How can I grow out my bad haircut faster?

May 12, 2021 12:07 PM

I gave myself an ill-advised, uneven, way too short in several places haircut a few months ago. Normally I have a short layers but it's taking forever to get back to that length. Do those hair growth vitamins actually work? Is there anything else I can do to speed things up? My hair is thick and healthy - I just need it to grow.
posted by anonymous to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (8 answers total)

Best answer: some people swear by regular scalp massage.
posted by fingersandtoes at 12:33 PM on May 12, 2021 [2 favorites]

My stylist recommended prenatal vitamins several years ago - just the generic grocery store version. I was shocked to find that I could tell a difference in how fast both my hair and my nails grow when I take them. I don't take them all the time - just when I need that extra boost.
posted by Barnifer at 12:41 PM on May 12, 2021

I've used Wild Growth hair oil in the past. It helped me grow out a pixie cut to below shoulder length in a little over a year. I massaged 4-5 drops into my scalp in sections while my hair was still wet from washing. Some people don't like the smell--I don't mind it myself, but YMMV.

I've also taken biotin supplements before, but just a warning, it will make the hair all over your body grow faster and thicker, in case that is a dealbreaker for you.
posted by Fuego at 12:51 PM on May 12, 2021 [2 favorites]

Collagen supplements (powder or capsule) have accelerated hair growth for me in a way that was also very obvious to the person who cuts my hair.
posted by blue suede stockings at 1:24 PM on May 12, 2021

Best answer: Please don't hate me for this, but the best way to grow out a haircut is often by ... getting another haircut. Go to a professional stylist if you can, explain what's going on, and they'll be able to make some small changes to make it more tolerable in the meantime. I did this when growing out my hair after I shaved my head. Made a big difference.
posted by bluedaisy at 1:26 PM on May 12, 2021 [9 favorites]

Yep, scalp massage in the shower with something like this. Just put shampoo in your hair, rub it in like normal, then use the massager all over your scalp for two to three minutes before rinsing. It keeps your scalp healthier and you get more circulation to your hair follicles which helps your hair grow faster (allegedly, it works for me, YMMV).
posted by stellaluna at 3:21 PM on May 12, 2021 [1 favorite]

Trimming your hair during the waxing cycle of the moon is said to encourage growth. I mean, if you're going to get trims anyway, it can't hurt, might help.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 5:43 PM on May 12, 2021

A few things I know do help:

Vitamins: Yes, unless you have the perfect amazing diet a lot of vitamin naysayers apparently have. You don't need a special type, just a generic one-a-day multivitamin type will be fine.

There are a few vitamins I've heard of people taking specifically, biotin is one which I've heard anecdotally does help, but at the risk of acne.

Protein: This is a big one. Protein helps your body (and everything else) grow/repair and in the case of hair be healthy hair that comes out strong and not brittle and prone to snapping off. You can track what you eat for a week or so to get an average of the protein you consume everyday and see how it compares to the recommendations for a person of your size and needs. (Around a gram per kilogram of body weight for a average person in a average situation is the usual amount recommended.)
posted by mochi_cat at 12:46 AM on May 13, 2021