What Is The Average Hair Growth Rate?

Before we dive into the phases of hair growth, it is helpful to understand how quickly hair naturally grows to understand what to expect.

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, hair grows an average of 0.50 inches monthly. Breaking that down equates to 0.17 inches a day or about 6 inches per year.

Our salon industry experts have compiled this complete guide on increasing your hair growth rates.

Stages Of Hair Growth

1) Anagen Phase “Active Growth Phase”

During the Anagen phase, your scalp will produce 90-95% of your hair follicles. This is due to the cells in the root of your hair dividing every 24 hours to produce new growth.

The amount of time your hair follicles are in this active growth phase will vary depending on many predetermined factors. Still, an average Anagen phase lasts 2-8 years before an unknown signal triggers the body to enter the Catagen phase.

2) Catagen Phase “Transition Phase”

During the Catagen phase, your hair cells will stop dividing, producing no new hair growth. As a result, fewer than 1% of the hairs on your head are at this stage at any time.

An average Catagen phase will last 4-6 weeks.

3) Telogen Phase “Hair Loss Phase”

The Telogen phase is where the hair follicles begin to change shape to start the process of falling out naturally. This is what you see when you brush through your hair and you see hair strands on your brush or your bathroom counter. This phase is necessary to keep your hair and scalp healthy.

Typically you will lose an average of 50-100 hairs per day. About 10-15% of the hair is in the phase at any given time. This stage lasts about 3-4 months on average.

*Important Note:

It is important to note that all hairs on your hair do not go through these stages simultaneously. Instead, each hair follicle could be at a different stage at any given moment. This is why you do not go bald, followed by extreme hair growth.

How Do I Increase My Hair Growth Rate During The Anagen Phase?

The actual growth rate of your hair during the Anagen phase can significantly fluctuate depending on genetics, age, ethnicity, health factors, time of year, and diet. For example, a 2005 study by the International Journal of Dermatology found that female Asian descendant hair grows the fastest while African descendant hair tends to grow the slowest. However, the hair growth rate did not differ in men depending on ethnicity.

Researchers from this study also believe that hair tends to grow faster during the summer than the winter due to greater exposure to the sun’s UV rays and dietary changes (eating more fruits and vegetables).

Researchers are not 100% sure what factors trigger the body to enter the Anagen phase, but they recommend a few tips to promote healthy hair.

What Can Shorten Your Hair Growth Rate During The Anagen Phase?

It is hard to pinpoint why your hair growth rate may differ from others during the Anagen phase. In addition to the predetermined set of genetic factors and stages of life, some potential reasons why your hair could stop growing could include the following:

High level of stress
Traumatic event
Calorie-restricted diets or other extreme diets
Short Anagen Syndrome
Pregnancy or aftermath of caring for a newborn
Hormonal imbalance
Over-styling/applying too much heat
Poor diet
Overuse of products in the hair
Pulling on the hair too tight

What Can I Do To Naturally Increase My Hair Growth Rate?

1) Increase Your Vitamin Intake

According to The Vitamins and Nutrition Center, any nutritional deficiency can contribute to hair thinning and loss. In addition, with age, blood circulation will naturally start to decrease. To combat the effects of slowing down your hair growth, it is recommended to increase the number of vitamins in the bloodstream.

As an antioxidant, Vitamin E is recommended to promote healthy nail and hair growth. Always speak to your healthcare provider before taking any vitamins.

2) Eat Protein & Foods Rich In Biotin

Vitamin H, more commonly known as Biotin, is known for helping to turn food into fuel for your body. Biotin can also assist in increasing metabolism and helping build blocks of amino acids and carbs which turn into protein.

Hair growth starts at the follicle, which is made of protein cells. Therefore, for faster and stronger hair, eating a diet rich in Biotin and protein is recommended.

This can include foods such as:

Salmon
Nuts and seeds
Eggs
Dairy
Avocados
Sweet Potatoes
Cauliflower
Bananas
Oats

3) Well Balanced Diet

Besides consuming a healthy amount of protein and biotin-rich foods, having a well-balanced diet is key to keeping your hair healthy. Foods rich in vitamins A and C, such as spinach and broccoli, are a great addition to a well-balanced diet.

Vitamins found in spinach and broccoli produce sebum needed to add moisture to your scalp. Not to mention antioxidants found in many green vegetables can help eliminate free radicals, making your hair grow faster and stronger.

It is important to keep your diet as balanced as possible, so your body does not lack nutritional deficiencies.

4) Use Coconut Oil As A Hair Treatment

For a good reason, coconut oil is one of the hottest ingredients in the hair industry. Comprised mainly of smaller medium-chain fatty acids, coconut oil has a high affinity to stimulate new hair growth. In addition, due to coconut’s oil molecular weight and structure, it directly sinks into the hair follicles instead of just sitting on top of the hair. This means that the effects are not just surface level; instead, it helps repair and stimulate the hair instead of being discarded after a wash.

Additional benefits of coconut oil include:

Adding a natural shine to the hair
Moisturizing the hair and scalp
Reducing protein loss
Releasing itchy and dryness on the scalp

Check out our article to learn more about why you should be using coconut oil on your hair.

5) Replace Your Cotten Pillowcase With A Silk One

Ever wonder why you wake up in the morning, and your hair is in a million different directions? This is caused by one thing, friction. Replacing your old cotton pillowcase with a silk one creates less friction on your hair during the night. Friction disrupts the hair’s cuticle layer, which has been shown to cause hair loss.

Silk fibers help to absorb some of that friction at night, which causes the moisture level of your skin and hair to remain intact. Silk is also naturally non-absorbent and antibacterial, whereas regular cotton absorbs moisture and bacteria.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, what triggers an individual’s hair growth rate to be higher than another is still a mystery to scientists. Each solution will only work for some people, so it might be a lot of trial and error before learning what best works for you. However, don’t underestimate the power of what a regular trim can do for your hair. Frequent trips can encourage new hair growth even if your growth rate has plateaued.

Always check in with your doctor if you are experiencing extreme hair loss. Interested in learning more about why you might be experiencing hair loss?

Check out our latest article that lists three new ways to stimulate new hair growth.

Hair Loss Solutions

At Jaxson Maximus, we have partnered with HairMax to give you a special discount. You can purchase HairMax at our showroom location or by visiting www.hairmax.com.

Learn more about Hair Max in our latest article that lists three clinically proven options to stimulate new hair growth fast.