Rate of Hair and Nail Growth

Q: Does different people’s hair grow at different speeds? My colleague reckons that the hair’s rate of growth is the same for everyone, as is nail growth.

A: Well, your colleague would be wrong! Not only do different people have different rates of growth for their hair, but an individual person’s hair can actually grow at different rates across various places on their own head.

The hair follicles actually act completely independently of one another. Otherwise, when hair starts its natural shedding cycle, a person would suddenly lose all their hair at once, or discover that every hair on their head was going gray on the exact same day!

The follicles may behave in similar patterns based on their position on the scalp (some areas seeming to grow faster than others), and their behavior can easily be affected by outside influences - such as with cases of traction hair loss or friction hair loss.

Hair Growth Rates Across Different Populations

When it comes to overall growth rates across different populations, scientific research shows clear variations based on genetic descent:

• Asian hair grows the fastest, averaging roughly 0.55 inches (1.4 cm) per month.

• Caucasian/European hair grows at a moderate rate of about 0.44 to 0.5 inches (1.2 to 1.25 cm) per month.

• African hair grows at a slightly lower rate, around 0.35 inches (0.9 cm) per month, largely due to the tight spiral structure of the hair follicle and shaft.

Nail Growth

The exact same principle is true for nails: growth rates differ from person to person based on age, diet, overall health, and hormone levels. For an average adult, fingernails grow at a rate of roughly one-eighth of an inch (3.5 mm) per month.

However, just like hair, nail growth isn't even uniform across your own body:

• Dominant vs. non-dominant: Nails on your dominant hand grow faster because daily use boosts blood circulation to those fingertips.

• Finger length matters: Nails on longer fingers grow faster. Your middle fingernail grows the quickest, while your thumbnail and pinky nail grow the slowest.

• Fingernails vs. toenails: Fingernails grow up to 3 times faster than toenails, which only average about 1.6 mm per month.

• Seasonal shifts: Both hair and nails tend to grow slightly faster during the warm summer months than in the winter due to increased blood flow.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

The human hair cycles

Does a man's hair grow faster than women's hair?

Does short hair grow faster than long hair?