HOW TO GROW HAIR FASTER
By HWB Editorial
Scalp Science · 6 Min Read · August 2026
This article explores what influences hair growth and how to support its natural potential.
Waiting for your hair to grow can feel particularly frustrating when you are trying to recover from thinning, a shorter haircut or visible hair fall.
Hair, however, does not grow at a constant pace. Every follicle follows its own cycle, moving through periods of active growth, transition and rest. The length of these stages, and how smoothly a follicle moves between them, influences how much hair you see growing at any given time.
So when hair seems to be growing slowly, the answer is not always about making the strand itself grow faster.
It can be about how long the follicle remains in its productive phase, what causes it to leave that phase, and whether the scalp and body are providing the right conditions for the cycle to continue normally.
Understanding that distinction changes the way we think about hair growth.
WHAT ARE THE ANAGEN, CATAGEN AND TELOGEN PHASES?
Every hair follicle moves through three primary stages: anagen, catagen and telogen.
Anagen is the active growth phase. Cells within the follicle are actively producing the hair fibre, and this stage can last for years. The longer a follicle remains in anagen, the more opportunity the strand has to develop length.
Catagen is the transitional stage. Growth slows and the follicle begins preparing to enter its resting period.
Telogen is the resting phase. The follicle becomes inactive before the old strand eventually sheds and the cycle begins again.
These phases do not occur simultaneously across the entire scalp. Each follicle operates according to its own cycle, which is why some hairs are growing while others are resting or shedding.
When a greater number of follicles shift into telogen earlier than expected, or remain there for longer, increased shedding can become noticeable. Significant stress, illness, rapid weight loss, nutritional inadequacy and other physiological changes can influence the cycle.
Catagen is normally brief, while telogen lasts considerably longer.
Understanding this cycle changes the conversation around hair growth. It is not only about increasing the speed of a growing strand. It is also about supporting a healthy cycle and the conditions that allow follicles to remain productive.
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE ANAGEN PHASE FOR HAIR GROWTH?
Because anagen is the phase in which the hair is actively produced, supporting this stage has become an important area of cosmetic hair care.
AnaGain™ is one of HWB's key growth-focused actives, selected for anagen-phase support. It is combined with Biotin, Caffeine, Plan Sterols, and L-Carnitine Tartrate, alongside botanicals including Rosemary, Peppermint, Sesame Seed and Vetiver.
The intention is not to suggest that a cosmetic formula can override the natural biology of the follicle.
Instead, the aim is to support the scalp and hair within a well-designed hair growth routine, with ingredients selected for specific roles.
This distinction matters in a category where promises can easily become exaggerated. Hair growth takes time, and a considered approach respects the natural cycle rather than suggesting an overnight transformation.
WHAT CAUSES HAIR TO GROW SLOWLY OR SHED MORE?
Sometimes the issue is not that the hair itself is growing unusually slowly. A change in the hair cycle can make growth appear slower because fewer follicles are actively producing hair at the same time.
Stress and illness can temporarily alter the cycle. Rapid weight loss and restrictive diets can also affect hair growth, particularly when they result in inadequate calories, protein or essential nutrients.
Nutritional deficiencies can be relevant too. Iron, zinc and other nutrients have roles in normal physiological processes involved in hair production. If increased shedding appears suddenly or persists, identifying an underlying deficiency is more useful than simply adding supplements without knowing whether they are needed.
Hormonal changes can also influence the hair cycle.
This is why hair growth treatment should never be reduced to a single ingredient or a single explanation. The same visible concern can have very different underlying causes.
When hair loss is sudden, significant or progressive, understanding the cause should come before choosing a cosmetic solution.
