7 tips to grow hair faster and healthy 

There’s no question that a man’s hair is an important part of his overall look. There’s so much to consider – style, length, when to cut it, what products to use – that it can be overwhelming at times.

We’re here to help, however, with our hair care tips for men. We’ll cover everything from how to take care of hair daily, to how to improve hair quality, and what to do (and not do) when you’re letting your hair grow out.

In the end, we think you’ll have enough knowledge to make your daily hair care routine more effective than ever.

THE BEST HAIR CARE TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

1. DRYING YOUR HAIR THE RIGHT WAY

If you’re like a lot of men, you step out of the shower after washing and/or conditioning your hair and rub it vigorously with a towel to help dry it. Don’t do it.

The fact is, your hair is very susceptible to damage when it’s wet, and rubbing wet hair with a towel causes some of the hair to become caught in the threads of the towel and stretches hairs past their breaking point. In turn, this causes damage to the outer layers of hair, as well as split ends and frizziness.

Instead, pat dry your hair after you shake out excess water while gently stroking it in the direction it grows.

You also need to take caution when blow drying your hair. Honestly, the best way to dry your hair is to air-dry it, but blow drying may be your best option on those days when you’re running short on time. Some important things to remember when using a hair dryer are to use the lowest heat settings possible, and to always leave your hair slightly damp to make sure you aren’t over-drying it.

2. GO EASY ON THE HEAT

We just talked about using a lower heat setting if you have to blow dry your hair, cutting down on any heat is a general rule for the typical men’s hair care routine.

There’s nothing like a hot shower, especially when the temperatures outside dip below freezing, but hot water wreaks havoc on your hair because it strips much of the essential oils from your hair and scalp, which leads to dryness.

Again, the best way to dry your hair is to let it air dry. If you use a hairdryer, cut back on the heat, and leave your hair slightly damp so you won’t be tempted to over dry it.

3. WEAR HATS SPARINGLY

Sometimes you just want to rock a hat or a cap but don’t overdo it. Tight hats can cause hair damage and loss because they pull too hard on the hair’s roots. Wear loose-fitting hats if possible.

4. DON’T DO A COMB-OVER – EVER

OK, so your hair is thinning on top while you still have a fair amount of it on the sides. Please don’t make the awful decision to cover the bare spots on top of your head with a comb-over. It’s never a good look and may remind people of the creepy uncle that keeps showing up at their family reunions. And most women will run – make that sprint – from a man with a comb-over. Do yourself a favor and get a haircut that suits your thinning style instead.

Hopefully these tips will help you achieve the look you want in a hairstyle but, most importantly, help you to keep your hair as healthy as possible. Like anything else, strong, healthy hair is achieved through consistent effort and the right knowledge.

5. DON’T OVERDO IT WITH PRODUCTS

There’s nothing wrong with using hair gels, waxes, and even hairspray for getting the style and look that you want. But, using too much product can make your hair look unnatural and heavy, so use only the amount that you really need instead of applying excess amounts.

Here’s a quick primer on hair products that can help you make the right choices for your hair type:

• Gel – Gives you the wet look that stays in place. It’s a high-shine, high-hold product.
• Putties – Putties are high-hold, low shine and aren’t as stiff as gels.
• Wax – There’s no question that wax holds your hair in place. It is tougher to get out of your hair because it’s oil-based.
• Pomade – Pomade is great for achieving retro looks and also have a high shine. Pomades tend to have a lesser hold than other products.
• Paste – Paste is a good option for you if you have medium to long hair. They usually have medium shine and hold.
• Muds & Clays – Because muds and clays are dryer than other products for men’s hair, they tend to have lower shine. Muds and clays range from low to high hold and everything in between.
• Sea Salt Spray – Sea Salt Spray is a great option for achieving textured, matte hair that is touchable and moves naturally.

6. WASH, BUT DON’T REPEAT

One of the great myths about washing your hair is that you need to shampoo it, rinse it, and then repeat the process once more. Not only is a double-wash unnecessary, but it may also dry out your hair.

7. GROWING LONG HAIR: A GUIDE

Deciding to let your hair grow long is not much different than deciding to grow a full beard, i.e., you need time, patience, and an idea of what you want. Let’s break it down and take a closer look; you’ll also want to check out our video to gain a better understanding of what we’re talking about.

HAVE A PLAN

Take an honest look at the reasons and your goals for growing long hair. It’s a commitment, as well as something that needs to fit in with your lifestyle. You also need to make sure you have the extra time for your grooming routine, because longer hair requires a bit more time to maintain than shorter hair.

STAY STRONG

One of the best things you can do while growing long hair is to own it. By that, we mean stay committed to the process, even when your hair looks bad when it’s growing out. There are going to be mornings when you wake up and, no matter what you do, it looks bad. It’s much easier to “train” shorter hair, but with longer hair you need to endure those moments of annoyance when your hair is at different lengths.

It’s a lot like growing a beard. There will be moments in the process when you want to shave it off because of how it looks, but staying on track through the tough times truly pays off in the end. How long should you let it grow? Ideally, if you truly want long hair, you should give your hair about a year’s worth of growth before deciding your next move. Your hair will go through a lot of phases along the way, so be patient.

When you’re growing your hair out it’s like a new look every month and the ability to train it completely vanishes, as we discuss in our Growing Out Your Hair video.

Not that it’s always a hassle, because one of the beauties of growing your hair out is that there a lot of things you can try out – like ponytails – and play around with during the process.

HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS

Investing in good tools is important whether you’re working on a car, doing a DIY project around the house, or when you’re taking care of your hair during the growing process. A wide-tooth comb is a good tool to have for hair care, as is a hairbrush with natural bristles. If you’re going the ponytail route, buy cloth-coated bands to hold things in place because they’re gentler on hair.