We are born with the total amount of hair follicles we will ever have over our lifetime. There may be about 5 million on our body, but our head has about 100,000 follicles. As we age, some follicles stop producing hair, which is how baldness or hair thinning occurs. Science has discovered a little bit about how hair growth is controlled at the cellular level in the body, but not enough to know how we can directly speed up hair growth. Read on to learn about the science behind hair growth and how to use that knowledge for healthier hair.
The American Academy of Dermatology says that hair grows about 1/2 inch per month on average. That’s a grand total of about 6 inches per year for the hair on your head.
How fast your hair grows will depend on your:
- age
- specific hair type
- overall health
- other health conditions
The stages of hair growth
Hair grows in three stages, and each strand of hair follows its own timeline. These three stages are:
- anagen: active growth phase of hair that lasts 2-8 years
- catagen: transition phase where hair stops growing, lasts 4-6 weeks
- telogen: resting phase where hair falls out, lasts 2-3 months
The average scalp has 90-95 percentTrusted Source of the hair follicles in anagen phase. This means about 5-10 percent are in the telogen phase, which accounts for the 100-150 hairs that fall out every day.
Can you increase the anagen phase for hair growth?
How long the anagen phase lasts depends on how long your hair is and if the cells in your follicle base are continuing to multiply and become hair cells. Hair grows because matrix cells shed some of their structure as they reach the upper follicle. The shed structure combines with keratins to form hair strands that exit your skin’s surface.
Researchers are still looking into what triggers our bodies to “turn on” the anagen phases. But there are steps you can take to promote healthy hair during the anagen phase.
How to make your hair grow stronger
Hair is made up of keratin and dead skin cells. While there’s no direct method to make your hair grow faster overnight, there are steps you can take to keep your hair healthy and long. Talk to your doctor before trying supplements such as biotin, keratin, or other nutritional supplements. They may interact with medications and cause unintended side effects.
1. Keep up with vitamins and nutrients
While many companies promote vitamins or supplements for hair growth, they don’t always directly affect hair length. But the body does require a lot of energy to make your hair grow. Missing out on balanced meals and nutrients can affect hair growth.
It’s best to get your vitamins and nutrients from your diet, but supplements you may be interested in include:
| Vitamin or nutrient | Does it work? | Studies |
| omega-3 and 6 | may work | In a studyTrusted Source of 120 healthy females, the group who took omega-3 and -6 supplements had less hair loss and improved hair density. |
| zinc | may only affect those with a zinc deficiency | Zinc deficiencyTrusted Source plays a role in hair loss. |
| B-5 and biotin | no evidence that it works for people who are not biotin deficient | A study that looked at oral supplements containing biotin and zinc found that they helped decreased hair shedding and improved hair quality and strength. |
| vitamin C | anecdotal evidence | The antioxidant effects of vitamin C may help prevent oxidative stress that causes hair to gray and thin out. |
| iron | may only work if you have an iron deficiency | Insufficient evidence for the relationship between iron deficiency and hair loss. |
| vitamin D | may only work if you have alopecia, or hair loss | One study found that people with alopecia had vitamin D deficiencies. |
Read more: Vitamins for hair growth »
2. Apply essential oils
Put a few drops of into your shampoo or dilute it with jojoba oil. One study showed that pumpkin seedTrusted Source increases hair count for men with hair loss by 40 percent.
Avoid applying essential oils directly to your skin. You can dilute the oil with a few drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil. Two other oils that may help include rosemaryTrusted Source and peppermintTrusted Source oil. While the trials have been animal studies, results suggest that these oils may benefit hair growth.
You can also mix these essential oils with other carrier oils that preventTrusted Source hair damage, such as:
Read more: Does coconut oil work for hair growth? »
3. Try topical ointments
Topical ointments are generally for people experiencing hair loss. They may help your hair grow. Studies show that these products are effective in treating alopecia, or hair loss, and promoting hair growth:
- topical melatonin reducesTrusted Source hair loss and increases hair density
- topical minoxidil 5 percent slowsTrusted Source hair loss
- Propecia
- ketoconazole shampoo
4. Take keratin supplements
There aren’t many studies on the effects of protein, keratin, and vitamins on hair health. One study looked at a product that had 500 milligrams of keratin and other vitamins and minerals. The group that took the supplement showed:
- 12.5 percent reduction in hair loss
- 5.9 percent improved in hair strength
- improved hair brightness and luster
5. Use protein
Protein helps your hair grow and protect it from chemical and environmental damage. If you style or apply heat to your hair often, using a protein treatment can protect your hair. You can purchase these online or use coconut oil at home. Coconut oil helps reduceTrusted Source protein lost both before and after washing hair.
Too much protein can affect your kidneys. It may also cause your hair to become brittle, although this is rare. It’s best to get protein from your diet and not supplements. You can get protein from vegetables, nuts, yogurt, and other foods.
6. Caffeinate your follicles
Studies are still new on the effects of caffeine on hair growth, but a cell studyTrusted Source found that caffeine may have growth-promoting effects on hair. Using hair products with caffeine, like this shampoo by AB Crew, as an ingredient may help.
What factors can affect hair growth?
There are a few factors that can affect hair growth, including:
- genetics or family history of hair loss
- hormonal changes
- lack of nutrition
- medications
- stress
- trauma that damages follicles
- other diseases or conditions
It’s also important to note that if you are experiencing unexplained and severe hair loss, you should schedule a checkup with your doctor, as certain illnesses and health conditions can cause hair loss.
Hair growth during and after pregnancy
Women who are pregnant may feel that their hair is actually growing faster. And women who have just had a baby may feel like they are losing their hair at a faster rate than normal. This is because during pregnancy, the hormone estrogen actually causes a woman to have a higher ratio of hair follicles in the growing phase. After the baby is born, hair follicles return to the “resting” phase, making it appear as if they are shedding hair.
The bottom line
Most of the factors that control hair growth are out of our day-to-day control. The best step you can take is to prevent hair loss and thinning due to poor nutrition. Be sure to eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated. Check in with your doctor if you feel that you are experiencing significant hair loss.
Saw Palmetto for Hair Loss: Myth or Miracle?
Hair loss in both men and women is called androgenetic alopecia, and it’s common as everyone ages. It’s caused by the hormone testosterone, and its conversion into a molecule called DHT. This alteration causes hair follicles to shrink, resulting in hair loss. Men have more testosterone than women do, so balding is more common in men.
Men typically experience an M-shaped pattern of thinning hair, known as male pattern baldness. Thinning usually occurs all over the scalp in women and rarely results in complete baldness. Because hair loss is so common, it’s no wonder people turn to herbal remedies. Saw palmetto is one of the most popular that people use to try to slow down hair loss or to regrow hair.
Saw palmetto and hair loss
There are many treatments for hair loss. In recent years, hair pieces and hair extensions have gained popularity. Topical medications and oral drugs are other popular methods people use to treat thinning hair. Surgical procedures such hair plugs also work well. But medications can have side effects and surgery can be expensive.
Saw palmetto is an alternative remedy used to treat hair loss. It’s a plant with small berries that has been used by Native Americans as medicine and food for hundreds of years. There’s evidence that this herbal remedy may treat an enlarged prostate. It also has been used to treat:
- hair loss
- bladder infections
- prostate cancer
- decreased sex drive
Research on whether saw palmetto works to treat hair loss is limited but promising. An extract of saw palmetto berries may block 5-alpha-reductase, an enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT. DHT is the molecule responsible for hair loss and also is involved in the enlargement of the prostate.
One studyTrusted Source showed promise in saw palmetto’s ability to treat an enlarged prostate. Researchers hope it can slow or stop hair loss too. In fact, the components of saw palmetto that block the enzyme work in a similar way as synthetic ingredients in prescription medication for hair loss.
But research is limited on saw palmetto’s efficacy in treating hair loss. Still, one study showed positive results for men treated with topical saw palmetto and 10 percent trichogen veg complex. Nearly half of the 25 participants increased their hair count by 11.9 percent after four months of treatment.
The different forms of saw palmetto
Saw palmetto comes in several different forms, including:
- whole dried berries
- tablets
- liquid extracts
- powdered capsules
Tablets and capsules are the easiest to find and are the only forms that have been examined by researchers. Tea made from the dried berries of saw palmetto is unlikely to be effective because the active compounds aren’t water soluble.
Before taking any new supplement, it’s important to consult your doctor about safe dosage amounts. Experts recommend 160 milligrams, twice daily, for treating an enlarged prostate.
Side effects and interactions
Saw palmetto generally is considered to be safe, but it’s not recommended for children, or pregnant and breastfeeding women. Rare side effects include mild headaches and stomach pains. Stomach irritation can be avoided by taking the extract with food.
Saw palmetto may thin your blood and can cause excessive bleeding during surgery. Always tell your doctor all of the supplements you’re taking before beginning any new type of treatment and before surgery.
Interactions may occur between saw palmetto and some other medications. Because it’s been shown to thin blood, saw palmetto should never be taken simultaneously with other blood thinners. In particular, it shouldn’t be taken with aspirin and prescriptions such as warfarin.
Saw palmetto works in a similar manner as the medication finasteride, which is used to treat hair loss and an enlarged prostate. You should not take them together, unless directed by your doctor. Saw palmetto may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives because it interacts with hormones.
Outlook
Despite limited research, saw palmetto has been used for years to cure many things, including hair loss. It works in a similar way to some hair loss prevention medications. As with all supplements, be sure to talk to your doctor first before taking any. Also, stop taking them if you notice any severe side effects.
