how to stimulate hair growth

My name is Mikayla Epstein-Duff. I got married in December 2012 at the age of 19 after two years of engagement to the love of my life.

On my wedding day, I felt beautiful.

There were only a couple of things that I wish would have been different. Not my dress, makeup, or accessories… no, all of those were perfect. Mostly I wanted my pinned-up, curly hair to be longer.

I cut my hair extremely short the summer before I turned eighteen, and it’s been about two years since. I went from having my hair down to my waist to having a super-short pixie cut. It is one of my most regretted decisions.

A lot of women look incredible with short hair. My husband says he liked my hair then, but I feel most confident when it’s long. If you cut your hair shorter than you’d like, and you are trying to grow it out, let me tell you how to stimulate hair growth (your scalp and follicles) without the use of expensive or toxic hair products.
There’s a lot of material on how to stimulate hair growth, and I would recommend doing your own research if you want to know more.

How to Stimulate Hair Growth- My Five Favorite Tips.

1. Biotin- This can be taken in many forms like hair oils, shampoos, and pills. Most grocery and drug stores carry Biotin capsules or tablets. It’s cost-effective, especially if you only get the smaller dosages. If you take the more concentrated pills, there is a chance your skin will break out. No matter the dosage you take, you should be drinking at least 80 ounces of water daily to break it down, since biotin is a water-soluble vitamin. Find the pills I take by clicking here.
2. Coconut Oil- I cut all of my hair off because I had horrible split ends, but this oil helps with hair texture and conditioning. Because it deeply moisturizes the hair, I haven’t gotten any split ends since growing it out. Coconut oil has long been used in the Philippines; native women condition their hair with it to make it strong and shiny. This site provides affordable, high-quality virgin coconut oil, and they have weekly sales. Virgin coconut oil is also suitable for cooking and skin care, as well as dozens of other uses, but that’s another post for another time!
3. Ban practices that stunt hair growth. Washing your hair every day can greatly decrease your hair’s ability to grow out, and commercial shampoos act the same way as dish detergent. These shampoos act like dish detergent by stripping grease from your hair, but which makes your scalp completely oil-free. That may sound like a good thing, but the oil your scalp produces (sebum) is essential for proper hair health and growth. Gradually reduce the number of times you wash your hair every week. It will take a few weeks to adjust to fewer washes, so it will look oily at the roots at first but be patient. Once you start washing it less, the oil production will go down. Your body is self-regulating. Give your follicles at least a day or two in between washes.
4. Use a natural acid rinse like aloe vera juice or apple cider vinegar. I use the latter, and it softens and loosens my hair. Hair has a natural balance between 4.5 and 5.5 on the pH scale. This means it is more acidic than alkaline. Sebum, the oil your scalp produces, is an acid. Commercial shampoos are alkaline, causing an imbalance in your scalp, which is part of why it over-produces sebum to compensate when you wash it too often. Here’s a quick guide.
5. Your diet. Eating well will not only make you feel better physically, but it will help your body have the proper balance to carry out it’s functions- hair growth being one of them. A friend of mine drinks green smoothies every day, which has fortified her hair, skin, and nails with strength and elasticity, as well as making her hair grow faster than before. If you aren’t so much into chugging liquefied vegetables, you can simply include more raw veggies, especially dark greens, into your meals.

Last but not least- When you brush your hair, be gentle and take your time. I know how irritated I get when I hear one of my hairs breaking from being forced through a brush. Try finger combing through your tangles and massaging your scalp.

If you’d like to know of a few more homemade hair growth treatments, click here.

My progress: In a month and a half, my hair grew an inch. It has previously taken 18 months to grow about 10 inches.

My hair in December 2012 at my wedding and my hair now.

how to stimulate hair growth