Just like a beautiful flower, one of the best ways to help your hair grow is with water.

That’s right! By staying hydrated and drinking enough water regularly, you can help your hair grow stronger and longer. There’s probably no easier hair health tip than this one.

If you followed our Lengthening Hair Journey then you learned how important moisture is to your hair. Dehydrated hair can create dull, limp and frizzy locks that break easily—while moisturized hair is the stuff of fairy tales.

You may have heard you need eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, but is that true for everyone? The answer is a bit complicated because everybody and everybody is unique. 

That’s because the amount of water you need a day depends greatly on your gender, your size, your health, exercise level, the environment where you live and how much fluid you’re taking in from other sources.

The suggestion that you drink 8 glasses of water a day is a good one, but it’s not a hard and fast rule. Consider it a good goal to shoot for and you’re probably on the right path. Because no matter what, we know that water is good for your body and it’s great for your hair.

More hair and water questions

When it comes to “watering” your hair, keep in mind that it needs to be the water you’re actually consuming, so washing your hair or soaking your head in the bathtub doesn’t count.

If you’re doing the math, drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water adds up to 64 ounces a day. However, the Institute of Medicine’s water actually recommends 91 fluid ounces for women and 125 for men.

If you’re wondering why these numbers seem so high, then remember that this is total fluid intake daily, which includes the water you’re taking in from other sources, such as watermelon or other beverages. The suggestion to have 64 ounces of water a day is meant to be in addition to whatever you’re already consuming that day. 

Unfortunately, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for 2015-2020 do NOT have specific recommendations on how much water you should drink. However, they both highly encourage people to opt for plain water over sugary drinks.

Let’s take a closer look at how and why drinking more water can help your hair.

How water helps your hair

Hydrated hair is healthy hair: If your hair is dehydrated or deprived of moisture, it becomes dry and rough, which doesn’t look or feel good. When left untreated, it can become extremely brittle and even break.

Water is energy: Water is the main source of energy for your body. Fueling your hair with water prompts it to grow in the healthy and natural way it was meant to. Stopping that water supply will cause breakage and may even disrupt your hair’s growth cycle. 

Vitamins and minerals: Water helps your body absorb vital minerals and nutrients. Nurture your locks with what they need to grow by eating healthy meals and drinking lots of water.

Hydrolysis: Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction that happens when water is introduced to reactants. Proteins are vital for healthy hair, but they’re too big to really benefit your hair unless they’re broken down. This is where hydrolysis comes in. By drinking more water, those proteins can more easily be broken down and absorbed by your hair.

Helps fight dandruff: Not all dandruff is caused by the same thing, but if you’re suffering from a dry scalp or dry skin, then upping your water intake can certainly help bring moisture back to your body and hydrate your scalp.

Keeps hair lush: Moisture helps hair grow thicker and fuller, but if your scalp is dehydrated then your pores aren’t creating the necessary oils needed to keep hair healthy. This can lead to pores becoming blocked and a slowdown in hair growth. 

Final thoughts

Water is essential for better health and fabulous hair. While the standard eight 8-ounces a day might not be right for everyone, it’s a great way to help you keep track of the water you’re drinking. 

As you continue this process, you might find there are certain days or even times of the year when you need to drink more than the standard 8 glasses and that’s okay. Remember to listen to your body and do what works best for you and your hair.