Whether you’re struggling with postpartum hair loss, thinning strands from stress or aging or are just looking to grow out your existing mane, there are tons of reasons to seek out products for promoting hair growth. Our hair plays a huge role in our self-confidence, and if your strands aren’t where you want them to be, our self-esteem can take a big hit. While the products, supplements and in-office treatments on the market today can provide major hair changes, many of us aren’t paying enough attention to the role our lifestyle choices play in our hair’s health and, yes, length. If you’re looking to fully maximize your hair growth journey, these are hair health experts’ best lifestyle tips and changes for promoting hair growth.
Featured Experts
- Jeffrey B. Wise, MD, is a facial plastic surgeon and hair restoration expert
- Paul Labrecque is the creative director, master stylist and colorist with Paul Labrecque Salon and Skincare Spa
How can you promote hair growth in your lifestyle?
Get Enough Protein and Fatty Acids
All of our experts agree that, while several aspects of our daily routines can positively or negatively impact our hair growth, the most prevalent is our diet. “Diet plays a big role in hair growth,” Labrecque says. “It is important to eat a balance of nuts, fruits and vegetables since they’re loaded with water and nourishing, healthy lipids that aid in hair growth.” Dr. Wise adds that “Maintaining adequate nutrition with proper intake of protein, iron, fatty acids and vitamins can promote hair growth.”
Manage Your Stress
We all know the adage about being “so stressed your hair falls out,” and while we might see the saying as a hyperbole, Dr. Wise emphasizes that “extreme stress can negatively impact hair health.” To help manage stress and prevent stress-related hair loss, Dr. Wise recommends that “patients follow an exercise program, maintain regular sleep and practice various stress reduction techniques.”
Avoid Harsh External Aggressors
If you’ve ever spent a long day in the pool or out on the beach, you’re likely familiar with the less-than-pleasant feeling your hair takes on after extended exposure to the sun, salt and chlorine. Labrecque draws attention to how these external aggressors can be detrimental to your hair health and growth. “Stay out of the sun and stay out of chlorine and really salty water as much as you can,” he says. “All of those factors are damaging to your hair and skin and can hinder hair growth.”
Limit Your Substance Use
Unsurprisingly, Dr. Wise adds that the excessive use of certain drugs and alcohol can impact your hair health. “Additional habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can also negatively affect hair health,” Dr. Wise says. So it’s best to limit your use if hair health and growth are a priority.
Practice Proper Hair Care
While we typically think about diet, exercise and mental health care as the most pertinent lifestyle practices that prioritize hair health, Dr. Wise also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a solid hair-care routine if longer, healthier hair is your goal. “General hair care is also important—avoiding excessive trauma to the hair from heated styling devices, tight hairstyles and harsh chemical treatments like relaxers is key.”
The Bottom Line
As our experts have made clear, if longer, healthier, more radiant hair is your goal, there are several lifestyle practices you can and should put into place, but that doesn’t mean lifestyle switches will be a cure-all for hair loss or thinning. “There are certainly lifestyle choices and dietary decisions that can impact hair growth and hair health, although they are not as impactful as surgical interventions such as FUE hair transplantation, PRP or pharmacotherapy like minoxidil or finasteride,” says Dr. Wise. “You are what you fuel your body with, but everyone gets off track at times,” Labrecque adds. “For healthy hair growth, you must seek balance and stick to a regimen as much as you can.”
