50 tips on how to grow long hair. Miracles happen – but you need to work hard on it!
Long and healthy hair is not only good genes, but also proper care . With a competent and patient approach, care can work wonders! So how do you grow long hair? I will write only those tips that I have tried on myself. Perhaps they will seem banal to some, but I will be sincerely glad if you find something useful among them:
1. If you wash your hair daily, try to slowly wean them off this regimen. I think no one needs to explain what daily washing is fraught with. Daily washing is the main stress factor for increased sebum production. Uncontrolled washing off of sebum is a direct path not only to the loss of natural shine, but also to the fact that the hair will weaken. It also increases the susceptibility of the hair. My routine – I wash my hair 1 time in 4 days and additionally before any important events.
2. In addition to the usual (it would be more correct to say everyone is familiar) shampoos, use shampoos without SLES and SLS. Hair needs natural ingredients! I always have several shampoos in my arsenal, which I alternate (nourishment, moisturizing, prepare hair “for the exit”, deep cleansing, etc.). Since I began to practice a variety of care, my hair began to look much better. An important point: you need to apply shampoos without SLES and SLS only on the roots.
3. Before you start growing your hair, cut off all the excess. Dry, damaged, split hair must be cut without any regret. When I realized that my waist length was completely ruined by unsuccessful coloring and styling, I left the length slightly longer than the shoulders.
4. In the early stages of growing out, purchase those hair products that contain vitamin A, vitamin E, folic acid, biotin, keratin, pantothenic acid and inositol.
5. Give up the daily use of styling products – varnish, gel, foam and mousse. Use them only for important occasions. Hair needs to breathe! Today I have given up all of the above almost completely – I have hairspray in case of emergency.
6. Skip the hair dryer. I neglected this advice for a long time, but when I nevertheless tried to refuse for just a month and saw the difference, I realized that I would only keep the hair dryer for emergencies. Now I always dry my hair in a natural way and I’m so used to it that I can’t believe that it used to be different.
7. If you are serious about growing long hair, you will have to forget about thermal styling devices for a while. Daily use of a curling iron or flat iron will still have an overdrying effect and weaken the hair, and no thermal protection products will change this (I speak as a former fan of the curling iron).
8. Skip trimming your hair once a month. The myth “If I cut my hair, it will grow faster” has long been debunked. They won’t start. I found the best option for myself – I trim my hair 4 times a year (once a season), but immediately by 7-10 centimeters. When I was interested in growing my hair long, I trimmed it by about 5 centimeters every half a year.
9. Forget hot water. I know that there are amateurs who bring the water temperature to the maximum – this is not right. Wash your hair with warm water (closer to hot), and rinse with cool. Again, “cool” – not cold. If you have time, do not be too lazy to do a contrast shower for your hair.
10. Hairstyle for every day should be as simple as possible. That is, I repeat once again: no thermal appliances for styling on a daily basis. If you are wearing a bun or ponytail, do not pull it tight. Rubber bands should be soft.
11. After washing your hair, you do not need to create a tight turban from a towel and walk with it for a long time. I wrap my hair in a towel for 5-10 minutes, then lightly blot the lengths and ends and let it dry naturally. It is better to use a towel with a short nap.
12. Perhaps I am shocking someone now, but – cut your hair only on the growing moon (preferably on the 3rd or 4th day). I don’t know how it works, but it works! (it seems now was a tautology).
13. Give up bad habits. Especially from smoking. The link between hair health and smoking is clear. Hair quickly accumulates toxic substances contained in smoke, which soon causes the problem of brittleness and thinning. With prolonged exposure to tobacco smoke, hair can begin to fall out. If you cannot give up this habit, at least drink vitamins A, E, C in courses, and also take care of taking amino acids and minerals (taking vitamins must be agreed with the doctor, it is strictly forbidden to drink vitamins blindly!)
14. Don’t experiment with hair growth activators. No matter how strange it may sound, but the use of an activator can give just the opposite effect. Overheating the scalp (through the use of warming masks) can lead to hair loss. Also, if applied incorrectly, warming masks greatly dry the length.
15. Banal advice from childhood: do not go to bed with a wet head. Of course, if you do not want to injure and crush your hair, as well as find such a nuisance as scalp irritation. Hair breaks from friction on the pillow. It is also fraught with SARS and various allergic reactions.
16. Don’t use hard pillow cases. If possible, sleep on a silk pillowcase. Yes, silk underwear is specific and you need to get used to it, but it is much less traumatic for the hair (in the cold season I still sleep on a cotton pillowcase).
17. Proper combing. I don’t comb my hair when it’s wet. If I feel that my hair is tangled, I start scratching from the ends, rising up. Combing from the roots, I always make a small indent from the beginning of growth. For the most “hard cases” I use a detangling spray. Combing should be moderate! Too intensive combing leads to imperceptible tearing of weak hairs.
18. For combing long hair, blunt-ended combs (like silicone) or brush combs (I have both options) are best , as well as massage combs. It is better to have several combs of different types. It is important that the comb does not tangle the hair and does not damage the scalp.
19. Proper nutrition. First of all, nutrition should be balanced. For hair health, it is necessary to introduce fish into the diet (especially trout, salmon, mackerel and tuna – omega-3 fatty acids), chicken meat (and rabbit and turkey meat are also suitable – animal protein), eggs (biotin and protein), nuts (vitamin E), pumpkin seeds (a storehouse of vitamins – B1, B2, B3, B4, B5 and B6), lentils (iron), olive or linseed oil, fruits and vegetables. Of the delicacies, oysters (zinc) favorably affect hair growth.
20. Dehydration of the body leads to dryness and brittle hair. Conclusion: drink water!
21. Legendary mustard mask. It really has a quick effect, but still you should not abuse it. To prepare the mask, you need to mix 2 tablespoons of mustard, 1 yolk, 1 teaspoon of honey, 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a little water (this is the recipe that I use). The mask is applied only to the scalp. A hat is put on top for warmth. I kept the mask for about 15 minutes, applied 2 times a month.
22. Head massage. To do this, you can use a comb or fingers. During the massage, you can slightly pull the strands (alternately). During the growing period, I did massage 2-3 times a week for 40 minutes, now I am too lazy to do so often. Keep in mind that massage stimulates sebum production!
23. Oils really help keep the length and ends in good condition. At various times, I have identified for myself burdock oil, castor oil, coconut oil, almond oil, macadamia oil and jojoba oil. Now I prefer to use mixtures of oils.
24. Almost any diet has a bad effect on the condition of the hair. Unfortunately, many people confuse diet and proper nutrition. You should say “No” to diet, and “Yes” to proper nutrition.
25. Hair care should be varied, and it should fit. I use 5-6 different shampoos, different conditioners, masks and oils. Each product has its own function. From a huge range of trial and error, it is important to choose exactly those products that are completely suitable for hair. You should not torment your hair with unsuitable means (according to the principle of “endure – fall in love”) – especially at the stage of growing.
26. If the mustard mask did not fit, but you want to achieve a similar effect, mustard can be replaced with cinnamon (the mustard mask recipe is above).
27. Direct sunlight can seriously damage your hair. While relaxing in hot countries or just on very hot days, it is better to hide your hair under a hat. Or at least not expose your hair to prolonged exposure to the sun. I didn’t really pay attention to the warnings about the sun until one day I got a scalp burn at the parting site. By the way, blondes and owners of red hair are more vulnerable than brunettes!
28. In addition to the sun, cold is also an enemy for hair. True, in this case, it is not the length that suffers, but the hair follicles. Therefore, hair should be removed under a hat (I personally do not like hats and prefer hoods), especially during a period of severe frost. By the way, in order to make your hair less electrified in winter, you need to buy a hat made from natural materials.
29. In winter, it is favorable to use those hair products that contain dimethicone (use sparingly!).
30. The simplest humidifier can improve the condition of your hair.
31. If you need hair restoration, look for keratin, elastin, ceramides, proteins, collagen and alanine in the composition of the products.
32. If you need to moisturize your hair , look for sorbidol, betaine, d-panthenol, allantoin, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, marine collagen, fukogel, urea and elastin in the composition of the products.
33. If you need hair nutrition, look for lanolin, lecithin, animal fats, royal jelly, vegetable oils, vitamin A and E in the composition of the products.
34. Fish oil is one of the most versatile remedies – it nourishes hair follicles, eliminates dandruff and itching, stimulates hair growth, adds shine and gloss, fights brittleness, moisturizes and strengthens strands. Fish oil contains such useful substances as Omega-3, Omega-6, palmitic and oleic acids, vitamins and iron. I usually drink fish oil in a course 1-2 times a year.
35. Another way to quickly improve the condition of the hair – onion mask . Yes, it really does work. But there is one very serious minus – a specific smell from the hair, which persists for a very / very / very long time. I just rubbed a couple of large onions on a grater and rubbed the juice into the roots, and then put a special hat on my head and walked for 1-2 hours. I had the patience, and I did a course of 6 procedures. I do not want to exaggerate, but for probably half a year I was unobtrusively pursued by the “onion ghost”.
36. Ampoule nicotinic acid. It not only helps to accelerate growth, but also actively fights hair loss. I bought nicotinic acid of the middle price category and did a monthly course. For some reason, this is one of my least favorite ways to improve hair, as the effect seemed to me to be subtle.
37. Golden mumiyo. How did I use it? I dissolved 2 tablets of mumiyo in a small amount of water (about 50 ml), then added shampoo, mixed and applied to the hair. I washed my hair as usual. Significant results appeared when I was already finishing the packaging. The only effect that can be obtained immediately is the splendor of the hair. From the mumiyo, the hair became denser and really began to grow faster. I did only 1 course (of course, because of my love to diversify care), but the new package is in the first-aid kit at home and is waiting in the wings.
38. Acquisition of special scissors. Since 2013, I have not had a haircut at a hairdresser. Why? Everything is like everyone else. The constant problems of hairdressers with an eye (or maybe with understanding the Russian language?) each time made me hellishly angry. 5 cm turned into 10, and 10 into 20, and all attempts to explain anything led to mutual irritation and constant scandals. In 2015, I bought the first hairdressing scissors, and handed them to my family with a kind parting word in the style of “Cutting in a straight line is nothing complicated!”. Now I see that many girls trim their hair on their own – I dream of someday “growing up” to this.
39. Avoid sleeping with your hair down. At night, hair can get tangled, tangled and broken. I always braid a weak pigtail at night.
40. Aroma combing is a very useful procedure. I spend it from time to time, when there is time and mood. Essential components improve the hair structure, stimulate their growth and nourish. In addition, aroma combing sessions can relieve stress. Do not use metal combs for aroma combing! I am using wood. I usually put 3 drops of oil on the comb and comb my hair for about 5 minutes. My favorite oils are peppermint, lavender and all citrus oils.
41. Apple cider vinegar rinse. I learned that apple cider vinegar can be used for hair in 2011 – then this rinse was at its peak. For half a liter of water you need 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Wash your hair as usual and after the conditioner / mask / balm (who loves and uses what more), rinse your hair. After several applications, the result is noticeable, the hair looks much better, but there is one caveat – with prolonged use, the effect weakens, it is better to use courses.
42. Tar soap (only for oily hair) . Tar soap is a universal beauty product and someday I will devote a separate review to it. If you need to reduce the frequency of hair washing procedures, you can lather your hands with tar soap and lightly wash the roots. But only the roots, it instantly dries the length. Hair stays clean for much longer!
43. Flaxseed oil inside can improve not only the condition of the hair, but also support the cardiovascular system, central nervous system, improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, help lose weight and saturate the body with vitamins.
44. The health of the intestines directly affects the condition of the hair. Tip: periodic cleansing of the body of toxins and harmful substances (of course, under the supervision of a doctor).
45. When selecting funds, it is necessary to carefully consider all the nuances of use. Some hair products cannot be applied to the scalp – this leads to clogging of the pores of the epidermis and, consequently, slowing down growth.
46. Brewer’s yeast (in the form of tablets) – you can take it orally, or you can add it to homemade masks.
47. Beaten egg white helps tame unruly hair. When I have to do styling, and my hair sticks out in different directions, and it’s already scary to tear it with a comb, I tried to use whipped protein. It is necessary to apply only on the scalp after washing the hair on wet hair (and very little!). Plus – the hair really lies better and is easier to style, minus – the head gets dirty quickly.
48. Physical activity and moderate exercise = improved hair quality. Everyone talks about this, but I’m based on my own experience (those who worked from home on a freelance system, as well as introverts who like to sit at home for weeks, will understand me).
49. Esvitsin – in a short time increases the density of hair (again, long live enzymes, trace elements and vitamins!). By the way, very affordable!
50. PATIENCE! Remember, miracles happen – but you need to work hard on it!