Why does hair grow faster when you cut it?
Separating truth from fiction
Contents
There are certain myths that have been a part of our society for so long that people tend to take them as the truth. It is seldom that people endeavor to find out the complete truth or try to understand the logic behind the custom that they are following.
We are going to discuss one such myth today. However, before we get to the myth, let us first talk a bit about the importance of hair.
There is no denying that hair plays a pivotal role in deciding your overall appearance. If your hair is dull or lusterless or if you have had a bad haircut, you will find it rather difficult to downplay it, and you will find that you are unable to get the look you were hoping to achieve.
Beautiful hair that is styled in an appropriate manner tends to have an impact and shows its effect at a glance. It is due to this reason that people tend to pay quite a bit of attention to their hair and its styling.
Everyone likes the idea of experimenting with their looks every now and then and if you are looking for a makeover, your hair can do wonders in this regard.
However, there are instances when the experiment goes wrong, and you are stuck with a haircut that does not compliment your looks and does not look good on you. Under such circumstances, you strive to ensure that your hair grows at a rather fast rate.
One of the most common statements that you get to hear with regards to hair growth is that trimming would lead to faster growth of the hair. It is this statement that we are going to about it.
Is it indeed true that if you cut your hair, it will grow faster? If so, how does it play a role in accelerating the process of hair growth?
Let us delve deeper into the matter so that you would be able to understand in a better manner as to what exactly is the role of trimming in the growth of your hair.
Understanding your hair more appropriately
One of the major factors that tend to retard the process of hair growth is split ends. Split ends or damaged hair tend to slow down the process of hair growth.
It is due to this factor that the trimming of your hair leads to its growth. Trimming directly does not lead to any growth in your hair.
When you cut your hair, the split ends and damaged hair are removed, which eradicates an obstacle on the road to the growth of your hair.
If you do not trim your hair regularly, it can split and break off, despite the fact that the follicles are still in their growth phase.
Thus, in order to ensure that your hair continues to grow at an admirable speed, you need to trim it regularly.
Cutting approximately a quarter inch of your hair in a duration of 8 to 12 weeks would ensure that no split ends develop and your hair continues to attain growth in a speedy manner.
Another reason that people tend to believe that trimming or cutting of hair leads to an increase in growth is that when you cut your hair, they start to appear voluminous, which gives the false impression of growth.
What else needs to be avoided?
Apart from dealing with the issue of split ends, there are certain other factors that you should know about and that play a role in slowing down the growth of your hair.
The usage of extensions seems to be getting rather common these days. However, very few people are aware of the fact that extensions actually end up retarding the process of hair growth. They can pull on the hair follicles, which can injure them, thereby slowing their growth.
The usage of bleach on your hair would also have an adverse effect on your hair growth. Due to the usage of bleach, your hair is deprived of its moisture, because of which it is left brittle. If you use bleach on your hair, try to condition it at least thrice a week to minimize the adverse effect of bleach.
Stress is another causative factor of reduced hair growth. Anxiety tends to increase the level of stress hormone in the body, which in turn leads to the shifting of hair follicles to the resting phase from their growth phase.
There are certain medications as well that slow down the process of hair growth.
How to Increase The Length of Your Hair?
If you are looking to increase the length of your hair, simply trimming it would not be enough. There are certain other steps as well that you would have to undertake.
You need to understand the importance of adequate and proper diet. Your diet needs to have all the nutrients in the right amount.
Your hair needs its daily supply of proteins and vitamins. You need to ensure that your hair gets what it requires to grow.
Therefore, a balanced diet with adequate nutrients is essential. You need to accommodate fresh fruits, vegetables (preferably green, leafy ones), proteins, and calcium in your diet. Iron also tends to increase the process of hair growth.
If you think that there is a certain nutrient that your diet lacks and you are unable to make up for it in a natural way, you can consult a doctor to get supplementation.
A nutritious diet and adequate hydration would not only ensure that your hair grows in a speedy manner but would also improve the health of your hair, which would, in turn, minimize the risk of split ends and damaged hair.
It is a better idea to refrain from making use of chemicals and bleach if you are looking to attain long, healthy hair.
Scalp treatments tend to speed up the process of hair growth to a large extent. You can acquire a gentle massage and also make use of a cleansing shampoo once a week. Oiling would also help in this regard. However, do not get carried away and do not leave the oil in your hair for too long.
How Long To Grow Long Hair Naturally
You need to understand that hair growth is a long and natural process. You cannot expect your hair to grow to your desired length within a short span.
It is a process that takes time and thus, patience is required. You need to ensure that you are taking care of your hair and giving it everything it requires.
If you make it certain that your diet is adequate and your hair is getting all the nutrients it needs, you can be sure that it would grow to your desired length albeit after a while. Trimming Your Hair is also a good option but do not rely on it alone. Pay equal attention to other factors for better results.
In addition to this, you need to remember that it is better to lay off on extensions if you are looking to attain long hair. Extensions might provide you with short-term results.
However, in the long run, it is these extensions that would take you away from your desired hair length. Thus, be patient and let nature take its course.
You can be certain that if you do everything right, not only will your hair grow, but you will also have hair that is healthy and lively.
Continue to take care of your hair in the best way possible and the rest will be taken care of by nature. Do not be swayed away by the hair treatments that are introduced in the market every too often. They do more harm than good.