While there are many myths and theories surrounding hair growth, one question that has persisted is does wearing a hat make your hair grow faster? Some people actually think that wearing a hat leads to hair loss. To learn the truth about hair growth, it is necessary to understand the process of how hair grows, as well as why there are a variety of theories circulating about the effect of hats on hair growth. Does wearing a hat help hair grow? Does wearing a hat stop hair growth? With a little information and understanding, the answer to these questions can be found and you can move forward with the knowledge you need to make the right decision for your hair growth.
The Phases of Hair Growth
There are three main phases that comprise the hair growth process, they are the Anagen phase, Catagen phase, and Telogen phase. The Anagen phase is the active phase of the hair growth cycle because during this stage of hair growth the cells that form the root at the base of the hair are rapidly dividing. This rapid and consistent splitting of cells results in the production of new hair on the surface. These new hairs serve to replace club hairs, which are hairs that are no longer in the Anagen growth phase and will not continue to grow. Your body recognizes that a club hair is detrimental to maintaining a full head of healthy hair, and so it forces those hairs out to replace them with healthy, growing hair follicles. For most the population, the hair remains in the Anagen growth phase for two to six years. During this phase, your hair will grow approximately one centimeter per month. The duration of your active growth phase determines the length of the hair you can achieve, which is why some people can grow their hair much longer than others. During the Catagen phase, the hair is transitioning. At any given time, a small percentage of the hair on your scalp is in the Catagen stage. The Catagen stage occurs when the active growth phases ceases and the outer root sheath grows smaller and becomes joined with the root of the hair. This process is how a club hair is formed. The Catagen phase often takes place for two to three weeks. The final phase of the hair growth cycle is the Telogen phase, which is known as the resting phase. The Telogen phase often is marked by a duration of one hundred days on average and accounts for approximately six to eight percent of the hairs on your scalp. During this phase, the hair follicle has ceased actively growing and is now at rest. The Telogen phase occurs when a club hair has finalized its formation. During the Telogen phase, natural shedding of twenty-five to one hundred hairs takes place each day. Now that you understand how your hair grows, it is time to address the question of whether wearing a hair positively or negatively affects hair growth.
Does Wearing a Hat Make Your Hair Grow Faster?
Hair growth is most commonly affected by factors such as genetics, nutrition, drug use, hair care practices, and overall health. There are foods and vitamins for hair growth that will help battle hair loss. However, it has been a common question as to whether wearing a hair will aide in overall hair growth. It is most likely that this question arose from the knowledge that wearing a hat can help protect the hair from harmful Ultraviolet rays, which can damage the Keratin in hair follicles. While some believe, this may save hair from receiving damaging sunlight, other believe that the lack of air circulation to the scalp slows the hair growth process and may cause increased shedding due to pressure on the hair follicles. While both of the theories are based in truth, hats do both protect hair from Ultraviolet rays and do decrease airflow to the hair, neither results in increased or decreased hair growth. Hair growth stems at the most base level from a healthy blood supply deep in the hair follicles, which wearing a hat has no effect on. In the end, the effect hats have on hair growth is extremely minimal and does not constitute a large enough variable to significantly alter a hair growth pattern. Focusing on using the right hair care products and eating the right foods will have a much more discernable effect on hair growth than a hat will, so throw on your favorite cap and don’t worry about damaging your locks. Keep in mind, you always can supplement your diet and hair care products with supplements to expedite the process.
So you might be still wondering how to make hair grow faster. The answer lies in understanding the phases of the hair growth cycle and pinpoint the stage hair loss where you need help. For examples, if you are experiencing thinning hair it could be due to the face that you are experiencing a build up of natural oil in the hair follicles. In this case you could get a deep intense shampoo for thinning hair to clean the scalp and promote healthy hair growth.
