[INSERT ARTICLE HERE]: 5 Ways to Help Your Hair Grow Faster and Stronger Cool It Down Heat styling can break and damage hair. If you often get blow-outs or use a curling or straightening iron or hot comb, your hair may not grow as quickly as you’d like. If you must use heat: Spritz on a heat protectant first. Use the coolest setting. Work quickly so heat touches your hair as little as possible. Don't use it every day. Let Wet Hair Be Wet hair is super-stretchy. If you brush it when it’s dripping, you could break strands or damage the cuticle, the shingle-like cells that protect each hair. Using heat tools on very wet hair can create bubbles in the hair shaft, making it extra fragile. If your hair's straight, let it air-dry, then comb gently with a wide-tooth comb. For textured or curly hair, gently detangle with a wide-tooth comb while it’s damp. Take Care With Color Bleach and other chemical hair treatments like permanents weaken your hair, so it's more likely to break before it grows to your longed-for length. If you choose a hue not too far from your natural color -- say, three shades -- you’ll need less damaging peroxide. Always spot-test store-bought dye before applying it to your whole head. Meds Can Help or Hurt Minoxidil is an over-the-counter medication that can help you hang on to the hair you have and even regrow some you’ve lost. But you must continue using it to keep up the results. Prescription meds to treat hair loss include spironolactone (Aldactone) and finasteride (Propecia). Hair loss may be a side effect of some medicines, including beta-blockers and amphetamines. Ask your doctor about alternatives if this happens to you. Get a Trim How could a haircut help your hair grow? When you get a trim, what comes off is the ends, the weakest parts of the strands. If left as is, those ends could break or split. Split ends can travel up your hair shafts and make your locks even shorter. Just don't cut too much, if growth is your goal. Your hair grows about 1/2 inch a month, so you might aim for a 1/4-inch trim every 3 months or so.