growth, thickness, and softness! This method is perfect for those with low porosity hair because it encourages the hair cuticles to open up & allow more moisture to be absorbed. How often this treatment is used depends on the user’s hair properties and texture, because you can easily end up over moisturizing. Usually those who try this method acknowledge its effectiveness, claiming this method makes their natural hair much more manageable when they wake up to a new day.
3. Deep Conditioning & Protein Treatments
Deep Conditioning is the process of healing and restoring the hair using moisturizing or protein based conditioner. These conditioners are meant to help strengthen the hair, improve elasticity, moisturize, and bring back that “natural shine” to the hair. Deep conditioners help infuse the hair with nutrients in order to stay healthy, and discourage breakage and dryness. Deep conditioners can also greatly benefit the scalp. Dry scalp can cause problems such as itchiness and flakiness, which deep conditioning can swiftly take care of.
Protein treatments are deep conditioners that are used to add strength and resiliency to damaged hair. Protein treatments directly infuse hydrolyzed proteins into the hair follicles and harden the hair cuticles. If there are holes in the hair cuticle, protein treatments fill those holes, while also placing a barrier around the hair shaft to lessen further damage. As a result, the hair is stronger and less susceptible to damage later on.
4. Taking Biotin
Biotin, also known as Vitamin H or Vitamin B-7, is a water soluble vitamin that helps the body convert the nutrients in certain foods (fats, carbs, proteins) into energy. Biotin deficiency can lead to hair loss and skin problems; however, deficiency is rare due to the fact that Biotin is plentiful in many of the foods we eat naturally. People typically use it as a supplement for hair, skin, and nails, but there is not much existing scientific proof that Biotin does in fact cause your hair to grow extremely long. The only existing evidence of Biotin’s role in hair is the fact that it improves the body’s keratin infrastructure that makes the hair, skin, and nails. The fact that its water-soluble also means that most of it is easily flushed out of your body’s system, meaning that unless you are actually deficient, Biotin may or may not work for you. There are many thickening and hair growth shampoos and products with Biotin as an ingredient for those who want to give the treatment a try, results do differ from person to person after all.
5. Drink Bone Broth
Bone Broth is a stock, commonly used in soups and sauces. It’s rich in minerals, nutrients, and vitamins that can help build and strengthen your bones, boost your immune system, and grow your hair! The main nutrient in bone broth is collagen, which is a protein that can be found in tendons, ligaments, and bones. Collagen maintains skin elasticity and firmness in the skin, and helps strengthen hair and nails to make them grow faster. Bone broth also contains the amino acids that your body needs to build keratin, the protein that makes up your hair, skin and nails. Bone broth can be used as a base for soups or can be sipped as a drink, and can easily become a part of your routine to improve your daily life!
6. Hot Oil Treatments
This treatment is used to help restore or heal your natural hair after weeks of subjecting it to a multitude of different products, chemicals, and weather climates. It’s a method that is essentially supposed to help strengthen your hair, and prevent dry, brittle hair that can cause breakage and split ends. This treatment provides frizz and dandruff relief, and stimulates blood flow, which may help promote healthier hair growth. Depending on the type of oil used, hot oil treatments can prevent protein loss in the hair shaft and bring back the hair’s natural shine.
7. Scalp Massages
A scalp massage is like any normal massage you would get on your body, except it involves using the fingers to apply gentle pressure to the head in a circular motion. The purpose of a scalp massage is to stimulate the nerve endings, muscles and blood vessels in the head. While this method was previously used solely for stress relief and relaxation, scientist’s found that scalp massages encourage hair regrowth. The takeaway is this: scalp massages stimulate blood circulation of the scalp, and as a result, stretches the cells of hair follicles, stimulating them to produce thicker hair. A scalp massage can also help dilate blood vessels beneath the skin, improving blood flow throughout the scalp, further prompting the transportation of nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicles, encouraging growth. It's easy to give yourself a scalp massage to not only help yourself relax, but also to promote hair growth!
8. Get Regular Trims
You may have gone to a salon before, and had a hairdresser comb through your hair and trim off unhealthy split ends before. Doing this regularly will prevent hair breakage and flyaways, making your hair look thicker and shinier as it grows! Hair trims may not help your hair grow faster but they will help your hair grow stronger, and prevent split ends from traveling further up the hair shaft resulting in overall brittleness and frizz throughout the hair. Hair naturally begins to split roughly every 3 months, so scheduling a trim every 3-4 months (or even trimming it yourself!) will keep your hair healthy and strong.
9. Drinking Plenty of Water
Making sure you’re well hydrated will not only have positive effects on your body and overall health, but hydration also greatly influences the growth of your hair. Water is used as a source of energy for the cells, tissues, and organs in your body. Without it, your body will struggle to properly function, and carry nutrients and oxygen to the cells. Drinking water helps support new hair growth, and encourages a healthy scalp less likely to suffer from dryness or itchiness due to dehydration. Drinking water can prevent split ends, weak brittle hair, and hair loss. Making sure to get the recommended fluid daily intake is important not only for your hair, but for your body too!
10. Sunshine and Sunlight
How can sunlight help your hair? Well, when discussing the effects of sunlight on hair growth, the main factor to focus on is the “sunshine vitamin” also known as Vitamin D. Vitamin D receptors, scientists have found, can help produce new hair follicles and restore hair growth. Vitamins are important for normal cell growth, so when they are deficient this can contribute to hair loss. Of course, spending time outside will help your body naturally make this vitamin; however, many older adults do have trouble absorbing Vitamin D. This can easily be fixed by taking supplements after consulting a medical professional. Vitamin D absorption also depends on skin pigmentation, and too much sun can cause everlasting damage to skin and hair.
Written by Jada Wright!!