Peptides for Hair Growth: What Is It and How to Use It?

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Peptides are a kind of amino acid found in several hair and skincare products, and for a good reason. These tiny molecules can provide big benefits when it comes to improving the health and appearance of your hair.

If you’re considering purchasing a peptide-containing hair product, we absolutely recommend doing so. But first, we’ll give you all the information you need about how hair peptides work and the types of products you’ll find them in, so you can choose the best product for your hair.

What Are Peptides? 

Peptides are a molecule found in chains of amino acids – the building blocks of protein. There are a variety of peptide types that provide different benefits to hair and skin.

Although peptides are naturally produced in the human body, you can purchase peptide-containing products, such as supplements or haircare products, to enhance their effects.

A number of peptide-containing serums and hair masks are designed to improve hair growth and elasticity and increase hair follicle size.

4 Benefits of Peptides for Hair Growth

If you’re looking for new products that will help you grow healthier hair that shines and withstands the test of time, peptides can help. Below, we’ll delve into the many benefits peptide products can offer your haircare routine.

#1 Increase the size of existing hair follicles 

If you’re experiencing hair loss due to a loss of hair follicles, either due to genetics or unhealthy lifestyle habits, peptides won’t be able to reverse the damage. 

But using peptide products can help to enlarge the size of your existing hair follicles, which can help you grow stronger, thicker hair.

#2 Promote elasticity

Healthy hair is that with high elasticity. Hair elasticity is what gives hair body, bounce, and texture formation, and without it, it becomes difficult for your hair to hold a style.

Increasing the number of hair peptides, specifically keratin, has been scientifically proven to improve the hair’s elasticity and has even shown promise in increasing its strength overall.

#3 Improve blood flow

Since hair follicles are supplied with oxygen and nutrients via blood, a loss of blood flow is a key contributor to thinning hair and overall hair loss. 

Products containing copper peptides are thought to improve blood circulation to the skin, likely due to their ability to maintain the tissues found in blood vessels. For this reason, peptide products can prove useful in reducing male pattern baldness and keeping hair thick and healthy.

#4 Enhance the growth cycle

The anagen stage is considered the most important of the four stages of hair growth. During the anagen stage, we experience the most rapid hair growth, so finding ways to draw out this phase can help your hair grow fast.

Copper peptides, which are commonly found in hair peptide products, help prolong the anagen stage. They also help to shorten the resting phase (telogen) and even decrease hair loss by decreasing the shedding phase (telogen effluvium).

How to Use Peptides for Hair?

There are a few different options when it comes to peptide products that you can use to enhance hair growth. All of which I’ll go over in greater detail below.

#1 Growth serum

When it comes to peptide products that you can use to encourage healthy hair growth, growth serums tend to be the most popular. There are many different options, and most of them contain a lightweight formula that you can massage directly onto the scalp.

How and when you use your serum is unique to each individual serum, with some being recommended to be used right after a shower, while others provide the best results when used daily before bed.

#2 Leave-in hair treatment

Leave-in treatments are thicker than growth serums and are not designed to be used on the scalp. Instead, they can be worked on the ends of dry and damaged hair and left on until your next washing cycle.

#3 Hair mask

Another popular topical treatment option is leave-in hair masks. Similar to leave-in treatments, masks have a thicker consistency than hair serums and aren’t designed to be used daily.

Most masks designed to improve hair peptides are recommended to be massaged onto the ends of your hair and left on for 5–10 minutes before being fully rinsed out.

#4 Peptide conditioner

Purchasing a peptide conditioner is an easy way to work peptide products into your haircare routine without waiting the 5–10 minutes required when using masks. Simply massage the conditioner into the ends of your hair after shampooing to enjoy all its benefits.

#5 Supplements or protein shakes

Supplements or protein shakes containing collagen – a popular peptide used to improve hair, skin, bone, and muscle health, can also be taken orally. 

#6 Shampoo with peptides

Shampoos with peptides also exist. Although you can use them to increase the number of peptides from your scalp to the ends of your hair, you’re better off sticking to a hair serum that you don’t have to immediately rinse out.

FAQs

Conclusion

Peptides are an assortment of amino acids, all of which provide different benefits in the realm of hair and skincare. 

Many products contain hair peptides, ranging from daily serums to leave-in treatments to hair masks, which are being used to transform hair health.

The hair benefits you can expect by adding peptide products into your haircare routine include enhanced hair growth, thicker and more elastic hair, and improved circulation to the scalp.