How To Grow Hair Longer – smartesthairstyles.com – Have you always dreamed of long, flowing hair? Have you cut your hair and regretted the result? Whatever the case, growing your hair longer is easy! If you’re willing to put in a little extra effort, you can help your hair grow healthier, stronger, and longer.
- Start a healthy routine
Use gentle shampoo and conditioner. Long hair starts with good hair care, and good hair care starts with using the right shampoo and conditioner. It’s important to use products that increase the strength of your hair rather than damaging it. Ask your stylist to recommend professional products tailored to your hair type.
There’s an increasingly popular movement of not using shampoo at all, as your body naturally regulates hair oils.
Avoid sulfates and parabens. Many shampoos contain chemicals called sulfates that are bad for your hair. These harsh chemicals make your hair weak and brittle, causing breakage that prevents you from growing out those long, beautiful locks. Use shampoos labeled paraben and sulfate free and avoid shampoos with SLS (sodium laurel sulfate) listed in the ingredients.
Use appropriate conditioners. Make sure your conditioner is free of silicones, which build up in your hair and cause damage over time. Only condition the longer sections of your hair as the oils in the conditioner can block the hair follicles and slow down the growth process.
Wash your hair less often. Washing your hair too often can make it brittle and prone to breakage. Too much washing can also strip away the natural oils your scalp produces. Most dermatologists and stylists agree that daily washing is unnecessary. Three or four times a week should be enough for most people, although some people may need to wash their hair every day if their hair gets greasy easily.
Wash your hair in cold water. Washing in hot, steamy water damages the hair shaft, resulting in brittle hair that is prone to breakage. Cool water helps seal the cuticle (outer layer) of your hair strands, leaving your hair smoother and healthier. To keep it shiny and healthy, wash your hair in the coldest water you can stand.
It’s especially important to use cool water when rinsing out your conditioner. This will help seal in the moisture from the conditioner.
Gently brush and comb your hair. Brushing, combing and the tools used to brush them play an important role in the health of your hair. Many people overbrush or use the wrong tools. While tangles and styling are an issue, be careful not to brush and comb too often. Using proper methods and tools will keep your hair strong.
Brush hair only when necessary, either to combat tangles or to style. Excessive brushing and vigorous brushing can damage or pull out the hair. Also, don’t brush it when it’s wet. Instead, comb it with a wide-toothed comb.
For wet hair or tangles, use a comb instead of a brush. Combs and brushes serve different purposes. Use them correctly. Combs are for wet hair and for removing knots, as well as for parting and spreading styling products. Brushes are used for distributing the hair’s natural oils, for styling, and for use with a blow dryer.
For example, using a comb to remove tangles allows you to be more gentle in pulling the bun apart without breaking the hair. Brushes don’t allow for that kind of finesse.
Use the right kind of brush. Don’t use plastic brushes as they can be harsh on your scalp and cause split ends. Instead, opt for a brush with soft, natural bristles. Wild boar hairbrushes are particularly recommended. Stiff bristle brushes are best for very thick and curly hair that a soft bristle brush can’t manage.
- With healthy styling techniques
Minimize the use of heating tools. These are very harsh on your hair and should not be used too often. Products like hair serum should always be used when applying heat to protect your hair. Also make sure that you do not set the cooking level too high. Try using things like blow dryers on the lowest setting.
Wear your hair open as much as possible. Avoid tight hairstyles like ponytails and buns, or too tight braids and extensions as they pull on the hair and hinder growth. The stress on the hair from tight hairstyles like this can cause the hair to become weak and break. It also puts a strain on the scalp itself by inhibiting blood flow. This can cause headaches and prevent the hair from getting the nutrients it needs.
Hair loss (traction alopecia) can even occur in the most stressed areas of the scalp.
Use looser hairstyles whenever possible and try to avoid hair ties with metal parts as these can snag and pull hair out. Rubber bands and tight elastic bands can also pull hair out. Look for “snootless” or undamaged hair ties or gentle elastic bands.
cut your hair It might seem counterintuitive, but trimming your hair can actually encourage hair growth. When split ends develop, it weakens the hair and causes it to break. Getting hair trimmed regularly will greatly reduce split ends, resulting in stronger and better looking hair. Hair should be trimmed half to one inch every six to eight weeks.
Even if trimming means sacrificing more length than you’d like, remember that it’s better to have shorter, healthier hair than long, unhealthy hair.
- Build stronger hair
Stimulate your scalp. Stimulate your scalp with massage, pinching, or brushing with a soft-bristled brush to encourage hair growth. This increases blood flow to the hair follicles, which brings needed nutrients to your hair. This can also help reduce headaches caused by the overly tight hairstyles mentioned above. Try one of these common head massage techniques:
Effleurage: This technique is said to heat muscle tissue and improve blood flow to the scalp. The scalp is gently stroked with the fingertips or palms of the hands.
Petrissage: This massage involves kneading the scalp, resulting in a deeper massage than the gentler effleurage technique. Petrissage relaxes and stretches muscles and also improves blood circulation in the scalp.
Eating healthy. A healthy diet has a major impact on hair growth. Your diet affects the nutrients in your body, and those nutrients are used to grow new hair. If you don’t have the right nutrients, your body can’t grow hair as quickly or as much. Eat a proper diet with the right nutrients to promote hair growth.
Protein: Hair is mostly made up of protein, so your body can’t grow good, strong hair if it doesn’t have enough of it. Make sure you’re getting complete proteins, either by eating meat, soy products, or several alternative protein sources. Beans, seeds, nuts, milk and seaweed are good alternative sources of protein but must be eaten in combination to produce a complete protein.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Your body needs these to produce hair. The hair consists of 3% of such fatty acids. However, your body cannot produce these on its own, so you need to make sure your diet includes them. Fish (e.g. salmon) and nuts (e.g. walnuts) are excellent sources of these healthy fats as well as proteins.
Zinc: Without zinc, your scalp will become dry and itchy. This can lead to poor hair growth or even hair loss. Get more zinc in your diet by consuming fortified grains and cereals, oysters, and eggs.
Vitamin A or Beta Carotene: Eating beta carotene allows your body to produce vitamin A. Vitamin A performs many functions in your body, but it also helps regulate the oils on your scalp. Without these oils, your skin will become dry and your hair will become damaged. Increase beta-carotene in your diet by eating lots of sweet potatoes, squash, apricots, and carrots.
Iron: Iron is necessary for oxygenating the blood. This oxygen is necessary for healthy hair. Iron deficiency is one of the main causes of hair loss, especially in women. Get more iron in your diet by eating dark veggies, eggs, and meat.
Vitamin B: The entire vitamin B class promotes healthy hair. Vitamin B5 is necessary to process the fatty acids mentioned above, and B7 and B12 are used to process proteins. B9 affects cell growth directly. Get more B vitamins in your diet by consuming turkey, tuna, and lentils.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is absolutely essential for healthy skin and healthy skin means a healthy scalp. It also helps protect hair. Get more vitamin E by eating sunflower seeds, nuts, and avocados.
Take vitamin supplements. Taking vitamins will help ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs to produce healthy hair. While a balanced, healthy diet should allow you to get the right nutrients, vitamin supplements can help ensure you’re getting the right amount of each vitamin. Prenatal vitamin supplements are probably the best for promoting hair growth as they contain the vitamins most commonly associated with healthy hair.
Not everyone responds the same to vitamin supplements or has the same dietary needs. Consult your doctor before starting any dietary supplement.
Give your hair an antioxidant mask. Applying a few tablespoons of olive oil and coconut oil every few weeks will flush your hair with antioxidants to ward off free radical deterioration.
Mix the oils together and heat the mixture until warm. Make sure it doesn’t burn your scalp.
Comb the mixture through the hair. Be careful to preserve both the ends and the roots.
Leave your hair on for 20 to 30 minutes, then wash thoroughly and allow to air dry.
Drinking water. Drinking water promotes a healthier scalp and hair. When your body doesn’t get enough water, it begins to dehydrate. Skin and hair are the first and most noticeable dry spots from dehydration. Eight glasses of water a day is the typical recommended amount for an adult.
get plenty of sleep Regular sleep cycles help your body regulate levels of melatonin and cortisol, both of which affect hair growth. Also, sleep is necessary to maintain your body in general. When your body doesn’t get enough sleep, it starts shutting down side processes like hair production. Everyone’s sleep needs are different, so make sure to find the right amount for your body.
- Make a hair mask at home
Raid your fridge. Here are the ingredients you need for a simple hair mask:
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mustard
2 tbsp oil of your choice (e.g. coconut oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, castor oil, agave oil or olive oil – or you can mix them all!)
Of course you can also use other ingredients! Milk, lemon (although this might lighten your hair), honey, and apple cider vinegar are four common additives that are just as effective. And if you don’t like the smell of mustard, substitute it!
Olive oil is great for hair strength and shine. Milk and coconut oil make it soft and luxurious. Honey brings shine and apple cider vinegar brings it back to life. The healthier your hair is, the faster it grows.
Mix your ingredients together in a bowl. Make sure all of the egg is thoroughly mixed in, as it takes the longest to incorporate. If you have super long hair, you might want to use another egg or a little more oil to make your blend even more intense.
Apply to your roots first and massage in. Do n’t be afraid to get your fingers dirty! The more you really put in, the better your results will be. You want every strand saturated with your magical brew.
Coat your hair from the top, then flip and coat from the bottom. Part your hair in different ways before you even think it’s done. And make sure to go around your ears!
Apply the rest of your potion to the rest of your hair. Make sure to work all of your scalp into the tips. The most important part, however, is your scalp, as that is where the root is stimulated to grow. When you think you’re done, keep going for a few more minutes.
Put your hair up and leave it on for 30 minutes. A bun, shower cap, braids, or ponytail will do, but since you’ll likely be tempted to touch it, a shower cap is your best bet. You can also wrap it in a thin towel. Go do yoga while you watch TV and come back when the episode is over.
Wash your hair well and wash out the eggs with cold water. It’s very important to rinse with cold water, since rinsing eggs with hot water will cause them to fry in your hair. Eggs are sticky, so wash your hair as you normally would — but wash it well . Make damn sure all the gooey goodness is out, as you don’t want to end up smelling like a jar of mayonnaise later in the day.
Shampoo and conditioner as usual if you like. Typically, the drier your hair is, the less likely it is that it will need to be shampooed. You know your hair – will the mask even make it greasy? If you tend to build up oil quickly, use shampoo. If not, you can skip it.
Style as usual. You can use a deep treatment mask like this up to once a week if you like. You’ll see a difference in no time!