Hair's My Experience

You might have heard this myth if you grew up fearful of haircuts: Trimming your hair will help it grow faster. Yet, it seems strange as your hair grows upwards and outwards from the scalp. Are those dead ends able to communicate with your hair follicles? Is the myth just that, a white lie meant to get you into the salon chair as if you were a child?
Let’s not confuse fact with fiction.

Is it possible to grow hair faster by cutting your hair?

Well, not quite. It’s not entirely true. Hair growth is a function of the hair follicles on the scalp, not the ends. Shearing out dead hair doesn’t affect these follicles. Erica Conan (director of education at ColorProof) says that scissors have no magic powers that will make our hair grow faster if we trim it.

Regular trims are a great benefit.

I’m not saying it does not mean you should skip your regular trim. However, trimming can remove split ends that hinder hair growth, leading to hair breakage and slow growth. Sunnie Brook, celebrity hairstylist and ambassador for Biolage brand, says that split ends can cause hair to split up the hair shaft. Regular trimming is the best way to remove frayed ends and ensure healthy hair. Healthy hair grows faster; it turns out.

Even though they don’t stimulate hair growth, trimming can make your hair look longer. Professional cosmetologists say that long hair that has been split or broken will appear thin at the ends and shorter. Conversely, the hair will look fuller and thicker if the ends are removed.

Hot tip: Your hairdresser can “dust” your hair if you don’t feel like cutting off too much length. This will remove frayed or damaged ends without eliminating inches.

How to get faster-growing hair?

You can’t just trim your hair in a few minutes. To increase hair growth, you need to do it all internally, including improving blood flow to your scalp, a relaxing scalp massage, and taking hair-growth supplements. The scalp massage is a way to promote hair growth. This increased blood circulation can deliver vital nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicles. The easiest way to do this is to massage your scalp while you are showering.

Miko Branch, the co-founder of Miss Jessie’s natural hair care brand, has shared that she massages the scalp during shampooing to increase blood flow, reduce stress and stimulate hair follicles. If you wish, you can also do a dry scalp massage by simply rubbing oil on your scalp and massaging it into the scalp. Regular scalp massages are proven to increase hair growth.

Supplements can include both biotin and collagen. These amino acids comprise keratin, which is what each hair strand comprises. Studies show that low levels of biotin have been linked to hair fall, and it has been demonstrated that both collagen and biotin can help promote hair growth. To help reduce oxidative stress on the scalp, you might also consider antioxidants such as vitamin C or E. As it turns out, hair loss has been associated with oxidative stress. There are many ways to protect your hair, but the best way to support those follicles is to use the above methods.

Hot Tip: Amla oil has high levels of vitamin C, which is an excellent alternative to a carrier oil for your scalp massages.

Here’s the takeaway.

Although cutting your hair won’t necessarily increase its growth, it doesn’t mean it will be any slower. However, regular trimming is still essential. Healthy hair will look longer and fuller and stop breakage. To stimulate hair growth, however, you must take care of your scalp and keep it healthy.