Spend even five minutes—nay, fiveseconds—on social media, and there’s a good chance you’ll be bombarded with pictures of influencers selling hair-growth supplements, ads for magical gummies promising to

, and probably even your aunt swearing by some vitamin that gave her thicker, fuller hair overnight (and for the low, low price of a pyramid scheme!). And although I’mCosmo’s resident skeptic—really, I could medal in party-pooping—even I have found myself drawn to the glowing allure of hair-growth pills.

Like, ifeveryoneis taking them, they've gotta do something, right?And, hey, what's the harm in downing a gummy or a cute pill every day anyways?! (Uh, potentially a lot, but more on that below). Since I’m clearly not the only person having this internal crisis, I went ahead and chatted with a bunch of experts and dermatologists to find out whether hair vitamins actually grow your hair—and, even more important, whether they’re safe to take at all.

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First, here’s what hair vitamins are allegedly supposed to do: revamp your hair from the inside out with a mix of “hair-friendly” ingredients, like biotin; folic acid; vitamins D, A, C, and E; and/or virtually anything else (!) they want to throw in there.

, meaning brands can kinda say and do whatever they want. After a few months of taking them, your hair is supposed to look longer, healthier, shinier, and stronger, and your scalp’s oil production can speed up or slow down, depending on the formulation. At least, supposedly.

The thing is, these pills aren’t backed by government-approved data, and the research youcanfind on them are often...shady. "A lot of the studies you find in support of hair supplements are actually funded by the brands themselves," says Dhaval G. Bhanusali, dermatologist and founder of

in New York City. Bhanusali, who specializes in hair loss, says "the literature is sketchy at best, and most derms agree that supplements are not very impressive."

And because there isn’t really a uniform set of ingredients, strengths, or formulations across brands,

(and, more problematically, which formulations can mess with your body). But if you ask the experts—or me, who tried taking them for two months and was only left with zits—the answer is pretty much a big ol’ NOPE across the board.

Okay, so even though vitamins themselves are absolutely necessary and beneficial for your hair, they won’t do much if your body is already stocked with them—which it probably already is.

,” says trichologist Dominic Burg, chief scientist at

.

BUT shouldn’t I take them just in case?!I hear you ask. Sadly, more isn’t merrier here. Even if you ingest triple the vitamins your body needs (don’t), you won’t actually reap triple, or even double, the hair growth rewards. “Your body keeps only the vitamins it needs and then gets rid of the rest,” says Burg. Kind of like pouring water into a glass that’s already 100 percent full. So

pretty soon after you ingest them.

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“There are a lot of women running around who are deficient and don’t realize it, because of either dieting, poor nutrition, or intense stress,” says Burg. And when you’re super stressed or not eating enough, “

that need it most,” he says, thus leaving you vitamin deficient.

And if you’ve ever experienced a severe bout of physical or emotional stress (hi, pandemic!), you might have noticed a sudden shedding of your hair a few months after (or, if not, congrats! You just figured out WTF was going on with your hair). “

,” says Burg.

Of course, the only way to know for sure if your body is deficient is to have your levels tested by your doctor, so please don't start popping pills just because the entire world is a dumpster fire right now—instead, wait for aphysicianto tell you that. Duh.

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On average, everyone grows about half an inch of hair every month, although genetic factors can contribute to individual differences.

Be that as it may, it is essential to state here that there is no proven scientific method to accelerate or stimulate hair growth. What is often seen on Youtube telling viewers that they can make their hair longer by 3-4 inches in a week are misleading.

However, in other to increase the growth rate of your hair and improve the thickness, it advisable that you follow the tips below.

Avoid heat styling tools: “Stop over-styling your hair,” warns celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves. If you must use heat, Paves suggests limiting the temperature and always using a heat protectant — otherwise, you risk ruining your hair, leading to breakage and frizz.

Prevent Hair Breakage With an Egg Yolk Mask: On average, hair grows half an inch per month, but it’s how you treat your hair that determines how much you’ll retain. If your hair breaks before it gets past your shoulders, an egg mask will be your savior. Eggs contain lecithin and protein, which strengthen, nourish, and heal your strands. Plus, their high sulfur content might even help your pesky dandruff problem. To make the mask, mix two eggs with two tablespoons of olive oil. If the stickiness bothers you, you can add half a cup of water to dilute the mixture. Apply the mask directly to dry, brushed hair, and leave it on for up to 30 minutes. Then, shampoo and condition as usual for stronger strands.

Promote Hair Growth With a Hot Castor Oil Treatment: Castor oil is the unsung hero of the hair world—you might even be tempted to discard your coconut oil for it after reading this. First of all, castor oil has antifungal and antibacterial qualities to help combat scalp infections that hinder your hair from growing. Second, it’s filled with omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin E, proteins, and other nutrients that can penetrate your parched strands and seal your hair shaft to retain moisture. Thirdly, it makes an amazing hot oil treatment—rubbing the oil into your roots will help your scalp drink up all of the nutrients and help improve hair growth. To give yourself a hot oil treatment, rub the oil into your scalp, and then apply it to the ends of your strands. Pile your hair on top of your head, cover it with a shower cap, and blast your strands with a blow-dryer for 15 minutes. Feel free to jump in the shower and shampoo and condition as usual. You’ll notice softer strands instantly. 

Eat protein: How well do you know the contribution of food to your hair growth? If you want to have thick and beautiful locks, then watch what you eat. Protein provides building material for quicker hair growth, leaving it looking healthier and stronger, for protein is the very substance hair is made from.

Trim Your Split Ends: It might seem counter-productive if you want your hair to grow longer, but regular trims get rid of dry, damaged split ends and are essential for natural, healthy growth. If left untreated, split ends can work their way up the shaft of your hair strand and cause even more breakage, which means the only thing growing will be your frustration. If your stylist takes off too much length every time you go in for a visit, your hair won’t get longer, so be clear about your hair goals when communicating with them. Depending on the health of your hair, your hairstyle, and your daily routine, you could need a trim anywhere from every six weeks to six months. The better you care for your hair on a day-to-day basis, the less often you’ll need trims, and the longer your hair can grow naturally.

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