5 Secrets to Growing Out Long, Healthy Hair
Here are just a few secrets to keep your hair healthy and flowing even after growing it out long.
We must agree that at one point in our lives, we have envied people with long natural hair. Long and good-looking hair is one thing that pulls attention from miles away. But valuable things have a price. I am saying that if you desire that beautiful hair, you must be ready to invest your time and effort. It takes time to get long hair, and sometimes that's not enough. With patience and knowledge of hair maintenance strategies, you have a 90 percent chance of achieving long, healthy hair.
Below are five valuable hair maintenance tips. You will realize that some of them are as simple as changing your shower habits, and some can seem a bit more extreme, but they're all essential if you want long beautiful hair.
Cut Back on Hot Water and Rinse with Cold Water
Hot water damages your hair. It causes loss of moisture from the hair shaft, thus leaving the hair frizzy and dry. Dry hair breaks easily. You should use warm water when shampooing and conditioning because warm water unclogs the hair cuticles. With that, the shampoo is able to wash off oils and dirt from your hair. Further, when the hair cuticles are unclogged, conditioners can penetrate the hair more easily. This leaves you with a perfectly moisturized hair after conditioning.
After shampooing with warm water, rinse the hair with cold water. The cold water will close the hair cuticles thus preventing collection of oils and dirt on the hair and scalp. It also prevents loss of moisture from the hair shaft making your hair less susceptible to frizz.
Don't Use Shampoo Every Time You Wash Your Hair
Shampooing your hair daily does not make it healthy. It only leaves the hair deprived of its natural oils. Remember shampoo is like detergent, it, therefore, washes off the sebum on your hair. Sebum is the body’s mechanism of keeping your hair moisturized and waterproof. When it is washed off, the body may react by overproducing sebum. This will lead to excess accumulation of natural oils on your hair giving it a nasty look.
Don't shampoo your hair every day. If possible, do it only a couple times a week. In the shower, rinse your hair with cold water and apply conditioning. You may also consider switching to no-shampoo hair maintenance methods. Examples of shampoo alternatives are apple cider vinegar and baking soda. These alternatives prevent secretion of excess sebum. They also maintain the pH of the hair.
Excessive shampooing will make your hair break off at the ends. Minimizing these breakages is the first step towards a long, healthy hair.
How Are You Brushing Your Hair? Are You Doing it Right?
We all hate hair tangles. Perhaps the strong hate is what makes us brush our hair hurriedly and violently. If you genuinely want long and healthy hair, you have no choice but to learn how to brush it correctly.
We grew up believing that hair should be brushed from the roots upwards. But this is a wrong way of doing it. It causes more strain to the hair compared to brushing it from the ends upwards, especially when the comb encounters a tangle. Brushing from the base upwards makes the hair more prone to breakage. When brushing your hair, don’t just use any comb. If your hair is entangled, consider using a special detangling comb.
We are often tempted to brush our hair immediately after stepping out of the shower. Brushing wet hair may feel smooth and comfortable, but do you know this could be a huge obstacle in your dream of getting long hair? Wet hair is very frail; it breaks easily when combed. If you can't wait for the hair to dry, brush it using a wide tooth comb and be gentle. A wide comb exerts little pressure on the hair.
Dry the Hair Gently, and Change Your Towel
It’s your hair, which is part of you, so don't be violent when drying it. Remember your hair is very fragile when wet. When you dry it aggressively, you are breaking your hair under the guise of saving time. Pat your hair with a towel to dry it, or place the towel on the hair and squeeze gently.
The kind of towel you are using matters, and so does the pillow you rest your head on. In this race of achieving long hair, friction is a big enemy. It damages the hair cuticles and makes your hair more likely to break. Compared to microfiber towels, cotton towels create more friction. You may, therefore, consider switching to microfiber towels.
Like towels, cotton pillowcases generate considerable friction within your hair. On the other side, silk pillowcases are hair friendly. They create less friction because your hair just slides on the pillowcase while turning your head. If you are using cotton pillowcases, it’s time to switch.
Invest in a Healthy Diet
You may have noticed that people with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa experience hair loss. This is because your hair can't grow unless it gets sufficient nutrients. Have your hair in mind when selecting your diet. In the long run, your hair will become strong.
Vitamins and proteins are the building blocks of hair. Include foods rich in these nutrients in your diet. Such foods include fish, spinach, poultry, lemon, avocado, cinnamon, sweet potatoes, berries, and iron-fortified cereals. It is also imperative to take plenty of water. If your body is hydrated, your hair will remain moisturized. Dry hair breaks easily.
Other Tips for Growing Long, Healthy Hair
Keep changing the placement of your ponytail
Exercise to enhance blood circulation in the scalp
Invest in natural hair products such as Aloe Vera gels
Reduce heat styling and use heat protectants
Consider taking hair vitamins
Use deep conditioning masks regularly
Trim your hair but not too often
The bottom line
You won't sleep with short hair one day and wake up with healthy hair the next day. It’s good to keep in mind that it takes time to get long hair. Typically, hair grows by about half an inch every month. This is enough proof that you won't get results in the short term. Just don't stop when the results seem not to be coming.
Start with adopting the strategies that require little investment such as changing your combing and shampooing habits. You can then adopt the other tips slowly.
Now that you have your hair going in the direction you want, make sure to check out our shop and see how we can help you update your wardrobe as well!