Diet
Eating a balanced, nutritious diet is essential for healthy hair. Foods rich in protein and healthy fats, such as nuts, eggs, and avocado, can help promote hair growth. Additionally, Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E can all be found in a variety of foods and should be included in your diet if you are looking to gain more hair. Knowing which foods are beneficial and which foods to avoid can greatly improve your hair growth journey.
Eat foods high in protein
Eating foods that are high in protein is essential for healthy hair growth. Protein helps to strengthen and rebuild the follicles and strands of hair, and can reduce the risk of thinning or falling out. Food sources rich in protein include lean meats, nuts, legumes, eggs, dairy products, quinoa, lentils and Greek yogurt.
Additionally, adding in foods that are high in Vitamin C will help to speed up the cell renewal process and ensure optimal hair growth. Fruits such as blueberries, strawberries and oranges are great sources of Vitamin C available to add into a diet plan.
Other minerals like Zinc and Iron can help with the building of new proteins which are necessary for thickening strands. Food sources of Zinc include oysters, beef liver and pumpkin seeds while Iron can be obtained from leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale as well as dried fruit such as apricots or prunes.
A balanced diet is also essential for optimal hair health as including variety of fresh fruits and vegetables provides nutrients such as vitamin A which promotes cell regeneration. Eating an abundance of healthy fats will ensure hair is nourished enough that it prevents breakage throughout its growth cycle. Examples of these foods include avocados, olives and coconut oil which are great to incorporate into a diet plan for healthy hair growth.
Consume healthy fats
Healthy fats are essential for many bodily functions, and good nutrition is essential for healthy and luscious hair. To get more hair, your goal should be to consume the recommended daily amount of fat – the World Health Organisation recommends between 20-35 percent of calories coming from fat – but make sure to choose foods with healthy fats such as omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats.
These healthy fats are found in foods such as:
- Avocado
- Whole eggs
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Olives and olive oil
- Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel
- Flaxseed oil and supplements (EPA/DHA)
- Coconut oil/milk/meat
- Dark leafy greens (spinach)
- Grass-fed beef or lamb
It is also important to reduce or eliminate unhealthy saturated fats from processed foods such as convenience meals or snacks. Eating a balanced diet rich in these nutritious foods will provide your body with the nutrients it needs to promote long-term hair growth.
Increase your intake of vitamins and minerals
In general, gaining more hair requires well-rounded nutrition, including taking a multivitamin that includes minerals such as zinc and magnesium. Fortunately, many foods are rich in hair-healthy vitamins. Some examples include Vitamin C found in citrus fruits, Vitamin E found in nuts and seeds, and omega fatty acids found in fish and avocados.
In addition to a balanced diet, taking supplements that contain key vitamins and minerals may benefit hair growth. Look for one of the B-complex vitamins that contain biotin – this group of vitamins helps the body process amino acids (the building blocks for proteins) needed for healthy hair growth. You may also consider supplementing your diet with Vitamin D as low levels have been linked to both inadequate nutrient intake for optimal health and poor immune system functioning – both of which can lead to thinning or loss of hair. Lastly, ensure you are getting enough iron from sources such as dark green leafy vegetables, lean meats or fortified cereals, as too little iron can lead to dry and brittle hair or even partial baldness.
Lifestyle Habits
Your lifestyle habits can dramatically affect the health of your hair. Eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and reducing stress are all important elements to having healthy hair. Making simple lifestyle changes can significantly improve the condition of your hair.
Let’s take a look at the lifestyle habits that will help you gain more hair:
Reduce stress levels
Stress can lead to unhealthy lifestyle habits that can take a toll on your hair health. It is essential to identify stress triggers and to find effective ways of managing them in order to maintain optimal hair health.
One simple way to reduce levels of stress is through mindful meditation. Taking time each day to sit in quiet and stillness is an important part of reducing levels of physical and mental tension. Meditation can be further complemented with engaging in hobbies such as listening to calming music, drawing, photography, or cooking. Exercise is also known to be beneficial for reducing levels of stress; light activities such as running, yoga or swimming can help you relax and destress from life’s day-to-day demands.
In addition, it is important for you to get adequate rest every night; proper sleep allows your body’s natural processes, including cell production and hormone regulation, work well. Make sure not to neglect regular meals rich in the nutrients necessary for healthy hair growth; these include proteins rich sources like meat, dairy products and legumes as well as minerals like zinc, vitamins A and C that are found in fruits and vegetables respectively.
When it comes down it–reducing levels of stress with lifestyle habits such as meditating daily while also making sure you get enough sleep, exercise regularly, eat nutritious healthy meals all contribute greatly towards cultivating healthier hair growth.
Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and this holds true for your hair. During the deep sleep phase, growth hormones are released that stimulate hair follicles to produce new hairs. This growth cycle helps to keep your scalp and hair healthy, so aim for 7-8 hours of restful sleep each night.
In addition to helping your hair, getting adequate sleep will also benefit your overall health by reducing stress levels, improving cognitive performance and energizing you throughout the day. To promote better quality rest time, practice good sleeping habits such as avoiding caffeine late in the day, sticking to a regular bedtime routine and turning off electronics at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
Exercise regularly
Exercising regularly can help you gain more hair by maintaining good blood circulation. The exercise will increase your heart rate, which promotes the circulatory system. This helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to your scalp and hair follicles. Incorporating 20 – 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity most days of the week can have a significant impact on your overall health and hair growth.
You don’t have to go to the gym or become a professional athlete in order to exercise regularly; any physical activity can be beneficial for promoting hair growth, such as walking, jogging, swimming or bike riding. In addition, resistance or weight training may help reverse miniaturization of the hair follicles—a cause of thinning hair—in some men and women. You may also wish to consider stretching exercises like yoga; these help relax both body and mind which promote circulation.
Hair Care
Taking care of your hair is essential if you want to have healthy and strong locks. Some simple steps you can take to promote hair growth include:
- Avoiding harsh chemicals and heat styling
- Using a wide tooth comb
- Using natural oils to nourish the scalp
Additionally, eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep can also greatly improve hair health. Let’s discuss more ways you can gain more hair.
Use mild shampoos and conditioners
Using the right shampoo and conditioner is essential to maintaining healthy hair. Many commercial hair products contain harsh detergents and chemicals that can cause damage to your scalp and hair, so it’s important to choose cleaning products with natural ingredients.
Look for mild shampoos and conditioners with conditioning agents like glycerin, jojoba oil and shea butter that help restore moisture balance. A light massage of your scalp as you shampoo will help stimulate circulation, promote cell renewal and boost growth. Conditioning treatments strengthen the hair shaft, add shine and make it easier for you to style your locks.
Avoid using too many styling products or tools on your hair as this can irritate your scalp or dry out the strands.
Apply natural oils to your scalp
One of the simplest and most effective ways to stimulate hair growth is by applying natural oils to the scalp. A weekly hot oil massage can be an enjoyable way to help keep your scalp and hair nourished, thus promoting healthy, strong strands. Almond oil, olive oil, argan oil, castor oil and other nutrient-dense oils are naturally moisturizing and help protect the skin on your scalp while stimulating new growth.
You can also mix a few drops of select essential oils with a base carrier oil like jojoba or almond to create a personalized blend to improve your scalp health. Tea tree oil is especially beneficial for eliminating irritation that can occur from inflammation or dandruff. Lavender oil has been known to promote healthier cells that reduce thinning and breakage of thinning hair. A gentle massage with warm coconut or jojoba oil will gently stimulate the scalp and make it easier for follicles to receive plenty of nutrition while encouraging new growth. Always remember to be gentle when using force with any type of massage as too much pressure may cause further damage to delicate strands.
Avoid using heat styling tools
Using heat styling tools such as blow dryers, curling and flat irons can be damaging to the structure of your hair and weaken it over time. These tools can create split ends and breakage, causing hair to become thinned out or even break off entirely. People who use these tools often will find that their hair becomes more damaged over time due to excessive heat exposure.
To help reduce the amount of damage inflicted on your hair, take a break every few weeks from using heat styling appliances such as blow dryers, curling rods and flat irons. Instead of straightening perhaps switch to a different hairstyle altogether, like wearing curls or waves.
- Always use protective products like serums and sprays designed to strengthen your hair before you begin using any heating tool on it.
- Invest in good quality materials – ceramic heated straighteners are preferred for even heat distribution, as opposed models with metal plates that may cause hot spots on certain parts of your hair.
- Ensure you reduce any ‘hot’ styling periods by lowering the temperature settings or choosing cooler settings if available on the appliance you are using – this reduces strain or extreme pressure on the shaft of each strand of side leading to less breakage overall for healthier looking locks!
Supplements
Taking the right supplements can be a great way to support healthy hair growth. The right supplements can help improve the overall health of your hair, as well as boost the body’s production of collagen and keratin, proteins that are essential for healthy hair. However, not all supplements are created equal, so it’s important to understand the pros and cons of each before investing in them.
Let’s explore the different supplements available and how they can benefit hair growth:
Take biotin supplements
Biotin supplements are an effective way to help promote healthy hair growth. Biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin, found naturally in many foods such as nuts, legumes, eggs and organ meats. While there’s no definitive proof that taking oral biotin supplements will benefit hair growth, studies have shown that individuals who are biotin deficient do experience some degree of hair loss. Additionally, certain biotin supplements have been found to have a positive effect on the condition of the scalp and overall hair health.
It’s important to note that because biotin occur naturally in many foods, it’s not necessary for everyone to take biotin in supplement form. If you think you might be deficient in this essential vitamin or if you notice your hair beginning to thin or look unhealthy, speak with your doctor about the possibility of supplementing your diet with biotin capsules or tablets.
When taking any type of supplement (even natural ones) it is important to pay attention to dosing and always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any new medication or supplement regimen.
Consume fish oil
Fish oil is a natural source of healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids. These essential nutrients play a major role in keeping your hair healthy. Eating adequate amounts of omega-3s can help support a healthy scalp and reduce inflammation – in turn, improving the health and appearance of your hair.
A 2021 study looked at the effects of increasing fish oil intake on hair mass index (HMI) and follicular densities among students aged 18–25 years old. Participants consumed 1,000 mg of fish oil supplements containing 200 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 200 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per day for six months. Results showed that supplementing with fish oil significantly increased HMI scores and follicular densities among participants.
Those looking to increase their intake might consider taking supplementation, either through capsules or liquid drops, for convenience purposes. On average, the recommended doses ranges from 750 to 3,000 milligrams per day depending on age and gender factors such as weight.
Take other vitamins and minerals
In addition to taking biotin supplements, it can also be beneficial to add other vitamins and minerals to your daily routine. These vitamins and minerals can help with hair growth by providing the essential nutrients that are required for improved hair health.
Vitamins A, C and E play an important role in overall hair health due to their antioxidant properties. Vitamin A helps reduce inflammation, Vitamin C helps build collagen for stronger hair follicles and Vitamin E helps protect your scalp from damage by UV rays. Other vitamins that have been linked to healthy hair growth are B vitamins, such as B6 and B12.
Minerals like iron, zinc, selenium and magnesium can also help boost your intake of essential nutrients that contribute to healthy hair growth. Iron helps ensure that sufficient oxygen is delivered through the bloodstream while zinc aids in cell repair processes involved in promoting healthier strands. Selenium adds strength to the inner structure of the strands while magnesium supports the potassium needed for healthy dermas cells around the follicles which ultimately result in healthier-looking locks. Adding a multivitamin or mineral supplement may give you some of these essential nutrients and improve the overall health of your hair follicles.
Professional Treatments
If you are looking for a way to gain more hair, professional treatments may be the answer. Professional treatments such as lasers, micro-needling, and PRP injections can help stimulate hair growth. These treatments can be expensive, but they may be worth it if you are looking for a safe and quick way to gain more hair.
Let’s explore further into professional treatments for hair growth:
Consider a hair transplant
Hair transplants are both safe, minimally invasive and highly effective for permanent hair restoration. This procedure involves removing individual hairs or small clusters of hairs (called follicular units) from areas of the scalp that have healthy growing hair. The follicles are then extracted carefully, leaving the surrounding tissue intact.
The healthy follicles are then transplanted to regions of the scalp that are balding or thinning. Usually, hundreds to thousands of hairs can be transplanted in a single procedure, depending on your particular needs and goals. When done properly, a hair transplant can provide a person with thicker eyebrows and/or eyelashes as well as fuller heads of hair.
Experts agree that this method is one of the best options for hair restoration because it provides natural looking results without the need for surgery or daily medications. The results must still be maintained through proper styling and good nutrition for optimal results; but once achieved can last for years at a time. There may also be some redness and tenderness at the transplant sites immediately following a transplant; but these side effects will usually subside within days or weeks after the procedure is completed.
Try PRP therapy
PRP therapy, also known as platelet-rich plasma therapy, is a professional treatment used to help promote hair growth when other treatments do not work. It is becoming an increasingly popular treatment for male and female pattern baldness and thinning hair, as it is a non-surgical option with no side effects and minimal risk of complications.
PRP therapy involves drawing blood from the patient’s arm, processing it in a specialized centrifuge machine and re-injecting the plasma into the scalp. The activated plasma helps to stimulate new hair growth by stimulating the follicles that are still viable but no longer producing healthy strands of hair. Results may take several months but PRP has been shown to be effective at boosting hair growth.
This treatment option can be
- combined with medications such as minoxidil or finasteride
- performed in combination with laser treatments or microneedling
Speak to your physician before beginning PRP therapy to determine if you are an ideal candidate and what results may be expected from this form of treatment.
Seek advice from a dermatologist
It is always beneficial to consult a qualified dermatologist before you decide on any specific hair treatments. A dermatologist will be able to assess your medical history, hair type and scalp condition in order to ascertain which professional treatments are most appropriate and also to help devise an individualized long-term plan for promoting healthy hair growth.
Professional treatments such as treating certain scalp conditions or hormonal imbalances may involve a combination of topical medications or dietary supplements, combined with therapeutic choices, such as laser therapy, scalp stimulation or even microneedling. A dermatologist may also advise you about different surgical procedures for hair replacement (e.g. scalp reduction or scalp grafting). It is essential that you understand the potential risks of an invasive procedure before agreeing to any treatment plan.
Finally, bear in mind that the best approach may be a combination of treatments tailored to your individual requirements. Expensive therapies do not necessarily guarantee the best results and often simple changes in diet or lifestyle can make huge improvements in scalp health and hair production. Your dermatologist should always take the time to suggest practical tips like:
- Managing stress levels
- Avoiding over-styling
- Suggesting switch ups with hairstyles as occasional alternatives to wigs and toupees
- Using chemical-free hair products