5 Secrets to Longer, Stronger Hair
Growing out our hair can be a major process. The constant upkeep is demanding, and any little thing can bring a major set back. After preforming an at home dye job (against my better judgement) I seriously fried the ends of my once beautiful hair. I had just moved to a new area and my stylist back home always walked me through the steps she was taking, explaining and teaching me about the process my hair was going through. I felt so confident after being blessed with some of her knowledge that I just knew I could handle ONE dye job on my own, until I was able to find my next stylist. I was sorely mistaken. My strands began to break about an inch above my full length to create this thinning, rough texture that was even hard to comb through. My hair became so delicate (like, don't even blow dry it, delicate) that I decided I had to see a stylist, YESTERDAY. And I needed a good one.
I worked with a few stylist to really get an idea of what is needed to grow long and healthy hair. These 6 secrets helped me grow back my hair fuller and stronger than I'd ever thought possible.
- Eating foods that are high in biotin, a B-complex vitamin, is an essential part of healthy hair (skin and nails, too!). Look for these in almonds, eggs, and avocado. Take it a step further to include iron as well, found in oatmeal, spinach, and hummus.
- Massage your scalp! This stimulates growth by awakening your follicles. A quick 5 minute massage a few times a week can really speed up the growth process.
- Deep cleaning with a cleansing shampoo, focused on the scalp, can remove buildup that sometimes blocks and creates fragile follicles. Make sure to only use a cleansing shampoo when necessary, and always follow up with a light condition so your scalp does not overproduce oils from the intense hydration removal.
- Avoiding heat, even hot water, helps your cuticle from blowing out. When your cuticle is damaged your hair will no longer hold color well, split ends follow quickly, and it's terribly hard to repair. If you must style with heat, make sure to use a heat protector that truly protects from the degree range you are using.
- Condition your ends with a deep conditioner once a week. This keeps your ends as hydrated as your natural hair oil keeps your roots to mid part hydrated. If you need some extra repair, try placing the deep conditioner on your ends while they are dry, and sleep overnight with your hair wrapped in a silk bonnet (silk to prevent damage like a terrycloth towel can cause).
After doing these 5 things for about 30 days, you'll be sure to see a difference. In a years time your hair will be longer and stronger than you thought humanly possible!
