Human hair normally grows at a genetically determined rate of approximately 10-12 mm per month [1], so it is not easy to grow hair faster for men. However, when they feel their strands are not developing fast enough, men are often experiencing anxiety over hair thinning.
Dealing with hair loss can be very stressful, and it is normal to want to see regrowth as fast as possible, especially if you are treating conditions such as male pattern baldness. And if you have recently had a hair transplant, the wait to see your final results can be overwhelming.
However, you will be happy to know there are certain things you can do to help promote speedy, healthy hair growth. Keep reading this article to discover all about:
While altering your normal hair growth rate can be difficult, it can be much easier to curb habits and conditions actively hindering healthy hair development. You can also try a variety of treatments to nourish your scalp and stimulate your hair follicles for growth. Here are some of the best ways to grow hair quickly:
If you feel like your hair is not growing properly, something may be preventing it from doing so. Male pattern baldness affects 85% of men by the time they are 50 [2], and many show the first signs of hair thinning and balding in their 30s or even sooner.
This condition makes the hair follicles at the front of your scalp shrink progressively in size, producing shorter and finer hair until they stop producing any altogether [3]. That is why androgenetic alopecia can make it seem like your hair is not growing long enough – it may actually be shrinking.
Other types of alopecia can affect hair growth, and some can advance if unaddressed. That is why it is a good idea to see a trichologist if you have any suspicion that your hair may be thinning. They will diagnose your hair loss and recommend the right treatment to curb it and restore hair growth.
Treatments such as Minoxidil or Finasteride can help you achieve growth and prevent your hair from falling out. Minoxidil is a vasodilator, which means it widens the small blood vessels in your scalp, allowing more blood flow (and, implicitly, more oxygen and nutrients) to reach your hair follicles. This can help them grow stronger, denser and thicker [5]. Finasteride works for men with male pattern baldness, lowering dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in their blood, curbing androgenetic alopecia and restoring some hair growth [6].
While these medications don’t necessarily speed up your hair growth rate, they can help regrow hair on a bald spot relatively fast as long as your alopecia is mild to moderate. Minoxidil can also help reverse hair shedding caused by stress, as it may push your strands back into the growth phase of their natural hair growth cycle from the resting and shedding phase [7].
Platelet-rich plasma injections can help stimulate hair growth because PRP contains growth factors that help repair hair follicles and promote healthy strand development. This treatment works by extracting a small amount of blood from your arm, processing it to separate the PRP from the other blood fractions and injecting it into your scalp.
Research shows that 84% of patients across 6 different studies experienced positive results – such as improved hair density and thickness – as a result of using PRP hair treatments [9]. This procedure is safe, minimally invasive and can be used by both men and women with good results.
Also known as derma rolling for hair growth, microneedling involves using a small tool covered in fine needles to create micropunctures on your scalp. These wounds are very small; they are not painful and normally do not bleed. However, they trigger your body’s natural healing response.
This attracts growth factors to your scalp problem areas, which can help repair damage to your follicles and create new capillaries to bring additional nutrition to your hair roots. Studies reveal that this treatment, which can easily be performed at home, can significantly increase hair density and thickness and reduce hair loss [11].
Moreover, when microneedling is combined with the application of hair growth solutions such as topical Minoxidil, the result is better than either of these treatments’ stand-alone effects. That is because the micropunctures caused by the derma roller help improve topical solution penetration into the scalp [11] [12].
Studies show that getting a 10-20 minute head massage for hair growth each day is not only pleasant and relaxing, it can actually stimulate your scalp for improved hair density and health. While more research is needed, some small trials showed that gently rubbing the problem areas of your scalp can improve blood flow to your hair follicles [13] and activate certain genes and potassium channels that play a role in hair production [14].
Furthermore, the relaxing effect can be beneficial, as scalp massages for hair growth can reduce psychological stress, curb conditions such as telogen effluvium and keep your hair in the growth phase longer [15].
While not all heavily advertised hair growth oils are backed by scientific evidence, some have proven benefits. For example, studies show that rosemary oil for hair growth can have similar results to Minoxidil when it comes to increasing strand density and thickness [16].
Some of its components also seem to be natural DHT blockers, which means it can have a positive effect on androgenetic alopecia. Furthermore, black seed oil for hair is one of the few essential oils for hair growth that can curb telogen effluvium and help the affected strands move back to the anagen (growth) phase [17].
Cutting back on cigarettes may not directly make your hair grow faster. But seeing that smoking causes hair loss, it will likely reduce the systemic inflammation that can hinder its growth and cause it to fall out more than normal. It will also undo the restricted blood flow to your follicles caused by the vasoconstrictive effect of nicotine, which means your hair will start getting more of the nutrients it needs to thrive and achieve its full growth potential [18].
Furthermore, smoking cessation can reduce oxidative stress, which is damaging to your strands and causes hair shedding [19]. Finally, giving up on cigarettes can also reduce the symptoms of male pattern baldness, as nicotine can trigger or exacerbate your androgenetic alopecia [20]. So, aside from numerous other health benefits, if you stop smoking, you can also experience healthier, more beautiful hair which can finally grow unfettered.
Like any other part of your body, your hair needs essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals and proteins, to grow and thrive. That is why certain vitamin deficiencies can cause hair loss. It is, thus, essential to maintain a well-balanced diet for healthy hair that offers you all the necessary nutrients.
If you plan on dieting, it is a good idea to consult a nutritionist and take it gradually, as sudden weight loss can also cause hair loss. Respecting the recommended daily intake of elements such as vitamins A, C, D and E, as well as minerals such as iron, magnesium, or zinc can help keep hair loss at bay and achieve full, healthy hair growth.
Stress is not only bad for you on a psychological level – it can also wreak havoc on your body and make your hair fall out. Prolonged periods of stress and anxiety cause hair loss by getting a significantly larger proportion of your strands than normal to stop growing and enter the shedding phase.
However, reducing the levels of psychological pressure normally leads to this telogen effluvium reversing itself in 3-4 months [21]. That is why it is recommended to engage in activities that promote relaxation and self-care on a daily basis. These may include exercise, meditation, walks in nature, hobbies, or spending quality time with loved ones.
On average, men’s hair grows approximately 0.3 – 0.4 mm each day, which amounts to about 1-1.2 cm per month and 12-15 cm per year [1]. However, there are several factors which can influence this growth rate:
Moreover, the amount of hair growth and shedding you can see at a given time also depends on your natural hair growth cycle. This cycle consists of 4 different stages, as follows:
Not all of your hairs are in the same phase of the growth cycle at the same time. Most of them (up to 90%) are normally in the growth phase, 5% are transitioning to the resting phase, and 10-15% are resting or shedding. This ensures that there is always sufficient hair growth to prevent thinning.
However, if something (e.g. stress, illness, trauma, etc.) disrupts your hair’s natural growth cycle, the anagen phase can be cut short, and a greater-than-normal proportion of strands can start to shed. This can lead to visible hair loss and it can create the impression that your hair is not growing fast enough to keep up with the shedding.
After getting surgical hair restoration, most men experience hair transplant shock loss. This means the newly implanted hair falls out but leaves the healthy follicles safely attached to the scalp. About 4 months later, they start producing new strands, but it can take approximately a year to see the final results of the procedure (see this hair transplant growth chart for more detailed information).
If this is your case, it’s normal to be anxious to see hair growth as soon as possible. Also, closely following your surgeon’s advice for proper hair transplant aftercare can definitely help. However, one treatment has been scientifically proven to make hair grow faster in men who had it surgically restored.
Studies [25][26][27] show that PRP after a hair transplant can improve its results when it comes to shortening the dormant phase of the follicles, speeding up growth and making the new strands grow longer, thicker and denser. That is due to the many growth factors contained by PRP, which promote healing and help regulate your hair growth cycle.
It can be difficult to tell how fast your hair is growing while you are constantly looking at it, especially if you are wearing a shorter hairstyle. One way to get some idea of the kind of growth that took place is to take close-up photos of different areas of your scalp every month and compare the results. Just be sure that you are holding the camera at approximately the same distance from your head and using the same lighting and angles to take the shots.
If you are concerned that your hair is not growing as fast as it should be or you have noticed early signs of hair thinning, it is a good idea to see a hair doctor sooner rather than later. Book a consultation with one of our top-tier trichologists at your most convenient clinic locations.
Our experienced specialists will examine your scalp and hair thoroughly and run all the necessary diagnostic tests to identify the source of the problem. Then, they will develop a fully personalised treatment plan that can help your hair grow faster and – if needed – curb your particular type of hair loss.
Additionally, they will also offer insight and information about the best haircare routines for thinning hair that can get you on your way to fuller, more beautiful locks.
If you are looking for more information regarding how to grow hair faster for men, you may find the insight you need by reading the answer to these frequently asked questions:
Normally, men and women have the same hair growth rate, as hair structure is very similar. However, some scientists have found certain differences in people of Asian ethnicity. It appears that Asian men’s hair does indeed grow faster than women’s [23] (although more research is needed to confirm this finding).
The exact amount of hair growth you can expect in 3 months depends on a variety of factors. However, the average man can expect to see a 3-4 cm increase in hair length. If you notice a substantially lower increase, seeing a hair doctor for a professional assessment may be a good idea.
It is a common hair loss myth that cutting your hair makes it grow thicker or faster. While it is generally recommended to trim your hair regularly to get rid of split ends, cutting it will do nothing for its growth rate. That is because shortening the hair shafts does not affect the hair follicles, which make your strands grow.
Many people wonder how often they should wash their hair to keep it healthy. Studies show that doing so as frequently as possible (at least 2-3 times a week) improves scalp condition, reduces dandruff and makes your hair fall out less. However, washing frequency has no impact on how fast your hair grows.
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