Bangs are one of hair’s biggest commitments, and growing out your bangs can be just as terrifying as cutting them in the first place. Time is the biggest factor in letting your bangs reach the perfect length, but sometimes you need a little bit of extra assistance in styling and caring for your bangs when it comes to letting them grow long.
Whether you’re currently in the middle of lengthening your bangs or you’re looking to start this journey as soon as possible, we’re here to help you out. In this article, we’ll discuss the timeline of growing out your bangs, the best styles to wear while your bangs are growing, and the best way to care for your growing hair.
What You Should Know About Bang Growth
While it may take a long time, growing out your bangs doesn’t have to be painful. There are plenty of tips and tricks you can use throughout this process to ensure you are happy with your style no matter what.
Bang Growth Timeline
When understanding the best way to grow out your bangs, it can be helpful to reference a timeline of what you can expect at each stage of growth.
First Weeks
The first few weeks of growing out your bangs will likely be the hardest. At this stage, your fringe will be just a little bit longer and will probably end up in your eyes whenever you try to see something or move around. You may even feel the urge to cut your bangs back off during this stage – resist it and wait out the annoyance until you reach the next stage.
One to Two Months
After about a month or two of growing out your bangs, they should be significantly longer. This is one of the most awkward stages of bang growth, but it is also the stage where you can start experimenting with different hairstyles.
During this stage, you should be parting your bangs the way you want them to grow out and trying out different methods of pinning your bangs up and out of your face. Remember that you are about halfway through the growing process when you reach this point.
Two to Three Months
Around the end of the second month of growth and into the third, your bangs will be much longer and will typically fall around your face. They will most likely be chin-length by this point.
The best styles to try out at this time are curls and layers, which will help blend your long bangs into the length of the rest of your hair. You could also try out various forms of braids to get those bangs out of your way.
Four Months and On
Four months is typically when your bangs will reach the length of the rest of your hair (depending on your hair’s length), or a length that can be easily blended into your locks.
They will no longer look awkwardly separate from your hair or bother you as you try to go about your day; all you have left to do at this point is celebrate the growth of your bangs and enjoy your new style.
Pro Tips for Caring for Growing Bangs
As your bangs grow out, there are some tips you can follow to take the best care of them and ensure they blend into your hair smoothly.
Don’t Forget to Trim
It might seem counterproductive, but trimming your hair, including your bangs, every 6 to 8 weeks can help your hair grow out faster. This is because a trim will get rid of any split or dead ends, allowing hair to grow out more healthily and look fuller.
Plus, if you are starting with a straight or blunt bang, a regular trim can help keep the hair from looking too heavy as it grows out around your face.
Train Your Hair
When you first start growing out your bangs, you may experience cowlicks or a stubborn fringe that continually hangs forward. This is due to the fact that your roots have been trained to grow forward, thanks to the time you spent cutting and wearing your bangs.
Once you make your decision to grow out your bangs, you should also decide the parting you would like them to grow out into. During the first few weeks of growth, it is important to part your hair the way you want it to grow in order to encourage your roots to grow that way in the future. This will keep your bangs looking natural as they get longer.
Invest in Products
Haircare products such as mousse, hairspray, gel, dry shampoo, and texturing spray are a holy grail when it comes to growing out bangs. Each of these products plays a role in helping you style and care for your bangs in its different growth stages.
For instance, hairspray can help you stick down bangs that are at that barely manageable, in-your-eyes length, while dry shampoo helps you absorb any grease from your bangs so they can be easily braided and stay put out of the way.
Gel can be especially helpful when it comes to training your hair, and using a little bit of gel to slick down your bangs the way you want them to create a part is a great idea in the first few weeks of growth.
Try Out Layers
As your bangs get longer, they become a little easier to blend into your hair. Once your bangs reach about the middle of your hair’s length, you may want to consider visiting a stylist to get layers put in your hair.
The hairdresser will align the top level of layers with the length of your bangs, easily blending in your bangs and giving you a whole new style to rock as the layers grow out.
This look can be extremely helpful on thinner or fine hair that lacks volume, as layers will often make hair appear thicker and fuller.
Curl Away
A similar concept to adding in layers, curling your hair or adding beachy waves is a great way to add some variety into your hairstyle and to blend your bangs to where they aren’t noticeable anymore.
Change up Your Styles Regularly
While growing your bangs out, it is important to regularly change up your style. Once you have trained your hair to grow out the way you want, you should try not to keep your bangs pinned into any one style for more than a couple days, because this could lead to hair breakage and may train your hair to grow in that direction instead, leading to an awkward look once you let all your hair down long.
The best way to manage growing bangs is to use a rotating number of styles and hair accessories to keep the bangs out of your way and styled, while preventing any negative effects.
Styles to Rock While Your Bangs Are Growing
These style ideas can help you look your best no matter the current length of your bangs.
Bobby Pins
Bobby pins are a lifesaver when it comes to growing out bangs. You can use them in combination with hairspray to slick back bangs and pin them behind your ears, or invest some time in creating a more elaborate crisscross pin design.
You could also use barrette clips instead of bobby pins to get the same effect; this article can give you some style ideas.
Side-Swept
A simple side-swept look is perfect for bangs that are just past the eyes but not quite chin-length yet. You can create this style by moving all your bangs to one side and using hairspray or a mousse to hold them firmly in place.
Be careful not to leave your bangs in this style too often though, or you may end up training your bangs to grow in this type of parting. However, if you want to create a parting that features side-swept bangs, this shouldn’t be a problem for you.
Braided
Braids are a perfect option for incorporating bangs at all lengths of growth. Some of the most popular braid styles include crown and root braids, which start at the top of your hairline and go towards the back of your head, effectively pulling your bangs away from your face.
If a few strands of your bangs fall out of any type of braid, you can easily hide away the piece with an ever-useful bobby pin.
Pulled Up
Pulling up your hair into a bun or ponytail can be somewhat of a challenge when you’re growing out your bangs, but it can be done.
Use a texturing spray on your hair to give your bangs more grip and prevent them from slipping out, before pulling your hair up as usual. You can then use bobby pins and/or hairspray to keep your style in place.
Slicked Down
A more popular style in recent years, slicking down your bangs either to the sides of your head or back into a bun is a super effective way to work with growing bangs. This style allows you to incorporate the length of your bangs into your hair effectively and will keep them there for an all-day style.
It is a good idea to invest in a reliable hair gel to create this look.
Headbands
Relive your teenage years with the help of a headband for an easy style while your bangs are growing out. Headbands are the perfect accessory for holding your bangs back in place when you don’t want to use bobby pins or hair products. They are also great for completing a messy bun or updo that your bangs refuse to stay put in.
You can check out this article for some great ideas on styling your hair with different types of headbands.
Can You Speed up Bang Growth?
If it feels like your bangs are taking their sweet time to grow out, there are a few things you can do to help improve the health of your hair and speed up hair growth.
However, you should keep in mind that these things will not have an immediate, overnight effect, and will rather speed up hair growth over time.
Diet and Supplements
Besides improving your overall health, eating a diet that is rich in vitamins A, C, and omega fatty acids can help improve the look of your hair. It will make it feel softer, look fuller, and grow faster over time. You could also take fish oil or biotin supplements to get the same effect.
Conditioning
Regularly conditioning the ends and mid-shafts of your bangs and hair can help prevent hair breakage and split ends. By keeping your hair conditioned, it is more likely to grow out faster and with less issue.
You can use a store-bought conditioning treatment or use a DIY recipe tailored to your exact hair needs. Just remember not to overuse conditioning treatments or your hair may become built up with product or feel weighed down. Twice a month usage is recommended for such treatments.
Scalp Massages
Besides feeling fantastic, a regular scalp massage can improve the circulation in your scalp, leading to faster hair growth. It can also help to dislodge any built-up hair products on your scalp and remove dandruff for a deep clean.
We recommend using a tool like this one for easy scalp cleaning and massaging while you shower.
Reaching a Style You Love
Growing out your bangs can be one of the beauty world’s most frustrating activities, but it is not something that’s completely impossible.
With patience, proper care, and the help of styling products and hair accessories, you’ll be able to smoothly grow out your bangs and look great doing it, every step of the way.