How is it that some people can grow their hair down to their hips, while for others it barely reaches their shoulders? Is your hair thin and damaged and do you dream of a full head of long hair?
Your hair growth is partly genetic. How long your hair continues to grow and when you go bald can run strongly in your family. But with a healthy diet with the right vitamins and proper care of your locks, you can definitely give your hair a hand in becoming long and healthy! There are plenty of products that boost your hair growth. Then first you have to make sense of the maze of shampoos, serums and pills that promise fantastic results.
In this article you will find out how hair growth actually works, what the reasons might be for hair loss and which products are available to stimulate your hair growth.
Disclaimer: hair growth products are not a panacea - there is no such thing. It can help you, but always make sure you use the products responsibly and informed. When in doubt, consult a doctor.
This is how hair growth works in humans
Hairs consist of two parts: the root and the shaft. The root is fixed in a hair follicle in the skin. The shaft is the long, visible part of the hair.
Your hair grows because nutrients are brought to it through your blood vessels. It consists mostly of the protein keratin. This makes your hair elastic and able to absorb water.
Hair grows and renews itself constantly. New cells are constantly forming in the hair root in the skin. These move to the surface of the skin. The part of the hair you can see is actually already dead.
Hair grows in different stages:
The growth phase lasts two to six years, new cells are created
The transition phase lasts two weeks: the hair and hair root detach from each other.
The resting phase lasts three to four months: now the hair rests in the hair follicle.
Every hair on your head is at a different stage in this growth and renewal process. This repeats itself over and over again. So it is not very noticeable when a hair falls out or a new hair appears. As you can see, there are big differences in how long the growth phase lasts. If you have a short growth phase, you are more likely to suffer from baldness than people with a long growth phase.
Your head hair grows about 0.35mm per day. Per day, you lose about 50 to 100 hairs. That may sound like a lot, but with between 130,000 and 180,000 hairs on your head, it is hardly noticeable.
Hair loss and thinning hair
Hair loss is annoying and can have a big impact on your daily life. It can leave you feeling insecure, not knowing how to style your hair and maybe you don't dare to go out without hiding it. Before we look at all the remedies available to combat hair loss and thinning hair, you first need to know what is causing your hair to fall out. After all, that matters a lot for treating it.
Sometimes the cause is obvious. Chemotherapy or certain drugs, for instance, are known to cause your hair to fall out. Certain diseases, low weight, iron deficiency or after a stressful event can also cause your hair to become (temporarily) thinner and/or fall out.
Baldness can also run in the family and it is simply part of getting older. So, if your father and grandfather went bald early, there is a good chance the same will happen to you.
When you lose hair according to a certain pattern, it could be Alopecia. This is a disease in which your hair falls out. From another form of this disease, you get round or oval bald patches on your head.
When there is a lot of force on your hair, if you constantly wear a tight bun, braid or head covering, for example, this can also cause more hair loss. So let your hair breathe and rest sometimes.
What hair growth products are there?
Serum or oil
Hair serum or hair oil are a great addition to your daily hair care routine. It keeps your hair soft and supple, works against frizzy hair and makes your hair shine. A serum and an oil are not very different from each other: a serum applies a layer around the hair and an oil soaks into the hair. They both have a similar effect. Serum or oil apply to the ends of your hair and can be left on for a long time. There are hair serums or oils that stimulate hair growth. These contain ingredients that stimulate the creation of new cells.
In general, a hair serum takes care of your hair (making it less likely to break) rather than stimulating hair growth like a shampoo can do.
Vitamins for hair growth
Your hair grows from the inside out. It is therefore important to take good care of your hair from inside your body as well with healthy food and vitamins. The most important vitamin for your hair is Biotin, also known as vitamin H or B8. You have to take this one; when it is processed in shampoo, it is of little use. This is because biotin cannot be properly absorbed by your scalp. It is more effective to take biotin in, so it can do its work from inside your body. Vitamins A, B and C are also important for the growth of your hair. They support the creation of new cells. Be careful with vitamin A: if you take too much of this, it is harmful to your body and can actually lead to hair loss.
Before taking vitamins to stimulate hair growth, it is important to know what is causing your hair loss. For example, if it is due to an autoimmune disease, you can take as many vitamins as you want, but it will not help against hair loss. Hair loss purely due to a vitamin deficiency is not common. When you ensure a healthy diet with all the necessary nutrients, it contributes to a healthy body and hence healthy hair, but it is not a panacea.
If you are on medication or have other conditions, always consult a doctor before taking hair growth vitamins.
Hair growth shampoo
There are two types of shampoo for hair growth: prescription shampoo or drugstore shampoo. Drugstore shampoo usually works by activating the hormones involved in preventing hair loss: testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
Shampoo from the drugstore can also help against hair loss. However, you often have to use this for at least 3-4 months to see results: after all, it is only on your scalp for a short time. Don't give up too soon!
When buying a shampoo, it is important to pay attention to the ingredients. Choose a shampoo with natural ingredients like avocado, macadamia, argan or olive oil that stimulate hair growth and stay away from chemical parabens and sulphates. These may give your hair a nice shine after washing, but are not good for your hair's health and growth in the long run. Soap products also do more harm than good: they cleanse your hair too aggressively and also remove the very oils and fats your hair needs to stay healthy.
Hair growth pills and supplements
There are several pills and supplements to stimulate your hair growth. By choosing supplements that you take, you stimulate your hair growth from within - not just with products that you apply to your head and hair. With supplements, it is important to carefully consider whether they are suitable for men or women. When hormones are involved, you cannot use just any product. Pay close attention to the ingredients and active substances in a supplement.
If you use medication or have other conditions, always consult a doctor before using hair growth supplements.
Hair growth products at Slimminglabs
Slimminglabs sells various products to stimulate hair growth and combat hair loss. This can take the form of a spray, a serum or from the inside with supplements specifically for women or supplements for men. If you already suffer a lot from hair loss, there are also products to mask this and feel more confident again, such as the Toppik Toolkit.
Frequently asked questions about hair growth
Wat stimuleert haargroei?
Voor een gedeelte is je haargroei genetisch bepaald. Je kunt je haargroei stimuleren met een gezond dieet en de juiste voedingsstoffen en vitamines. Kies qua producten een shampoo en conditioner die bij je haartype passen en niet te veel chemische stoffen bevatten. Een haarolie of -serum kan helpen om je haar te voeden en te verzorgen, waardoor het sterk en gezond blijft en zo beter kan groeien.
Welke supplementen zijn goed voor haargroei?
Het verschilt per persoon of supplementen goed werken om je haar te laten groeien en haaruitval tegen te gaan. Let er vooral goed op of de supplementen geschikt zijn voor mannen of voor vrouwen. Soms komen er hormonen bij kijken en dan kan niet iedereen zomaar ieder product gebruiken.
Wat te doen tegen haaruitval bij mannen?
Wanneer je als man last hebt van haaruitval, is dit erg vervelend. Kom er eerst achter wat de oorzaak is: Ben je misschien ziek, erg gestresst of zit het in de familie? Op basis daarvan kun je kiezen voor supplementen die de haargroei stimuleren en een shampoo gaan gebruiken geschikt voor jouw haar.
Wat te doen tegen haaruitval bij vrouwen?
Als vrouw is haaruitval erg vervelend. Je moet er eerst achter komen wat de oorzaak is van je haaruitval: ben je misschien ziek, heb je veel stress of zit het in de familie? Pas je dieet aan en zorg dat je voldoende vitamine Biotine, A, B en C binnenkrijgt. Je kunt supplementen nemen die haargroei stimuleren en een shampoo gebruiken die past bij jouw haar. Bij een lang kapsel valt haaruitval vaak meer op en kan het ook erger zijn omdat je haar zwaarder is. Een goede kapper kan je een stijlvol kort(er) kapsel aanmeten waardoor je haaruitval minder opvalt en je je weer zelfverzekerder voelt.
Welke vitamines helpen bij haaruitval?
Biotine is de belangrijkste vitamine voor je haar. Het wordt ook wel vitamine H of vitamine B8 genoemd. Vitamines A, B en C stimuleren de aanmaak van nieuwe cellen en zijn daarom ook belangrijk voor de haargroei. Van te veel vitamine A kun je juist haaruitval krijgen, dus pas op dat je er niet te veel van binnenkrijgt.
Hoe lang duurt het voor haar groeit?
Hoofdhaar groeit gemiddeld 0,35 mm per dag. Je haar groeit dus zo’n 1 cm per maand of 12 cm per jaar, maar dit kan erg verschillen van persoon tot persoon.
Hoe lang kan je haar maximaal worden?
Aan de lengte van je haar zit een limiet qua groeitijd. Hoe lang je haar kan worden hangt af van hoe lang je haar in de groeifase zit. Die duurt tussen de 2 en 6 jaar, wat een behoorlijk verschil is. Wanneer je haar zo’n 12-15 cm per jaar groeit voor 6 jaar lang, kan je haar maximaal 90 centimeter lang worden. Voor de meeste mensen komt dit neer op haar tot aan je onderrug/je heupen.
Bibliography
Assendelft, T. B. (2021, augustus 17). Haarvitamines: Dit zijn de 8 beste vitamines voor je haargroei!Opgeroepen op februari 2023, van Hairlust: https://hairlust.nl/blogs/blog/8-beste-haarvitamines
Dean. (2023, februari 2). Dit zijn de 10 beste shampoos voor haargroei in 2022. Opgeroepen op februari 2023, van Haarstijlspecialist: https://haarstijlspecialist.nl/tips/beste-shampoos-voor-haargroei/
Haarstichting. (2015, oktober 1). Haaruitval vitamine. Opgeroepen op februari 2023, van Nederlandse haarstichting: https://www.haarstichting.nl/actueel/nieuws/haaruitval-vitamine/
Haarstichting. (2021, mei 27). Haarolie - Uitleg. van de verschillende typen haarolie en het gebruik ervan. Opgeroepen op februari 2023, van Nederlandse haarstichting: https://www.haarstichting.nl/actueel/nieuws/haarolie-uitleg-van-de-verschillende-typen-haarolie-en-het-gebruik-hiervan/
Haarstichting. (sd). Haargroei. Opgeroepen op februari 2023, van Nederlandse haarstichting: https://www.haarstichting.nl/haargroei/
Thuisarts. (sd). Haaruitval. Opgeroepen op februari 2023, van Thuisarts.nl: https://www.thuisarts.nl/haaruitval
Thuisarts. (sd). Ik heb haaruitval, wat kan het zijn? Opgeroepen op februari 2023, van Thuisarts.nl: https://www.thuisarts.nl/haaruitval/ik-heb-haaruitval-wat-kan-zijn
Hair growth vitamins exist in several varieties these days, for instance as tablets or a gummy that looks like a candy. There have now been small-scale studies on the use of vitamins for your hair. You may be able to stimulate hair growth if you are deficient in biotin, vitamin B, vitamin C, zinc, selenium or folic acid and you take these substances via a supplement, for example. The downside is that if you take in too many of some substances, you may actually lose hair, which of course is not what you want. So always read the information leaflet carefully before taking supplements.
You may not have read about this new product that gets rid of those pesky hairs in no time. An example of a hair removal spray is Velform Hair Erase. Super nice that this spray works painlessly! The spray is easy to use, you shake the bottle before opening it, simply spray on the areas you want to remove hair, let it soak in for a while and rinse off.
Because of the nutrients brought to your hair through your blood vessels, your hair grows about 1 centimetre a month on average. That's about 12 centimetres per year. These nutrients consist largely of keratin (protein). Keratin is responsible for your hair's elasticity and water absorption. So it is important that you get enough protein.
You know your father mostly as a balding man, while in photos from the past he shows off a beautiful head of hair. Baldness or hair thinning can be hereditary. You may inherit through your parents certain genes that make you sensitive to dihydrotestosterone, also abbreviated as DHT. This hormone is produced by the testosterone in your body and is responsible for potentially thinning your hair. In women, the hormone oestrogen prevents dihydrotestosterone from having free rein. After menopause, the amount of oestrogen decreases, making your hair thinner if you are sensitive to dihydrotestosterone. So chances are you will eventually suffer from it too.
