Tips on How to Make Your Hair Grow Faster in 2024

Yes, there actually are things you can do at home.

At my most recent hair appointment, my hair colorist was shocked at how much my hair has grown since September. Although annoying AF for my highlights, my hair has been seemingly growing at the speed of light lately. For years, I spent time and money trying everything to make my hair grow faster (ahem, hair-growth vitamins, shampoos for hair loss, castor-oil scalp massages, aloe-vera treatments—the whole nine), and I’ve finally nailed down a few methods that have majorly helped encourage a healthier scalp and a lil hair growth.

But before I can reveal all my secrets let’s get something straight first, because there are a lot of myths about hair growth out there. Unfortunately, your DNA and factors like hormones, age, genetics, and overall health are pretty much the only things that truly determine how fast your hair grows. However, there are a lot of options that can help slowly make your hair and scalp healthier, which is a great start for growing your hair long and strong. This where I—and the help of eight experts—come in! See below for 14 hair-growth tips I grabbed from three board-certified dermatologists, two trichologists (aka hair scientists), and three hairstylists, along with my tried-and-true techniques. But first, a science lesson on hair growth:

How fast does hair grow?

According to research, hair naturally grows at a rate of 0.35 millimeters per day, which equals roughly ½-inch per month for a total of 6 inches per year. Note: The shorter your hair (whether you’re working with a bob, lob, bangs, or a buzz cut), the faster your hair will appear to grow—even though the rate hasn’t changed. Similarly, already-long hair may appear to be at a standstill, when it’s actually steadily growing (barring, of course, medical complications; more on that below).

It’s also important to know that you were born with all of the hair follicles you’ll ever have—between 80,000 to 120,000—meaning you can’t create more hair follicles (or more hair strands) than what you were born with, even if a product claims to give you fuller, thicker hair.