Finding the right shampoo for you can be a time consuming process at the best of times, particularly as there are a plethora of hair care products on the market catering for all sorts of different hair types including shampoo and conditioner for fine hair, thick hair, greasy hair, normal hair, dry hair, damaged and bleached hair and even for different hair colours. So what about faster hair growth shampoo?

If you are concerned about hair loss or thinning hair and want to encourage your hair to grow faster, there are also many shampoos and conditioners out there that claim to promote faster hair growth and minimise hair loss so what's the difference between them an other shampoos?

Shampoos specially formulated to encourage faster hair growth will usually contain a combination of active ingredients that work together synergistically to improve the condition of the scalp and the hair and will help to remove a build up of DHT and sebum from the scalp to create the best environment for new hair to grow. In order to understand how faster hair growth shampoo can help; it might be worth explaining how the hair grows.

The Hair Growth Cycle

Hair grows in cycles and not all the hair on your head will be growing at the same time. Generally speaking, around 90% of the hair on your head is actively growing or in the growth phase (Anagen) at any one time and an average growth rate amounts to more or less around a centimetre a month. The rest of your hair is in the Telogen stage or resting phase and it is normal during this phase for hair to fall out, sometimes as many as 100 hairs a day. The growth phase can last anything from 2 to 6 years and the resting phase usually lasts a few months.

There are many factors that will influence the length of your growth phase and how fast your hair will be able to grow and how easy it is for your hair to fall out during the Telogen phase and these include your diet, medication, your general health, and even stress, but one of the most significant factors that will influence whether or not you are likely to experience the typical male pattern baldness or widespread thinning of the hair is genetics.

The main cause of typical male pattern baldness in men and widespread thinning of the hair in women is linked to androgens (hormones) and is known as androgenetic alopecia. Your genes will dictate how sensitive you are to the effects of the male hormone DHT or dihydrotestosterone. High levels of DHT shorten the growth phase of the hair and over time shrink the hair follicle so that the hair thins out and eventually, no new hair is able to grow.

This pattern is different in men and women. Men's hair will recede along the hairline and hair loss will be apparent on the top of the head whereas in female pattern alopecia, the hair tends to thin out over the top of the head and is usually not as severe as male pattern alopecia.

Regardless of whether you are male or female, the trick to minimising hair loss and encouraging faster hair growth is to do everything possible to ensure that the growth phase of the hair is extended and at the same time reduce the risk of an excess of hair falling out during the resting phase.

Shampoos that facilitate faster hair growth will often contain ingredients that can help to reduce the amount of DHT on the scalp and at the same time will nourish the scalp and hair follicle giving the hair a better opportunity to thrive. However, instead of relying on shampoo alone, there are other tips that can help promote faster hair growth.

Tips for faster hair growth

• Reduce the levels of DHT on the scalp by using an appropriate shampoo and conditioner designed specifically to do that

• Eat a healthy and balanced diet containing adequate amounts of vitamins and amino acids so that your body has all the nutrients it needs to feed the hair follicle

• Ensure that the circulation of blood to the scalp is good so that the follicle is able to receive all the nutrients it needs to produce healthy hair – massage whilst shampooing is an excellent way of doing this

• Reduce stress levels

• Avoid anything that damages the hair and the hair follicle, for example, heated appliances, harsh brushing, tight ponytails, and shampoos containing harsh chemicals

Frequent washing with an unsuitable shampoo, particularly a soap based shampoo, will strip your hair of its natural oils and will give your hair a dull and lifeless look. The ideal faster hair growth shampoo is one that will clean your hair and leave it looking shiny, feeling silky and most importantly, one that will not damage your hair or irritate your scalp. As each and every one of us is different, it is worth shopping around until you find a shampoo that you are happy with, one that works for you.