Hair Growth: How Fast Does Hair Grow?

Hair Growth: How Fast Does Hair Grow?

Hair growth and how fast it grows is the primary focus of this Wednesday’s Q&A from Ask the Pro Stylist. It seems this is a question that arises every so often because people, especially my clients, aren’t reading my beauty blog.

Whoop, whoop, happy Hump Day! Yes, it is Wednesday Camel, and time for Ask the Pro Stylist to answer a reader or client’s hair, beauty or nails question. This week I am responding to a client’s query about hair growth, specifically, how fast does hair grow?

A beautiful, young woman had her hair colored the other day, which I must say, came out ridiculously gorgeous. We covered her highlights (done on level 5 hair) to auburn, and wow, did it look fantastic, healthy, and shiny.

As I just trimmed her hair about 2 weeks ago, I knew she wasn’t ready for another, but as is always the case, I asked anyway, incase she wanted to change the style. She replied no and followed with, “my hair doesn’t grow.”

Comments about hair growth such as this are so prevalent in the hair biz. Yes, your hair grows. Perhaps she meant to say it doesn’t grow as fast as I’d like, but unless you are very sick or have a genetic disorder, your hair is growing.

On average, hair growth occurs approximately ½ inch per month, 6 inches per year. This rate varies by individuals, pregnancy, hormones, and health, as does the texture and strength of nails and hair.

This means if you trim your hair ½ inch every 8-12 weeks to keep it healthy, avoid breakage and frazzled ends, then your hair will have gained 3-4 inches in length throughout the year. Does hair grow more in the summer?

You would think, since we are mammals and the natural tendency is to hibernate, gain fat and endure thicker hair to stay warm, the same would ring true for humans, but alas, this isn’t the case. Hair seems to grow faster in the summer, however there isn’t scientific evidence to prove this, or at least not that I am aware of.

We tend to exercise more in the warmer weather, which increases motility and blood flow, and therefore hair growth. Diets often change for the better and more time is spent outdoors. Sun exposure, although bad UV rays are harmful to the skin, gives the body much-needed Vitamin D. A deficiency of the supplement has been linked to hair loss in women.

There are vitamins that claim they aid in hair growth, but so does a healthy lifestyle, which is cheaper. Users swear by them, and I do have a client that has gone from a buzz cut to slightly longer than chin length hair in a year, which is about how fast hair grows I stated above. But if it makes her feel better about her purchase, then so be it.

If you have a beauty or nails question similar to the hair regrowth query, please email me at DeirdreAHaggerty@gmail.com.