If you’re frustrated with waiting for your hair to grow, you’re not alone. Whether you’re looking for long, luscious locks or you just want it to grow out of that last haircut, waiting is the hardest part.

We’ve all been there. And short of hair extensions, there is going to be a waiting period. The good news is there are things you can do to speed up that process.

First, Let’s talk about the things you can’t control. It’s not fun to admit you’re not in charge of something about yourself, but it’s true. The key is accepting what you can’t control and then focusing on what you can.

Hair growth factors that are out of your control include:

Speed: Each person is different, but hair grows about half an inch per month on average. That’s roughly six inches a year.

Gender: It’s so unfair, but men usually grow hair faster than women.

Age: You tend to grow hair fastest between ages 15 and 30. Hair growth slows as you age, and the speed can be significantly stalled by menopause.

Genetics: You inherit certain hair characteristics, and this can affect hair growth either positively or negatively.

Now let’s look at what’s in our control and what we can change:

Diet: Fueling your body correctly matters from heart to hair and everything in between.

Stress: Learning to manage stress levels is a skill that can’t be understated.

Scalp health: Are you doing anything to keep your scalp healthy? This can make a huge difference.

Haircare and styling: That blow dryer and super-hot curling iron make you look amazing, but they can kill your hair if not used carefully..

Your health and medications can also affect your hair growth and scalp health. Obviously, there are some medical conditions where your overall health needs to come first.

That said, there are also less-critical health issues where you can discuss a potential medication change with your healthcare provider, or you can change your lifestyle and habits. The big bonus here is if you make changes to be healthier overall, your hair and the rest of you will reap the benefits.

Healthy scalp, healthy hair

So, you’ve read the title, you know that this article is here to help you start a healthy hair journey. And that journey needs to start with your scalp, the place where it all begins.

Your scalp is the figurative soil from which your garden of hair grows. It makes sense that healthy soil is important. On our heads, each follicle grows from within the scalp and simultaneously produces a hair strand and sebum, or oil.

Having a healthy scalp means that the follicle exit is clear, clean and free of obstructions. An unhealthy scalp may have too much dirt and product buildup, dandruff or dead skin blockage or even an overabundance of oil preventing the free growth of hair.

The really scary part of all of this is that if a follicle is permanently blocked or the growth is constantly obstructed, it may stop growing hair permanently. That’s right, an unhealthy scalp can lead to permanent hair loss.

How to support your scalp

Now we know the scalp is important, and it’s really the first step in creating a fertile place for your hair to grow long and lush. The following steps will help you set the stage for hair growth by giving your scalp the care it needs.

Know your hair: Assess your hair to determine if it’s dry, oily, brittle, etc. Then begin treating it based on that knowledge. Picking the right haircare products and ones that are made of quality ingredients is important.

A great way to start is to look for haircare bundles that are designed for your hair type—perfect for all-in-one care and convenience.

Regular washing: Keeping your scalp clean (not just your hair) is essential to maintaining its health, whether you’re washing away excess oil or skin cells or just the grime of the day.

Some experts recommend washing every other day, but every day is fine if you need more frequent cleaning. Just make sure to use good haircare products that are paraben-free and formulated without harmful chemicals.

Hair La Vie’s Shampoo & Conditioner features 100% natural ingredients, making them a top choice for promoting scalp health with every wash.

Less is more: Less styling, less heat, and fewer products are all ways you can promote hair and scalp health. These things simply stress and dry out your hair and scalp, so using less of them is better.

Final thoughts

There’s a lot of good news to be found in the information above. Supporting hair health and growing your hair can be a matter of simply making better lifestyle choices. With diligence and a little patience, you can overcome many of the factors that you can’t control by focusing on the ones you can. It’s been scientifically proven true, and anyone can do it.

The important thing to remember is it takes time. Hair sticks around a long time and needs to be in an environment of constant support to show off that diligence.

It’s all part of the hair-lengthening journey. Stick with yours, and stick with us for lifestyle tips on how you can improve the length, health, and shine of your hair within 90 days.

When you think of long hair, you don’t think of frizzy or thinning locks, you think of the stuff of fairy tales. Long Rapunzel hair is thick and glorious and healthy. It’s a reflection of a healthy person living a good, stress-free life. Who wouldn’t want that?