“I am shedding like crazy” or “My hair isn’t growing” are statements I constantly hear in the salon. Before I can begin to tell you what to do, I need to talk a little about what’s going on under your scalp in order for you to understand hair growth.
The average rate of hair growth is a half inch per month, totaling 6 inches a year. Hair grows in three stages; Anagen, Catagen and Telogen. The Anagen stage is the actively growing stage. Cells are dividing quickly at the root causing the hair to grow. At any time 80-90% of the hair on your head is in this phase. This phase can last anywhere between 2-7 years. The phase duration is dependent on your genetic make up. At the end of this phase an unknown signal causes your hair to transition into the catagen phase. This lasts about 2-3 weeks. This is when your hair detaches from its blood supply. Then the Telogen or resting stage will begins. This will last between 1-4 months. The hair bulb is being reformed under the scalp and the remaining hair will be shed. The process then starts over. All of your hair is never in the same stage at the same time.
In order to promote good hair growth, we can do a few simple things each week to incorporate into our routine. Here are some of my recommendations:
Limit Heat Styling
Give your hair a rest from heat styling. This doesn’t mean you never have to use heat again, just start by letting your hair air dry a few times a week. Or if you need to blow dry it, skip the flat iron or curling iron afterwards. Heat dehydrates and pulls moisture out of your hair, which can make it unhealthy and at a higher risk of breaking or splitting.Leave In Conditioner
This will help moisturize and strengthen your hair. It will also help with detangling. I recommend Inner Sense Sweet Spirit Leave In Conditioner. This product is a lightweight spray leave in which contains organic rice & soy proteins that have reparative and protective qualities. It also contains rosemary essential oil which keeps the scalp healthy & encourages circulation which is beneficial in hair growth
Deep Conditioners
If you don’t own a deep conditioner just yet, start out by keeping your conditioner on for 5 minutes instead of instantly rinsing it out. Once you purchase a deep conditioner, incorporate it into your routine every 7-10 shampoos. I highly recommend the Inner Sense Hydrating Hair Masque. It contains flax seed which helps restore strength and reduces breakage.
Scalp Massages
Increase blood flow circulation to the scalp which can stimulate hair growth. Try putting Inner Sense Harmonic Healing Oil onto your scalp before giving yourself a scalp massage. It includes rosemary essential oil which has healing properties for the scalp and promotes hair growth.
Regular Hair Cuts
By cutting off the split ends, the hair is healthier and able to grow longer. If split ends continue to happen, they will split up the hair strand and you will not be able to maintain any growth.In Conclusion
All of these tips should keep your scalp and hair in tip top shape. As your hairstylist I am here to help you along the way with any questions you may have. Over the years, I have taken pictures of new hair growth for clients and even gotten the ruler out to measure new hair growth. Let me know if you’ve found any success with any of the tips I recommend.Note: The links above are affiliate links, and purchasing items from these links allows me to continue creating content like this – and the best part is that there is no additional cost to you! Thank you!