Have you ever found yourself googling “ways to make my hair grow faster”, lost in a wormhole of TikTok unable to find your way out, or interrogating your hair stylist for a method or product they are gatekeeping? You’re not the only one.

We often receive emails and DM’s from people in search of product suggestions for hair growth; whether it’s due to hair loss, haircut regrets or wedding day hair goals and it got us thinking about our selection in this category - what's on offer?

We could talk to you until the cows come home about the products that are truly going to make a difference to your hair, so that's why we decided to nerd out a bit and do a deep dive into these hair growth heroes. Highlighting specific ingredients with hair growth abilities and unpacking the scientific evidence proving their credibility. Have they been clinically studied? How do they work? How long will it take before you see the results?

If you’re looking for a hero product to encourage growth or into the science behind the products promising big things then this is for you.

Hair growth happens in three continuous phases: the anagen phase (growth), the catagen phase (transitional), and the telogen phase (resting).

During the anagen stage, the hair is actively growing. Each strand can spend two to eight years in this phase, with hair growing just over 1cm per month. Once this stage starts to end, it moves to the transitional catagen stage that lasts for about ten days. Then it will enter the telogen phase for two to three months, where strands are released, resulting in shedding, before repeating the whole process. There are about 9% of your hair follicles in telogen at any time, it's worth noting that your hair is not all in the same phase at the same time!

Several factors promote the anagen-to-telogen transition, reducing growth while encouraging rest and eventual shedding. These include inflammation, hormones, stress, nutritional deficiency, poor sleep quality, and certain medications. Another thing to note is that as we age the anagen phase length decreases, resulting in weaker and thinner hair over time.

We hope that equipping you with knowledge of your hair growth cycle will help you better understand the different phases your hair goes through and some reasons for hair loss if that's what you're experiencing.

Not your traditional haircare, Hairology™ is a once-daily ingestible capsule targeting the cause of thinning lacklustre hair. Prioritising follicular health to help minimise hair loss and support hair growth and strength, with noticeable results within 8 weeks.

Hairology is powered by hero active, AnaGain™, an extract derived from organic pea sprouts and a beneficial source of vitamins and minerals. It works to nourish the follicle with phytonutrients – and is clinically studied to reduce hair loss, shedding and thinning while rejuvenating hair follicles for longer, thicker locks.

AnaGain™ is supported by actives including seaweed extract bladderwrack, zinc, selenium and biotin to top up the body with essential vitamins and minerals for hair growth and healthy, strong strands.

colleen recommends for thinning, ageing hair caused by stress, hormone changes and vitamin deficiencies. Or weak, lacklustre hair damaged by excessive heat use and colour treatments.

Body Mass helps strengthen and thicken the hair. The leave-in plumping treatment helps fortify and strengthen the roots to help prevent hair ageing. Advanced eyelash thickening technology helps strengthen and densify fine or thin hair while Antioxidant-rich Oleanolic Acid helps fortify at the roots and fight ageing.

The two key players in Body Mass are Oleanolic Acid and Baobab. Oleanolic Acid is rich in antioxidants and helps to reduce the production of DHT, the main hormone associated with hair loss. By inhibiting DHT, Oleanolic Acid supports the maintenance of healthy hair follicles.

Adansonia Digitata (Baobab) Fruit Extract is a nutritional powerhouse loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. The high vitamin C content in baobab aids in collagen production, a protein crucial for hair growth.

colleen recommends for all hair types, especially fine, ageing and thinning hair.

Scalp + Rejuvenating Booster is a daily leave-in treatment that helps reduce the signs of all types of hair loss while boosting the growth of thicker, stronger, healthy hair. Combining a proprietary blend of Procapil™️, wasabi, tomato and apple extracts, the high-performance formula delivers results with 3 months of consistent, daily use.

The hero ingredient is Procapil™️ which is a unique blend of oleanolic acid, extracted from olive tree leaves; apigenin, a bioflavonoid found in citrus fruits; and Biotinyl-GHK, a vitamin-derived peptide.

It works to block the effects of DHT while enhancing collagen production to strengthen the hair follicle. It increases blood circulation within the scalp allowing nourishment to reach the derma papilla cells, producing healthier hair and increasing the production of amino acids essential for keratin production and boosting regrowth.

colleen recommends for men starting to recede due to DHT, hormonal changes in women (including postpartum + menopause), Covid, age stress + medication.

Energizing Superactive is a serum for hair loss due to androgenetic factors (male/female pattern baldness). Its formula improves the scalp tone, controls the hyper-production of sebum, reduces hair loss and improves hair density.

Formulated with a hair energy complex; the hair growth heroes within this product are Vigna Radiata Seed Extract (mung bean) and Trifolium Pratense Extract (red clover), Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside (green tea) all of which are nutrient-rich and have been scientifically proven to stimulate and encourage hair growth while indirectly counteracting DHT's miniaturization effect on hair follicles.

colleen recommends for hormonal hair loss.

Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo thickens and adds vitality to fine, flat hair while nourishing and strengthening from root to tip. Followed up by Dallas Biotin Thickening Conditioner to revitalize hair with lightweight hydration. Infused with Biotin for prolonged strength and enhanced shine.

As the name suggests, Biotin is the star here for its hair strengthening and thickening benefits while promoting healthy hair and scalp. The co-star in the Dallas range is Saw Palmetto Berry Extract; a popular botanical extract that has been shown to block and regulate the effect of androgen hormones and improve hair growth, promote growth by reducing inflammation and strengthening hair follicles.

colleen recommends for those with fine, thin hair.

Original Natural Marine Collagen is a collagen peptide supplement made from sustainably sourced fish skin. It’s been activated to boost absorption and stimulate fresh collagen production. Think strong nails, plump skin and shiny healthy hair.

Collagen is the building block of strong, healthy hair and plays a key role in hair follicle health. Collagen has been shown to promote hair growth, assist hair regeneration, improve hair health and strengthen hair follicles with consistent supplementation. Marine collagen also contains proline, an amino acid which can help prevent damage to follicles from free radicals, promote new hair growth and protect strands from breakage.

colleen recommends for anyone looking to support the natural ageing process; to thicken hair, increase skin firmness & enhance skin elasticity, and strengthen nails.

Resources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9917549/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10246929/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235755975_A_new_strategy_to_modulate_alopecia_using_a_combination_of_two_specific_and_unique_ingredients
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6627095/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17092697/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28879195/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7706486/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28628687/