1. The first step towards growing your hair is to stop damaging it.
Damage can come from heat styling (flat irons, curling irons, and blow dryers are a long hair don't),
brushing hair when wet, brushing or combing too roughly by ripping through knots and tangles, shampooing every day (yes, really), using accessories like metal barrettes, rubber bands, or claw clips to put your hair up, or putting your hair into tight hairstyles. If you want to grow long, healthy hair, you need to give these things up. If you absolutely must blow dry your hair, do so on the lowest setting and air dry your hair as much as possible before finishing it up with the blow dryer.
2. If your hair is already damaged, your best bet is to get a fresh start by cutting the damage off.
At the very least, start your long hair growth journey by getting a trim, but if your hair has split ends, is dry, frizzy, or fragile, cut off as much as you need to to get to healthy ends. This is the hard part, but well worth it to start off with healthy hair ready to grow than it is to fight a losing battle of trying to save damaged hair. You'll likely lose length to breakage along the way anyway when dealing with damaged hair, so you might as well just start fresh. Remember, the key to this journey is patience. In this site I will share some secrets to grow hair fast, and I'll share even more if you subscribe to have the long hair secrets sent straight to your email, but no matter what you do, growing long hair is not an overnight thing.
3. If you are serious about growing long hair, you need to embrace your hair as it naturally is (your natural hair type).
This means giving up chemicals to change the color or texture of your hair. While there are exceptions, most people will find that they need to decide between using chemicals and having long hair, because most hair types are not strong enough to withstand the repeated damage and still grow to any significant length. So to reiterate point number one – stop damaging your hair. This means no perm or straightening solution and no peroxide or ammonia. You can consider altering your hair color using no-peroxide no-ammonia color, BAQ (body art quality) henna (which actually improves the condition of hair), or other natural ways (honey lightening, etc.). And if you absolutely must use chemical color, you may be able to protect it from peroxide damage by liberally applying coconut oil before you color (coconut oil is definitely one of the long hair secrets!).
4. Protect your hair from chlorine and saltwater.
Give your hair a good soaking in fresh water before you swim, and if possible use a deep conditioner and then stick it up under a swim cap. If you can, wash your hair with a chelating shampoo as quickly as you can afterwards, and at the very least, give it a good rinse in fresh water after exposure and wash as soon as possible. Condition afterwards.
5. Protect your hair from the sun and wind. If you are going to be out in the sun for an extended period of time, either use a UV protectant, or cover your hair. Or consider using a deep conditioner taking advantage of the heat to help it soak in. If you are going to be in windy conditions, braid or bun your hair, or wrap it up in a scarf or under a hat. Nothing causes split ends and tangles like wind does!
6. Treat your body right from the inside out. Eat a healthy, well balanced diet, drink plenty of water, and get enough rest.
Make sure you are getting enough protein, healthy fats, and water each day. Your body needs to be healthy and nourished and performing at its best in order for it to put energy towards growing hair. Give yourself every advantage you can, by taking care of yourself. Consider using supplements to aid in your overall health and your hair growth. (Some of my hair care secrets exposed when you sign up to receive them are very effective supplements that can really help you to grow hair faster.)
7. Increase blood flow! Exercise, which increases your blood flow, is known to increase the rate at which your hair grows.
Get your blood pumping, get those endorphins flowing, and get growing. Regular scalp massage will increase the blood flow and stimulate the follicles. In fact, if this is the only long hair secret you choose to follow, and you do it regularly, you will notice a boost in your hair growth. The very first thing I'll send you is my detailed tutorial on how to do a proper scalp massage that WILL help you grow your hair faster.
8. Baby your hair, especially when wet.
Do not brush your hair when it is wet, don't rub your hair dry with a towel, instead gently pat it and let it air dry before combing and untangling. Never rip your brush through your hair or pull your brush or comb through a knot or snarl. Always gently detangle, using hair safe combs and brushes, and start from the ends and work your way up. Treat your hair like precious, fine, antique lace. Remember, as your hair grows longer it is getting older and older and has been through a lot. Even hair that has been treated gently for many years has been through many, many washes, brushings, tangles, etc. – so be gentle!
9. Stretch the time between washings. Yes, really. The majority of people with enviable long hair do not wash their hair daily. Many don't use shampoo at all – instead they may CO (use conditioner only). Try washing your hair every other day, instead of every day, and as time goes on and your hair adjusts to that, see if you can stretch it out even further. Also, consider using the CWC method – which means condition, wash, condition. Use shampoo only on your scalp area, and diluting it is helpful. Let the suds wash down over your length as you rinse, that's all the "washing" it needs. As your ends get older, they get drier, and do not need the harsh washing agents in shampoo to get them clean. A good rinse is all they need. Don't pile your hair on your head when you wash, either.
10. Don't use hot water on your hair.
Wash in as cool water as you can comfortably handle, and rinse in as cold as you can stand. This will allow the cuticle to smooth out and lie flat – giving you shinier and more manageable hair. This will not only help you grow hair faster, but is also better for your skin as well.
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