How long will it take for my hair to grow back?
This is a question we hear in the salon almost every day.
Sometimes it’s after hair loss.
Sometimes it’s after breakage.
Sometimes it’s after going short, trying a fringe, or just changing your mind about length.
Most people are really asking: Will my hair grow again? And how long will it take?
How hair actually grows
Hair does not grow forever.
Each hair has a growth phase called the anagen phase.
This is where your hair will grow between 2 and 7 years.
If your hair stays in the growth phase for a long time (closer to the 7 years), it can grow very long and feel thick and strong.
If your growth phase is shorter (closer to 2 years), your hair may stop growing at a certain length, even if it is healthy.
This is one reason why hair length can be different from person to person.
How fast does hair grow?
On average, hair grows about half an inch a month, and the average human head has…….
- 100,000 to 150,000 hairs
- Each hair grows around: 0.2 cm a day
That does not sound like much.
But if you added up all the hair growth, it would equal over 36 metres of hair growth in one single day!
Hair growth is slow per strand, but constant overall.
Why it can feel slow
Hair grows from the root, not the ends.
So at first, you will not see much change.
That does not mean nothing is happening.
It just means the new growth has not reached a length you can notice yet.
This is why patience matters.
People with fringes generally notice their hair growing quicker as it goes into their eyes, whereas you don’t have that impact when you’re looking at the length.
Does all hair grow back the same way?
Not always.
Hair can grow at different speeds on different parts of the head.
It also depends on what the hair is growing back from, such as:
- Breakage
- Stress
- Illness
- Hormones
- A big haircut
In many cases, hair does grow back well with time.
The key is understanding what caused the change in the first place.
If you’re worried about hair loss, it usually comes down to stress, diet or hormones.
What helps while hair is growing back?
You cannot rush hair growth.
What helps most is:
- Keeping the scalp healthy
- Avoiding extra stress on the hair
- A good diet
- Keeping the shape tidy while it grows
It’s important to keep on top of a good haircut while your hair is growing out. If your hair starts to feel tired or the fabric starts fraying, it will weigh it down and take longer for you to achieve the shape and length that you’re going to go for.
We recommend a haircut every 6 to 8 weeks.
It makes the change look intentional, not unfinished.
The most important thing to know
Hair growth is slow, but it is steady.
If the cause is temporary, hair usually recovers.
If the growth phase is shorter it may stop growing after two years, potentially around the jawline or shorter, and reach a natural stopping point.
You may be lucky and have a strong anagen phase where your hair grows for seven years until it reaches its natural stopping point.
Neither is right or wrong.
Knowing what is happening and speaking to an expert is the key to getting the best out of the fabric that you have been given.
