You want to grow your natural hair fast.
It doesn’t matter if you have 4A, 4B, or 4C – shrinkage is real.
You’re tired of looking at gimmicky products online and you want to go the natural route.
At one point, I was transitioning from chemical straightening and I needed to grow my hair long since short hair doesn’t suit my face.
In this post, I’ll talk about all the natural ways you can grow your way faster by nourishing your hair from the inside and outside.
If you’re interested in a more natural route, here are some vitamins I’ve seen work for me and others in this other post.
I will include some links to Pre-poo oils and hair masks because I’ve actually used these.
But before that, we need to know a couple of things about hair first.
This will help you understand how to maintain healthy curls and ensure that it is strong enough to grow fast.
Skip this section if you don’t want the science stuff.
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How quickly does natural hair grow?
Hair usually grows 6 inches per year or 1 inch every two months.
But you need to know a little about hair before understanding how to improve its growth.
Each hair has a hair shaft and a hair root. The hair shaft is the visible part of the hair while the root is inside your skin.
Now the hair root is covered by the hair follicle (which is a sheath of skin and connective tissue)
At the base of the hair, is the hair bulb. Inside the hair bulb, new hair cells are being produced constantly. Refer to the image below.
How does hair grow?
According to the National Library of Medicine, hair cells are constantly produced in the hair bulb, the cells will harden and thicken.
These hardened cells keep attaching to the hair below which eventually pushes the hair out of the skin and this is how hair grows.
As new hair grows underneath the skin, it pushes the dead hair out of the skin – this means that when your hair comes out of the skin, it is dead.
When your hair grows out of the skin, it passes through the oil gland which coats your hair with sebum – this makes your hair soft and smooth.
This allows your hair to grow about 1 cm monthly (or half an inch).
13 ways to make your natural hair grow faster and longer naturally
Now, this may come as a slight disappointment, but there are no hair care products that can actually speed up your hair growth.
However, if you can strengthen your hair follicles then you can reduce breakage and minimize hair damage.
This will ensure that your hair is growing optimally and you won’t get split ends – which will make your hair grow stronger (and technically faster).
1. Keep your hair moisturized
Natural hair is severely prone to dryness – and dry hair detangles and breaks very easily!
This means you need to focus on keeping your hair hydrated so it can retain moisture and be strong.
If your hair is dehydrated, it could be why your hair is taking so long to grow.
So, the best way to moisturize your hair (so that it’s healthy) is by shampooing and conditioning it with good quality products at least once every 5-7 days.
Oil can add shine to hair and make it feel lubricated but it doesn’t hydrate the hair.
This is a common misconception. It only strengthens the hair follicle from outside so that the wear and tear is less.
So, you’ll need to go in with a styling product that has hold – this will ensure that your hair stays in place without detangling.
I suggest using Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla (Sulfate free) Shampoo and conditioner – this is the best I’ve used so far.
2. Eat rich foods that promote healthy hair
Your hair derives nutrients from the blood directly.
So, if you eat healthy foods that contain good fats and protein, you will actually help boost your hair growth and grow healthy and shiny hair. Let’s take a good look at some of these foods.
- Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, mackerel, and sardines are good for helping your hair become shinier. Our body doesn’t produce these, so you can eat these fish to help
- Vegan and vegetarian options that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids are seaweed, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flax seeds
- Greek yogurt to help you with vitamin B5. Greek yogurt also helps promote more blood flow to the hair
- Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale contain a lot of vitamin A to help both your scalp and your hair
Incorporating these healthy foods into your diet is the best way to strengthen and nourish your hair follicles from within.
You will notice less breakage and this means your hair will grow healthily.
3. Avoid heat completely!
Any heating tools like hair dryers, curling irons, or straighteners should be avoided.
According to Dyson, high heat changes the shape of your hair’s keratin strands.
Temperatures over 300°F convert the ⍺-keratin to β-keratin, which leads to weaker hair strands that become more brittle and prone to damage.
If you want to grow your hair naturally, please avoid heat as much as possible. I haven’t used a hair tool in years and my hair has never looked better.
If you are going to use heat, make sure you’re using a GOOD heat protector like this one.
4. Do a deep conditioning treatment (at least once a week)
Again, moisture is very important!
Deep conditioning is essential for maintaining healthy, strong hair, which is a key factor in growing natural hair faster.
It restores moisture, reduces breakage, and strengthens the hair shaft, leading to longer, healthier hair.
I highly recommend Shea Moisture Manuka Honey Deep Conditioner (I know I rave about this product in most of my blog posts, and I am a firm believer of sticking to something if it works.)
Additionally, you can also use a Deep Conditioning Cap – A heated cap helps your conditioner penetrate more effectively, giving you salon-quality results at home.
5. Don’t trim every month!
The ends of your hair are the weakest because they are also the oldest. New hair grows from the scalp.
That’s why the tips of your hair usually have split ends and look more brittle than the rest of the hair.
It is very important to get regular trims and just cut the tips of your hair every 4-6 months.
But don’t do this every month – this will counteract the growth!
6. Use protective styles for most of the week
It’s best to keep your hair in a protective style for most of the week.
Maybe for a day or two – you can keep it out.
I suggest box braids or cornrows for the summer.
Protective styles such as braids, twists, and buns minimize manipulation of your hair, which reduces breakage.
Here are some protective hairstyles that are also super cute!
Less breakage means longer hair over time. These styles also keep your ends tucked away, protecting them from damage.
7. Use aloe vera gel
I read that a few people who suffer from alopecia use aloe vera gel on their scalp to promote hair growth.
I gave it a try and it genuinely worked for me – that’s why I’m mentioning it in this article.
It really helps soothe the scalp and it does promote hair growth – I like this particular product because it’s not sticky and tacky at all. It’s very smooth and it doesn’t irritate me!
Your ends are the oldest part of your hair because fresh hair grows from the root and pushes out the rest.
So, be VERY gentle with your ends – focus on moisturizing your ends.
I cover what to do if you have dry ends here.
9. Pre-poo your hair with oil
Do this especially if you have textured hair.
I oil my hair once a week and I can honestly say that oiling my hair weekly has strengthened my hair and given it that healthy glow. It has also helped me reduce hair fall and keep my hair soft and shiny.
Here are the oils I recommend:
- Black Jaimaican Castor Oil to soften your hair: Leave this for at least 1-2 hours before washing off with shampoo
- Coconut oil (this one works for natural hair) for healthy hair: Coconut hair adds shine and makes your hair stronger
- Jojoba oil for a healthy scalp: Use this at least once a month to help nourish your scalp
After an hour or two – wash your hair normally with shampoo and then follow up with conditioner.
10. Do a scalp massage (or head massage)
I picked up this head massager outside a Buddhist temple in India but you can also get it online here.
I massage my head for a minute or 2 before sleeping and it not only helps relax you but also stimulates blood flow to your scalp.
I highly recommend it if you have dry hair or your hair needs more nutrition.
11. Do not overwash your hair!
Girlies with natural hair – please heed my advice.
People with straight or wavy hair can get away with it – because their oil manages to move from the roots to the ends much faster than ours.
But curly and kinky hair overdries VERY QUICKLY.
If you have curly/kinky hair, shampoo your hair only once a week to get rid of product buildup.
So, never shampoo your hair every day. Do it only once a week.
When shampooing your hair, don’t rub the shampoo on your hair. Just apply the shampoo to your scalp and when it’s frothing, let the foam wash over the rest of your hair.
Focus on clarifying the scalp as you don’t want too much product buildup there.
12. Use a detangling brush if your hair is matted
Please don’t pull or tug at your hair when you have tangles or your hair is matted.
The more you do this – the more breakage you could have.
Instead, use a detangling brush like the Tangle Teezer and gently detangle your hair after conditioning it in the shower.
Remember to start at the ends and slowly work your way to the top – but if the tangles are very bad – go to a hairdresser immediately (maybe one who specializes in natural hair).
13. Use low-manipulation hairstyles
Constantly manipulating your hair—combing, brushing, or styling—can lead to breakage.
And this will slow down your hair growth drastically.
I know it’s difficult but opt for low-manipulation hairstyles that require minimal styling throughout the week like twist-outs, braid-outs, or a simple bun to keep your hair healthy and growing.
Conclusion
If you feel that you are trying everything possible but your hair looks damaged and weak or it is just not growing, I highly recommend consulting a doctor to see if there are any problems with your health or any underlying deficiencies that are responsible.
