How Long Does It Take for Hair to Regrow After Shaving

When you’re living it, it seems to take forever and a day for your hair to regrow after shaving it.

A shaved head is cool, comfortable, and edgy. It’s more common for men, who think nothing of rocking a buzz cut or cropping their hair in the summertime, but an increasing number of women are enjoying the freedom and fashionable element of a shaved head as well.

It’s all fun and games at first, but inevitably, you start missing your longer tresses. At that point, you become impatient, even angry, waiting for your hair to grow back as long and thick as you remember it. Think about how it feels to grow out your bangs, then multiply it by ten.

Just remember that even though it feels like an eternity to you, it actually doesn’t take that long to regrow your hair after shaving your head.

How Long Does It Take for Scalp Hair to Regrow After Shaving?

After shaving, it takes up to two weeks for the hair to grow back. You may not even see it at first, since it grows so slowly, but it will be there.

On your scalp, you have follicles that are like shallow holes or pockets where the hair grows from. Shaving your head only removes the top part of the hair shaft. You aren’t pulling it out from its roots, which means it retains its ability to grow back.

For the average person, after the hair grows back, it will continue to grow at an average of half an inch per month. For people older in age, hair grows back more slowly.

Waiting for Hair to Grow Back after a Shave?

You stare in the mirror every day. Each time you brush or comb your hair, you try to check the length and examine how much it grew overnight. The wait for regrowth after you shave your head never ends.

It’s frustrating and disheartening—but that’s just because you see yourself every single day. It’s impossible to notice growth when that growth is incremental.

Of course, the rate at which your hair grows makes a difference, as well. You only see about a half-inch of growth every month.

With a shaved head, a half-inch doesn’t make much of a visible difference. The passage of a year brings about approximately six inches of new hair growth.

Even that probably doesn’t seem like a lot when you’re impatient and missing longer hair. Fortunately, you can give your follicles a boost and hurry along the process.

#1: What Happens with Your Hair

All right, so. Your hair grows half an inch per month and six inches per year—ideally. Within about three months, you’ll notice about an inch and a half of new hair, especially since shaving your hair isn’t the same as plucking or losing it—the follicle bulb is still intact.

After a year, you have half a foot of new hair, give or take, enough hair for a short pixie haircut. Men may regrow their hair in six months, but it could take longer for women.

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#2: Factors Affecting Regrowth

Your age plays a part in the time it takes to grow back your hair. The older you get, the slower it grows and the longer it takes. Your metabolism can play a part, as well, and if you’re sick—chronically, acutely, or with a virus—then that can affect regrowth, too.

Genetics also plays a significant role in determining your hair length. In humans, hair’s growth phase is between 2 to 6 years. The duration of your growth phase, be it a year, 2, 3, or even 6, is genetically determined.

#3: Thick Trick

You have a respite in your quest to grow out your hair. Shaving, unlike plucking or threading, simply cuts the hair—duh, I know. Like say, you’re not doing anything to the root, so the follicles remain intact.

However, when hair is fully grown, the ends are tapered and softer. The blunt edges created by shaving your hair will make it appear darker and thicker as it grows back in.

Even though you have to wait to reach your full length, you can at least enjoy the illusion of dark, thick hair.

#4: Just Eat It

To give your hair growth a boost, you need to eat right. If it’s taking too long for hair to regrow after shaving, then add healthy, nutritious foods to your diet.

Grains, meats, and vegetables with omega-3 fatty acids supercharge hair growth. Lean meats and healthy fats are helpful, too, as are fresh fruits and vegetables in general.

#5: Vitamin Power

There are a variety of vitamins that make your hair grow faster as well. Elements such as vitamin D, zinc, copper, magnesium, vitamin E, and B-complex play a role in hair growth.

Benefits of Shaving Head

There are several benefits to having a shaved head:

1. It’s stylish: Having a shaved head looks edgy and fresh for both men and women.
2. Hides hair loss: If your hair is thinning at the temples or crown or you have hair loss due to alopecia, shaving your hair is the quickest and easiest way to hide problem areas.
3. Saves money: Actually, it saves a lot of money in shampoo, conditioners, and hair loss serums.
4. Saves time: If you ever wanted to head out the door every day, on time, without worrying about your hair, shaving it can add to that sense of freedom.

Side Effects of Shaving Head

Having a shaved head isn’t all roses, well not completely. There are a few minor issues with it:

1. Your scalp might become overly dry from exposure to the sun and the elements.
2. If you don’t use sunscreen or a hat, your scalp can also be exposed to harmful UV sun rays.
3. Shaving and low clipping can produce ingrown hairs.
4. It does save time, but you’ll probably have to shave it daily to keep it closely cut — just like shaving your face.
5. Opinionated people might feel prompted to comment on your new look. It’s okay, let them.

How to Care for Shaved Head for Healthy Regrowth

Shaving your head doesn’t mean your hair will grow healthier or not healthier. If your hair is just damaged and you want to grow it afresh, or you’re looking for a new style, shaving really isn’t going to make a negative impact on the growth of your hair.

But if you have alopecia and don’t treat it while you have a shaved head, you could see quite a bit of degeneration when you do grow your hair again. To avoid that, use hair growth products on your scalp.

It’s the scalp, after all, that’s in need of regenerating nutrients to grow your hair healthily. Invest in an anti-hair loss shampoo, even if you’re shaving your hair temporarily. These have ingredients that work against the DHT on your scalp. DHT is a hair loss hormone that kills hair follicles.

After using an anti-hair loss shampoo, massage your scalp with a hair growth oil. You might find that when you stop shaving your hair, it’s ready to grow back just fine.

FAQs

How long does it take for hair to regrow after shaving? Probably a year, but it all depends on how long you want to grow your hair.