Whether you’ve had a bad haircut or an alopecia flare-up, it’s common to want rapid hair regrowth. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to naturally regrow your hair in just three weeks — but there are things you can do to speed up your hair growth and make sure it stays healthy.
In this article, find out how to regrow your hair naturally with these speedy hair growth tips.
Your hair grows approximately 0.35mm every day [1]. So in three weeks, it will grow around 7.5mm, or just under a third of an inch.
So yes, your hair can grow in three weeks — but unless you have extremely short hair, you might not notice much difference.
These photos show one month’s natural hair growth in someone with a shaved head:
Some natural hair growth treatments — like those listed below — are proven to stimulate hair growth. But they’re unlikely to take effect within the first three weeks of use, regardless of any promises made by influencers or marketing campaigns.
While these products can accelerate the hair growth cycle, they won’t speed it up substantially. Even hair loss treatments like Minoxidil and Finasteride take a few months to create visible results.
The hair growth cycle regulates how quickly your hair regrows. It consists of four stages:
Everyone’s hair growth cycle varies slightly, but a complete cycle takes around three to seven years for most people. Unless you have a hair loss condition like male pattern baldness or alopecia areata, the majority of your hair is in the anagen phase most of the time.
Certain products, like Minoxidil, can prolong the anagen phase and limit the telogen phase [2]. That means your hair grows for longer before it starts to shed. But shortening the telogen phase also leads to more hair shedding at the same time.
Minoxidil shedding is temporary but often starts around two or three weeks after using the treatment. And the effects aren’t restricted to Minoxidil; most hair loss treatments — whether they’re medicated or natural — will lead to some short-term shedding before giving you long-term gains. This can impact the ability of your hair to regrow naturally in just three weeks.
Minoxidil and Finasteride are currently the only two licensed treatments for hair loss in the UK. But if you want a natural way to grow your hair, you might consider an alternative hair loss treatment.
Here are 10 evidence-based ways to regrow your hair naturally.
Massaging your scalp isn’t just a great way to relax. Scalp massage can actually promote hair growth by stimulating blood flow to the follicles [3].
One study found that hair regrowth occurred after an average of 36 hours of scalp massage [3].
You can give yourself a scalp massage, or ask a friend or partner to do it for you. For best results, have two scalp massages a day that last 20 minutes each. This video offers tips for how to give yourself a scalp massage for hair growth:
If you don’t feel like giving yourself a scalp massage manually, you can always try using a scalp massager device. Check out our list of the best and worst scalp massagers for hair growth.
Studies have shown that rosemary oil is a natural dihydrotestosterone (DHT) blocker [4-5]. That means it can limit the production of the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness.
One study found rosemary oil could generate similar results to 2% Minoxidil after six months of consistent application [4]. So rosemary oil for hair growth is one of the most effective hair essential oils.
DHT blockers aren’t suitable for everyone, so speak to a trichologist before applying it to your own scalp. Rosemary oil for beard growth isn’t as effective, so it’s also recommended that you discuss your options with a facial hair growth specialist if you’re concerned about a lack of beard growth.
Caffeine is a stimulant for your hair as well as your brain. One study found applying a caffeine solution to your hair for six months could create hair growth effects comparable to 5% Minoxidil [6].
While there seems to be a link between caffeine and hair growth, drinking extra cups of coffee is unlikely to transform your hairline. However topical caffeine shampoos like Alpecin may help boost hair growth if used consistently over a long period of time.
Microneedling or derma rolling has been shown to promote scalp hair growth naturally [7-8].
Derma rolling for hair growth involves rolling a series of tiny needles across your scalp, creating dozens of miniature wounds. As they heal, the skin generates growth factors, which stimulate follicle cell repair and hair growth [7].
Derma rolling also creates tiny channels in the skin, which can improve absorption of complementary topical hair loss treatments like Minoxidil or essential oils [8].
While there’s a lot of media hype around vitamin supplements and hair growth, most of these claims are spurious at best. However evidence suggests vitamin E supplements may actually help with hair regrowth, even if you don’t have a clinical vitamin E deficiency [9].
One study involved taking a 100mg vitamin E supplement each day for eight months. Volunteers taking the vitamin E supplement had a higher hair count after four and eight months than those taking a placebo.
Don’t overdo the vitamin supplements. Taking too much vitamin E can lead to vitamin E toxicity, which may lead to an upset stomach, pancreatitis, and even bleeding disorders [10]. Plus, vitamin E is stored in your body for future use, so there’s no need to take high strength vitamin E.
Like vitamin E, there’s evidence to suggest omega 3 supplements may improve hair growth even if you don’t have a clinical deficiency [11-12]. These photos show the results before and after six months of omega-3 supplementation:
Eating a balanced diet is a good way to get most of the nutrients you need for healthy hair growth. So make sure to eat a healthy diet for hair growth that includes plenty of nutrient-rich foods like fruit, vegetables, oily fish, and protein sources.
Smoking has been linked to hair loss, so if you’re a smoker, consider cutting back to promote healthy hair growth. Smoking may cause hair loss due to [13]:
Hair straighteners, curling tongs, and other heat-styling tools make your hair dry and brittle, leaving it vulnerable to breakage.
Substantial breakage can make your hair look shorter, so minimise the use of heat tools to keep your lengths thick and full. Find out more about heat styling and hair loss.
Black seed oil is pressed from nigella seeds, also known as black cumin seeds or kalonji. Studies have shown that when applied to the scalp, black seed oil can promote hair growth [14-15].
This is likely due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of thymoquinone, the active ingredient of black seed oil. Thymoquinone helps fight oxidative stress and regulate the hair growth cycle.
Pumpkin seed oil contains lots of essential fatty acids and antioxidants that are useful for hair growth [16-17]. That’s why pumpkin seed oil for hair growth is one of the most popular essential oils.
In addition, pumpkin seed oil can make your existing hair shinier and stronger, thanks to its moisturising properties.
Regrowing your hair isn’t always as simple as applying a natural remedy to your scalp and waiting for results.
Often, there are complex underlying reasons for your hair loss, particularly for women. So if you don’t have much success with these natural treatments, it’s important to get a diagnosis for your hair loss so you can find the best treatment for female hair loss or the best male hair loss treatment.
Book a consultation at the Wimpole Clinic to get impartial information from our patient advisors.
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