How Can I Make My Hair Grow Faster and Thicker at Home?

Hair needs nutrition. Grow hair faster and thicker at home by eating a diet that provides enough protein, selenium, vitamins, and other micronutrients and using home remedies.

A long, thick mane of hair is desirable, but determining the care that works for your hair can be challenging. Hair grows from hair follicles on the scalp. Your hair follicles have a complex life cycle, going through phases called anagen (growth phase), catagen (resting phase), and telogen (shedding phase). Several medical options and home remedies for healthy hair are available. Treatments nourish and strengthen your hair, preventing breakage and shedding, which will make your hair grow faster and thicker.

Your hair grows about 0.5 to 1.7 centimeters (¼ to ¾ inches) per month. This means you can expect your hair to grow 4 to 6 inches in a year. What can you do to have thick hair that grows fast?

Hair needs nutrition. Your diet must provide enough protein, selenium, vitamins, and other micronutrients. Severe carbohydrate restriction also has adverse effects on hair growth.

Good nutrition is a vital part of hair care. Rather than target each nutrient individually, aim to have a balanced, nutritious diet. Include foods from all the major groups and avoid very restrictive diets that can cause your hair to become brittle and fall out. Your hair will grow thick and fast if your diet has enough calories and nutrients.

You don't always have to go to a clinic to improve your hair length and volume. Several supplements and herbal medicines are readily available, which you can take at home. Several essential micronutrients also promote hair growth, and you can easily include them in your diet at home.

1. Coconut oil

When water enters the hair shaft and follicle, it causes swelling that subsides when the hair dries. Oils form a protective layer that blocks moisture from entering the hair shaft and follicle, preventing frequent swelling and drying that weaken hair shafts. Coconut oil, in particular, protects the hair when used before and after washing.

Morrocan argan oil can also contribute to hair health. It is extracted from the Argan tree (Argania spinosa) and can keep your hair moisturized and hydrophobic. Argan oil is rich in tocopherols and polyphenols, which benefit hair by their antioxidant activity.

2. Red ginseng

Red ginseng is made by steaming the roots of Panax ginseng. This plant is used in Asian traditional medicine. Red ginseng has growth-promoting properties. Red ginseng increases the proliferation of hair matrix keratinocytes and dermal papilla cells, enhancing hair growth and thickness.

3. Indian gooseberry

Indian gooseberry, or amla, is a rich source of vitamin C. Taken regularly, it rejuvenates the whole body and maintains physiological functions. It is also valuable for hair growth.

4. Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil is often used in herbal medicine for stomach ailments. It is also a rewarding home remedy for hair growth. Applying peppermint oil locally on the scalp has been recorded as having hair growth effects.

5. Thuja orientalis

Thuja is well-known as a medicinal plant. Its leaves and oil are used to treat many conditions. Thuja prolongs the growth phase of hair and promotes growth.

6. Vitamin E

Tocopherols and tocotrienols are part of the vitamin E compound. They're very effective antioxidants and have an essential role in skin and hair health. Oxidative stress in the scalp reduces hair growth; you can reverse this using vitamin E. 

Vitamin E supplementation helps in hair growth, according to one study. People on tocotrienol daily had 34.5% more hair as well after eight months of supplementation.

7. Biotin

Biotin is a vitamin essential for hair growth. It is a water-soluble form of the B-complex group and is present in several foods. Multivitamin supplements often contain biotin.

Almonds, sunflower seeds, and sweet potatoes are rich in biotin. Other good sources are eggs, fish, meat, seeds, and nuts. Biotin deficiency is associated with hair loss, but consuming more biotin than you need probably has no benefits for hair. Deficiency is rare given its wide distribution, so you needn't go overboard with biotin supplements. A healthy, balanced diet almost always provides enough biotin.

8. Niacin

Also known as vitamin B3. Niacin dilates the scalp's blood vessels and increases blood flow to the hair follicles. This prevents hair loss and promotes growth. 

You can get niacin by eating poultry, beef, fish, nuts, legumes, and grains.

9. Zinc

This vital mineral improves immune function and stimulates hair growth. You can increase your zinc consumption by eating more grains, dairy products, oysters, red meat, poultry, beans, and nuts.

10. Iron

Iron is an essential component of many of your metabolic systems. Your hair follicles need iron for good health. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. While anemia is the best-known effect, hair is also affected. Iron deficiency causes hair loss and thinning of hair {Dermatology and Therapy: "The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6380979}.

You should make sure you have enough of this vital mineral. You can get enough iron by including red meat, liver, nuts, beans, chickpeas, and fortified cereals in your diet.

11. Essential fatty acids

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are classified as essential fatty acids. Your body can't make them from other food components, and it's necessary to have them in your diet or supplements. These omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids improve hair texture and prevent hair loss and brittle hair. Include vegetable oils, nuts, and oily fish in your food to get plenty of these essential fatty acids.

A study combined antioxidants with these omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These supplements reduced hair loss and increased hair thickness and density.

Haircare is complex, and not every remedy works for everyone. Dermatologists have expertise in hair treatment and can offer you various options like platelet-rich plasma, minoxidil, finasteride, and prostaglandins. However, these treatments are expensive and not without some risk of side effects.

Try the home remedies first since they're safe and inexpensive. There are many supplements and applications for thick, healthy hair. You're sure to find something to help you grow your hair faster and thicker at home.