Everyone goes through phases of their life when they get a new hairstyle or cut their hair short. For a while, you love how it looks and wouldn’t want to go back, but then you see pictures of long, healthy hair. 

Maybe you want waist-length curls or thick hair that doesn’t have split ends. Some people wait years for their hair to grow out by even a few inches, but you don’t have to spend your future wishing you’d never scheduled that last cut.

Check out how to make your hair grow faster with these six simple tips. Anyone can use these tricks to encourage faster, natural growth so that you get the look you want without wasting your time or money.

1. Avoid Chemical Treatments

There are many types of hair treatments that all do something a little different. A specific product may get you the platinum blonde shade you’ve always wanted or guarantee straight hair for weeks at a time. If you’ve signed up for these treatments recently, they could be the cause of your hair not growing fast enough.

Chemical treatments result in dry, brittle hair. This means there’s no protective layer on the hair strands because chemicals dissolve it during treatments and keep your hair and hair follicles from retaining moisture. Stay away from these services and give your hair time to heal so that it regains its ability to grow faster. 

2. Schedule Regular Trims

Every eight to 12 weeks, you should head back to your favorite salon. By that point, your hair may have grown a quarter-inch or longer and will have split ends. After your stylist trims these split ends off, your hair will grow faster and appear healthier because there’s no breakage. Your body won’t waste time trying to grow from split ends and will instead thrive with healthier strands.

3. Eat Healthy Food

Your first thought may be to find a new product to encourage hair growth, but you should look at your diet. What you eat affects your body, especially in terms of cellular growth and regeneration. Skip your next round of fast food or microwaved meals and eat foods that help your hair instead, like berries or sweet potatoes. These foods have all-natural nutrients like biotin, vitamin C and beta-carotene that are all linked to hair health. Find new recipes and have fun discovering new flavors while enjoying food that’s proven to help you reach your hair goals.

4. Skip Heat Styling Tools

Think about how often you straighten or curl your hair. Pressing your hair against a metal tool that’s heated to extremely high temperatures will bake and fray each strand, leading to more split ends and breakage. Don’t zap all the moisture from your hair with this kind of styling. Try new ways to play with your look so that you don’t rely on harmful styling tools while you wait for extra length or volume.

5. Shampoo Less Frequently

Another way to accidentally dry your hair out is to use shampoo every day. Shampoo strips your scalp of natural oils that keep your hair follicles healthy. Without this hydration, your hair dries out and stops growing at its natural, faster pace. Shampoo less frequently each week or find one that’s gentle on your scalp.

6. Rinse With Cold Water

When you finish rinsing out your conditioner during your next shower, stand under cold water for at least a few minutes for longer hair. The cold temperature constricts and flattens hair follicles, which makes your hair healthier and prevents it from falling out. You’ll also decrease pore size and redness in your skin, which are just a few of the extra benefits of cold water showers.

Give Yourself Time

It’s hard to look in the mirror every day and wish your hair was longer, but even with these tips, it will take time to get the length you want. Keep up your new healthy routine with better food, no chemical treatments and no hot styling tools to make your hair grow faster naturally.