In the search to better understand hair growth, we might wonder how we can make our hair grow faster. While not totally in our control, one common beauty myth is that hair grows faster in the summer. So should we all be flocking to warm weather summer destinations in order to promote longer locks? Read on to find out if hair actually grows faster in the summer.
The hair growth cycle, explained
Before we answer the question “does hair grow faster in the summer?”, let's quickly remind ourselves of the hair cycle. Hair perpetually goes through different phases of the hair growth cycle.
Anagen Phase
Also known as the growth phase, the anagen phase lasts between 2-7 years for each follicle. Around 85-90% of the hairs on our scalp are in this phase at any given time, on average growing half a millimeter each day. Hair also tends to grow faster towards the beginning of the anagen phase.
Catagen Phase
The catagen phase is when hair follicles start to shrink and the rate of hair growth slows down. This period lasts around 2-3 weeks on average, and leads to the hair stopping growth all together and becoming a club hair (or fully-developed hair).
Telogen Phase
Time for the hair to rest and reset. While hair shedding might cause panic to some, it’s important to note that it is actually a part of a healthy growth cycle. Around 10-15% of your follicles are in the telogen phase, which lasts for 2-4 months.
Does hair grow faster in the summer?
Blood circulation
Throughout summer, we’re typically more active. Moving more and being exposed to the summer sun helps to increase blood flow in our bodies, even in our scalp. Increased blood circulation (whether during summer or other parts of the year) could potentially promote healthy hair growth by increasing the amount of nutrients delivered to the hair follicle.
Varied Diet
In most places around the world, summer offers a larger variety of accessible fruits and vegetables compared to the winter. While vitamin deficiencies may not be the root cause of hair loss, having key nutrients in your diet allows your body to have the proper energy to maintain healthy hair.
What does science say about summer hair growth?
Preliminary studies have shown that hair might grow faster in the summer. One study observed a group of 28 men over a period of 18 months. They noticed the slowest rate of growth occurred in January and increased through the summer. At the same time, they noticed more than double the amount of shedding in the summer compared to winter. In addition to this contradiction, the definition of “hair” was not limited to scalp follicles. The study looked at everything from beard to thigh hair. This attempt to prove hair growing faster in the summer was inconclusive, to say the least.
Since then, other studies have similarly failed to significantly prove a correlation to the rate of hair growth and the seasonality of summer. The first female-focused study was a retrospective study of women experiencing hair loss. They noted that telogen rates (periods of shedding) were lowest in late winter compared to summer. However, not enough information was collected to truly confirm whether or not hair grows faster in the summer.
While a few more attempts have been made to answer the question of if hair grows faster in the summer, we have yet to come to a convincing conclusion. Everyone experiences hair growth differently, which makes it difficult to find patterns that can be generalized to everyone. Even when looking at the definition of summer, does that mean time of year? Month? Weather? Ambiguity in both hair growth and what classifies as “summer” make scientific consistency and clinical differences a non-stop challenge.
Healthy hair growth year round
So according to scientific and clinical evidence, it remains inconclusive if hair actually does grow faster in the summer. That being said, there are still other ways to promote healthier, fuller hair in the summer, and all year round. In general, hair growth can be difficult and, unfortunately, the potential of summer contributing to faster growth is not a reliable solution. Turning to scientifically-proven solutions like the Hair Revival Serum is the best way to confidently tackle your hair loss and hair thinning challenges all year round.
