Hair Cycle Manipulation?

[Maddy25]

I read something yesterday about the hair going through 3 cycles, growing, resting and shedding. Does anyone know of ways to change the length of the cycles so that the growing cycle is longer? I feel like my hair is always in the resting cycle because it does not seem to shed but it does not grow very much at all. Any advice would be appreciated :o

[RavennaNight]

I heard taking MSM suppliment is supposed to lengthen hair cycles.

[spidermom]

Hair is already in the growing cycle longer. It grows until it gets as long as it is genetically programmed to get (and this can be different for every hair on your head), then it rests, then it sheds out.

[RancheroTheBee]

Apparently, MSM is supposed to lengthen the anagen (growth) phase of hair, so someone with a short anagen phase can keep their hair longer. However, I think the effects wear off after you stop taking it.

[Roseate]

It looks like your hair grows at a totally normal rate, looking at your other thread. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=29902)

If it's three months between those last 2 pics, you look to have gained some length; average is about 1/2" a month, so you should have gotten 1 1/2" in that time- and looking at your bangs, that looks like about what you got. Growing hair is slow.

You might want to check out the monistat thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=156&highlight=monistat). Some people get crazy results with that, but I think it just accelerates the cycle (faster growing, but faster shedding too).

[redneckprincess]

Biotin is supposed to help the growing stage become longer...I think I heard or rather read that somewhere when I googled biotin

[Carolyn]

I've had good results with MSM lessening my shedding. But unfortunately there isn't much you can do to up the growth rate. You got what you got, so to speak, in the genes department. If you're getting 1/2" per month then be happy, as many people don't get that much. If you have a healthy diet, drink lots of water, take vitamins, exercise and do scalp massages, then you are doing about all you can do.

[yogachic]

Biotin is supposed to help the growing stage become longer...I think I heard or rather read that somewhere when I googled biotin

All Biotin did for me was give me acne.

[mira-chan]

All Biotin did for me was give me acne.
I got acne, nausea and other unpleasant side effects. :mad:

Biotin will not lengthen the cycle but for some it may make the hair grow at the optimal rate. If biotin is doing nothing then they are already at optimal or the deficiency is something other than biotin/b vitamins.

MSM does let you keep the hair longer but within reason (not hugely amazing amounts) and as soon as you stop taking it, the effect goes away.