Make Hair Grow Faster

Young woman who is brushing her long hair
Photo: Olena Zaskochenko/Shutterstock
Q: Hi, my name is Danielle and I was wondering if it is true that if you comb your hair very often and massage your scalp every day, it will make your hair grow faster? I have heard many people say this before but not sure if it is true.
 
A: Sorry Danielle, it's not true. If it were, some people would do nothing but comb their hair constantly until it was dragging the ground behind them.
 
That's not to say that combing the hair and massaging the scalp has no benefit. In fact, combing (or brushing) the hair to stimulate the scalp, and scalp massage are great ways to help regulate oil production in the hair follicles. It helps to loosen and remove dead skin cells which could clog the pores of the scalp and block the follicles which can cause other irritation and problems. In order to be of the best benefit, this should be done prior to shampooing the hair.
 
Stimulating the scalp - whether through massage or combing/brushing - helps to promote circulation in the skin of the scalp. The increased circulation regulates the scalp temperature and moisture levels, and that in turn can slow down the production of sweat as well as distributing the oils produced in the follicles along the hair shaft.
 
Combing the hair is actually better for the hair than brushing it, because the comb only tries to arrange the strands of hair in specific directions. Brushes, on the other hand put stress on the hair shafts in multiple directions at once and generally create more tension in the hair (which is why brushing gives such smooth results more quickly than a comb).
 
Over brushing the hair can lead to problems like split-ends and breakage. This means that combing is a safe alternative. Just remember to make sure you don't press too hard with the comb, lest you scratch your scalp.
 
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See also:
 
Scalp massager spider
 
How many brush strokes a day for healthy hair?
 
Hair combing and brushing basics
 
Why do certain hair salons massage your head during shampooing?