Hair follicles typically grow back within one to two months as long as your scalp does not need to recover from damage. If your hair follicles are damaged, it can take up to four years until they are able to regrow hair normally unless it is permanent, in which case no new strands will grow.
There are a variety of methods available for the regrowth of hair follicles, from using medication to massaging your scalp to stimulate your hair directly. Currently, the most effective way to reactivate your hair follicles is by using medication, such as finasteride and minoxidil.
If you damage your hair follicles after an injury, they can repair themselves and your hair will grow back. It could take up to four years before you see new hair growth out of damaged hair follicles, depending on the severity of your injury.
Biotin. Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is a complex B vitamin that is often touted for having hair growth benefits. And some of that hype may actually be worth it. Biotin has functions in “creating red blood cells, which carry oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles,” says Dr.
Electrolysis. This method sends an electrical current through a hair follicle, which will damage the follicle and prevent hair from growing. Because hair grows in cycles, it takes several sessions to get permanent hair removal. You'll also find kits that allow you to perform electrolysis at home.
Dead hair follicles are most evident when the scalp's skin (where the hair once grew) becomes smoother and shinier in appearance. In other words, there'll quite literally be no hair there/no signs of regrowth if your hair follicles are completely dead.
For most people, the most obvious sign of hair follicle damage is hair loss. As your follicles become damaged, they may stop growing new hairs, resulting in a receding hairline, bald spot at your crown (the area at the top of your head) or diffuse thinning.
Adding iron, B vitamins (particularly B6), omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and zinc into your diet can help to repair damaged hair strands. Scalp massages with essential oils like peppermint or rosemary can keep hair follicles healthy.
"ACV unblocks follicles in the scalp so that strands have freedom to thrive," Ruggeri says. (Note: If you do use dry shampoo, Ruggeri advises spraying it on the mid-lengths of hair, rather than the roots, to prevent clogging the follicle).
But once a hair has fallen, regrowth may not continuously occur, as the follicle becomes inactive. The bulb is not dead but asleep, said Dr Bernard, and this dormant phase can last from two to 12 months before it wakes up to give a new hair.
Dormant hair follicles can occur from physical damage to the hair follicle, leading to it no longer being able to grow hair. Or, more commonly, hair follicles can be slowly miniaturized from exposure to a hormone called DHT (dihydrotestosterone).
DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) is a normal male hormone, or Androgen, that is produced from Testosterone by a very interesting group of enzymes, 5-alpha reductase 1, 2, and 3.
Minoxidil. One very good medication to reactivate dormant hair follicles is minoxidil. Applied regularly to the scalp, minoxidil can re-grow hair that has completely stopped growing. The only caveat is that once you start taking it, you'll have to keep taking it indefinitely.
New research has allowed scientists to generate new hair follicles — those tube-shaped pores that hug the strand and root of a hair — in vitro in a lab. It's a development that experts say can open pathways for better hair loss treatments in the future.
Iron deficiency (ID) is the world's most common nutritional deficiency and is a well-known cause of hair loss.
Simple baking soda may help open roots. Add two teaspoons (10 mL) of baking soda to a cup (240 mL) of lukewarm water and then stir until the baking soda dissolves. Pour the mixture over your head and work it into your scalp using your fingertips. Let it sit for a couple of minutes before rinsing.