Most females want long healthy hair with lots of volume and bounce but getting there is not always easy. Sometimes, the yearning for long hair leads women in many different directions such as trying various hair products that claim to grow the hair, frequent visits to the hairstylist for regular hair care routines and playing with a lot of different hairstyles that end up doing more harm than good. There is no miracle solution for long hair growth but there are a few things you can do to retain the length you already have and ensure you don’t lose your strands to breakage. Less is more when it comes to growing long hair and these are some of our top tips to help you achieve this goal.
Stop applying heat
Are you applying heat to your hair every other day? You might want to take a step back and re-evaluate your cravings for silky bone-straight hair. Embrace your natural curls because applying too much heat to your hair can actually damage it. If you absolutely must, then apply a heat protectant such as grapeseed oil which takes very long to reach a burning point.
Use a wide tooth comb or finger detangle
Get the essential tools every curly-haired woman5 Must Have Natural Hair Tools for Women of Colour needs for her strands. Combing your curls with a thin fine tooth comb will only lead to a lot of breakage. You want to make sure you use a wide tooth comb each time you want to detangle or comb through your hair. If you don’t have a big comb, use your fingers and run them through your strands with a little bit of olive or coconut oil. This will help loosen the curls and free them of any tight knots.
Take prenatal vitamin supplements
Prenatal vitamins contain a good amount of biotin (along with iron and folic acid) which is good for growing long hair.
The biotin is not only going to help your hair grow longer but it will also nourish your skin and nails. As always, before starting on a new vitamin supplement, it is best to consult our doctor or a health care practitioner for the best medical advice.
Watch for product ingredients
It is no news within the natural hair community that products such as shampoos and conditioners with silicones, ethanols and parabens are not good for you. Be sure to read the product labels for ensure the ingredients are all natural. Harsh chemicals will dry out your hair and remove the sheen from it making dry, brittle and more prone to breakage. Protect your hair from these products at all costs.
Apply essential oils and serums
Looking for an alternative to those bad products mentioned earlier? Try some natural essential oils such as shea butter or coconut oil. They are great moisturizing oils and they help replenish dry hair. It is a major mistake to skip this important step in your hair care routine. Oils help to seal in the moisture in your hair and prevent it from breaking under the harsh elements.
Trim your hair regularly
Trimming your split ends regularly can help with long hair growth because it prevents those split ends from affecting the rest of the healthy hair. It also evens out the hair length thus making it look thick, robust and voluminous. Women who do not trim their hair often end up with falling hair and jagged edges that are so unpleasant to look at. A minor trim to cut off the damaged ends is essential to retaining the length of long hair.
Try protective styles
Time for some myth-busting here! Note that not al protective styles actually protect the hair from breakage. Popular styles like wigs, hair extensions and braids can actually pull on the hair and cause it to break rather than keep it intact. I you are opting for any type of extensions, it is important to keep your hair clean, conditioned and moisturized prior. Some women leave in their extensions for months on end before taking it off – this can damage the hair as well. Try simple styles like buns and cornrows for a start and then you can transition into more complex styles.
Massage your scalp
Giving yourself a scalp massage does wonders for blood flow leading to and from the scalp thus helping nutrients absorb into the hair follicles more effectively. When you are shampooing or oiling your hair, try using your fingertips to massage your scalp by gently applying some pressure. According to DailyGlow.com, this can help with circulation and hair growth.
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