Seeing hair in the shower drain is pretty normal, but that doesn't make it any less discouraging. If you long for a more magnificent mane, there are various hacks to make your hair grow back thicker that you can easily try.
The average woman loses between 50 and 100 strands a day, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). What's more, when you go through a stressful life event, like giving birth, recovering from an illness or caring for loved one who is sick, you're more likely to have telogen effluvium, or excessive hair shedding, explained the AAD.
Your hair is going to go through different cycles, including a growth phase (anagen), a transitional phase (catagen), and a resting and shedding phase (telogen). At any given time, a random number of hairs will be in one of three stages, according to WebMd. Interestingly, each phase has a wildly different duration. The growth phase can last one to three years, while the transitional catagen phase lasts about three weeks and the shedding phase lasts about three months, explained La Roche Posay.
If you're looking for ways to make your hair grow back stronger during the growth phase, here are some great hair hacks to make your locks that much more luxurious.
1
Embrace Essential Oils
Using essential oils like lavender, rosemary, thyme, and cedarwood can help stimulate new hair growth, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
However, those oils can be toxic if used alone, so they recommend mixing them with another oil, like jojoba or grapeseed oil.
"Add 3 to 6 drops of essential oil to 1 tablespoon of jojoba or grapeseed oil. Massage into scalp daily," advised the University of Maryland Medical Center.
2
Make Massage a Priority
If you're experiencing excessive hair shedding due to stress, you certainly don't need an excuse to get a massage. You deserve a little TLC, no questions asked. But now you can say that a scalp massage —whether it's from a professional, loving partner, or even yourself — is actually a medical necessity.
Scalp massage increases the circulation, helping to bring more blood to scalp, advised the University of Maryland Medical Center. Combine the essential oils listed above with a therapeutic scalp massage, and you'll really be winning.
3
Break Out the Cayenne Pepper and Vodka
Okay, okay, this one is a little bit weird, but this treatment supposedly will help stimulate hair follicles and promote blood flow to your scalp, according to hair expert Riquette Hofstein, owner of Riquette International Salon in Beverly Hills, in an interview with Livestrong.
I was dubious at first but Hofstein did publish an entire book on this subject called, Grow Hair Fast: 7 Steps to a New Head of Hair in 90 Days.
For the exact quantities to use, you can mixing 1/4 cup of high-quality cayenne pepper with 1 cup of vodka, according to Jude Williams, certified herbalist and author of Jude's Herbal Home Remedies, in a different interview with Livestrong.
4
Invest in a Boar Bristle Brush
Boar bristle brushes are great for achieving a healthy head of hair. They stimulate the scalp, distribute your natural hair oils, and improve hair texture, explained Empowered Sustenance.
"Enjoy a few relaxing minutes of boar bristle brushing each morning and evening. Once you try it, you’ll get hooked with the gentle scalp massage and the healthy shine of your hair," they explained.
5
Eat Protein
It turns out that it's not just what you put into your hair, but what you put into your body as a whole that can impact your hair health and strength.
"To promote hair growth, you need to 'feed' the hair from the inside. Try increasing your protein intake with foods like fish, beans, nuts and whole gains," explained Dr. Francesco Fusco, dermatologist and CLEAR scalp and hair expert, in an interview with Good Housekeeping.
Check out Romper's new video series, Bearing The Motherload, where disagreeing parents from different sides of an issue sit down with a mediator and talk about how to support (and not judge) each other’s parenting perspectives. New episodes air Mondays on Facebook.
