5 Mistakes You're Making If Your Hair Isn't Growing As Fast As You Want

Buildup—be it from natural oils, products, dirt, or the like—wreaks havoc on your scalp. The primary issues are inflammation and clogging the hair follicles (they often, too, go hand-in-hand). Both of these things can severely limit hair growth and even cause hair loss. Essentially the buildup suffocates the pores, making it difficult for lush, thick strands to flourish. 

Like all things dealing with your body, you need the proper nutrients to flourish. Your hair, being made up of the protein keratin, needs amino acids. One easy way to get amino acids is through collagen supplementation.* Hydrolyzed collagen peptides are essentially short chains of amino acids, many of which are used to build hair. When you take a collagen powder, your body is able to absorb the peptides, where they travel throughout the body. In skin, they are able to support your cells' fibroblasts to create collagen and elastin1.* Your hair can use them to create stronger, healthier strands.* 

OK, we know that hair growth starts at the root, so it seems weird we're encouraging you to pay attention to the ends. But the logic is simple: Even if you do everything to encourage healthy growth, it means nothing if you keep on having to snip away at all that damage on the bottom. You need to be tending to the whole of the hair shaft. 

Using a flat iron or blow dryer every so often isn't going to ruin your shiny strands. However, daily use—especially without protection or using the tools on the highest setting—is troublesome. Heat styling works by breaking down your hair's bonds and then rearranging them to a different shape. You do this enough and your hair will become severely damaged, resulting in breakage and even loss.