Top Tips On Growing Long Hair

[Amber_Maiden]

Just wondering what everyones TOP 5 tips are on growing their hair long! Tips can be about care, washing, treatments, oiling, how they put up their hair, willpower, etc! :)

My Top 5:
1. Definitely COing, about once a week.
2. Putting my hair up in a bun, as much as possible.
3. Using a t-shirt to dry my hair.
4. S&D >:) every 2 months, at least.
5. Putting avocado oil on the ends.

[Cania]

1. Don't worry too much about what everyone else does - if it works for you, keep it up!
2. S&D often, avoid trimming
3. Use EVOO on the ends
4. Embrace your natural texture, trying to change it is too damaging
5. Don't sleep on it wet

[kidari]

1) treat it like a piece of antique fine silk
2) wear it up often
3) embrace your natural texture and color
4) see what others with long healthy hair do that have similar hair to yours
5) eat healthy and exercise and get enough sleep and avoid stress

[MonaLisa]

1. stop combing and brushing like maniac causing breakage
2. oils - castor + EVOO
3. no hairdressers, unless you already go to a good one you can trust
4. try braid and bun at least a little
5. eat healthy and take some vitamins

[vanillabones]

1. Don't brush, comb / tangle teezer
2. No heat styling whatsoever
3. Embracing natural color / texture / virgin hair
4. CWC gently without rough handling
5. Not sleeping on it when wet

[gthlvrmx]

1. Conditioner is your friend, so apply more!
2. put it up, put it up, put it up!
3. air dry it
4. no heat, no chemicals, just all natural
5.benign neglect

[mallorykay13]

1. No heat!
2. Biotin!
3. Combs.
4. Just leave it alone!
5. Put it up to avoid tanglies.

[beez1717]

1) no heat
2) find the right shampoo
3) find the right conditioner
4) Carefully detangle it every day and make sure it's healthy, and then adjust what you do based on your hair (of course)

[kidari]

wait! I have a question: why is it bad to sleep on wet hair?

[AlexiaBlue]

1. 10 minute scalp massage before bed every night
2. No more listening to the advice of hairdressers or others who don't understand my hair
3. No heat styling
4. CG Method! (this one and the next were life changing :)
5. CO Washing!

[Avital88]

1. wash max twice a week and lots of co
2. henna&oils
3.microtrim when needed
4.sleep in a braid
5.no heat or dye

[slo2gro]

great tips ladies thanks, i do most of these now thou i have to admit i do sleep with damp hair at times :(

[Cowgirl16]

I go to be with wet hair all the time :confused:

My top 5:
1. benign neglect (it got me from BSL to hip in 2 years)
2. wide tooth comb (I have ALWAYS used a wide tooth comb)
3. BBB to exercise your hair follicles (it feels sooo good :))
4. good shampoo/conditioner
5. find a routine that works for you and stick with it. Sometimes less is more :D

[patienceneeded]

1. CO washing
2. No SLS or 'Cones
3. Wear it up or be careful when it's down
4. Satin/Silk pillowcase
5. 100% Argan oil

Why shouldn't I sleep with it wet? I usually shower at night (except when it's super hot and I know I'll be sweaty in the morning) and braid it to sleep. It's still wet/damp in the morning. I've never had any problems with it...why is it bad?

[christine1989]

1. Henna once a month for strength and conditioning
2. Use a gentle, all natural, non SLS shampoo (Aubrey Organics camellia oil shampoo if you're wondering)
3. Deep condition 2-3 times a month with castor oil

That really sums it up- I don't do much else these days. Luckily my hair is pretty strong and resilient so not much is needed to keep it healthy.

P.S. Amber Maiden, I'm curious what makes a T-shirt better for drying hair than a towel? I've never heard that one before! :)

[Cainwen]

1) CO washing
2) oils
3) hair sticks!
4) Handle your hair like antique lace
5) ACV rinses

I had had the benign neglect thing down for years, but I think my hair needed a little more TLC than I was giving it.

[mallorykay13]

CG method??

[CarpeDM]

wait! I have a question: why is it bad to sleep on wet hair?

Yes, why???

[AlexiaBlue]

CG method??

Curly Girl Method. :) There's a book written by Lorraine Massey called, "The Curly Girl Handbook" that deals specifically with the care of curls, and it is quite amazing! :)

[mrs carol]

oils
good shampoo
wear it up in a bun
sleep in a braid
acv

[MajorasMask]

1. Bun it! That way you don't look at it, and you stretch washes!
2. Drink tea.
3. Take daily vitamins
4. Oil/ DC weekly
5. ACV (this one is recent!)

[redeyedtreefr0g]

AHH! I need to know why too.

Why not sleep on wet hair? I hate doing that for the simple reason that wet hair is cold, usually makes my back and/or pillow damp, and it never dries fully by morning anyway. Oh and also it makes it lay funny.

Are satin and silk equally good for pillowcases? I'm assuming for slip to prevent damage while sleeping, but I thought they made lots of static?

T-shirt to dry hair?

[l0nd0nbr1dg3]

Using shampoo with no sulfates and silicones and co washing has been the best tip for me by far. It improved my hair extremely.

[l0nd0nbr1dg3]

Not a problem for me, I don't sleep on wet hair anyway cause it makes me have a really bad asthma attack in Tge morning. Unfortunately I had to have 3 attacks to figure out it was asthma attacks.

[l0nd0nbr1dg3]

What is acv?

[knoxkatie]

ACV = apple cider vinegar

[slythwolf]

5. Take care of your overall health. If your body is healthy, your hair will be healthy.
4. Use the right detangling method for your hair type.
3. Get good hair scissors for S&D and do not use them for anything else.
2. Discontinue use of any products or tools that damage your hair, or scale back as far as you can stand.
1. STOP CUTTING IT. This is the thing I say to everyone. "Oh, I wish I could have hair as long as yours!" "All you have to do is stop cutting it."

[kmoc123]

Stay away from scissors...except for dusting.....
Use whatever conditioner your hair loves....(mine love cones and aragon oil)
Be gentle especially when wet

[GourmetChica]

1) Stop cutting it!
2) Weekly Kpak treatments followed by a moisture mask
3) Cones on ends after moisture for protection
4) Sleeping in a braid or bun
5)Keeping my scalp healthy and free of follicle clogging product (I use BHA's weekly, either Desenex 2 in one or Aveda scalp spray)
6) Not using hair ties in the same spot every day, and bunning with spin pins rather than pins or clips
7) Daily multivitamin, biosil, fish oil, and whey protein drinks

[tinywife]

1. Stop brushing it so hard! Use combs, and go gently.
2. Keep it moisturized, or the last 3 months will break off. (Found this one out just the other day!)
3. Henna will give you a prettier red, and this time it will last.
4. You don't really need shampoo.
5. You really do need to S&D.

[Hotrox]

1. Patience - you'll need a lot of it
2. Diet, feed your hair from the inside with good fats, protein and vitamins
3. Exercise to get the blood pumping and get all those nutrients to your scalp
4. Feed it moisturising conditioners
5. Enjoy it and feel happy that you are growing it

[PixxieStix]

Well, I don't have long hair yet but I am doing these things right now:

1. Satin pillowcase
2. Eating well, lots of salmon and avocado.
3. Keeping hydrated
4. CWC method (new for me, seems to work well so far!)
5. Going to be adding Henna to my hair for strength and RED! :D

I did not know about the wide toothed comb, no brush... is a brush bad for your hair? I thought they distributed oils from the scalp down the hair shaft? >.>

[lsnyder09]

1. DO NOT OVER WASH (ever other day at the very most!!!)
2. Avoid frequent heat styling (don't panic when you do use heat if it is a rarity)
3. Avoid brushing hair everyday...in fact, avoid brushing at all if possible
4. Trim twice a year
5. SHOW THE WORLD WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH (I can't stand having to wear it up all the time. I've taken so much time to grow my hair, I want people to enjoy it too :cheese:)

[PolythenePam]

1) CO washing
2) heavy oiling once a week
3) catnip tea soaks (I barely even look for split ends anymore)
4) sleeping in a satin bonnet
5) wearing it up as often as possible (unless I'm showing it off!)

[lingxi]

1. Find the right wash routine for yourself
2. Detangle gently with a wide-toothed comb/detangler
3. Weekly deep treatment
4. Healthy diet + supplements
5. Trim/dust regularly - don't let damage travel!!!

[vanillabones]

wait! I have a question: why is it bad to sleep on wet hair?

It makes my hair have the ugliest oddest big dents in it around the crown and makes me look like a completely different person with a cone head :o

[Rtzgrl]

I did not know about the wide toothed comb, no brush... is a brush bad for your hair? I thought they distributed oils from the scalp down the hair shaft? >.>

For straight hair like ours, a 100% boar bristle brush is very good for distributing the natural oils and smoothing hair down. If you look carefully, the people saying a brush is bad all have curly hair. A brush makes curly hair very poofy and frizzy, at least that's the experience I had when I got a spiral perm years ago. Nobody told me you aren't supposed to brush curly hair. What a disaster!

[BohoClassic]

It makes my hair have the ugliest oddest big dents in it around the crown and makes me look like a completely different person with a cone head :o
That made me laugh!!! :D

[janeytilllie]

My top 5 that have helped me are:

1. No heat, dyes, chemical treatments
2. Very gentle, simple and protective buns
3. Tangle teezer :heartbeat
4. Lots of conditioner and leave in conditioner
5. Braid/bun/sleep net your hair for bedtime and sleep on a silk pillowcase.

[Mirsha]

1. Not cutting it.
2. Time
3. ???
4. Profit

[Sweet Beat]

wait! I have a question: why is it bad to sleep on wet hair?

Guess the hair is easier to hurt when it's wet, and sleeping can mean rubbing it.

[Angeletti]

Here are a few that have helped me.

1. Stay away from heat styling of any kind
2. Trims are a good thing, but don't cut off more than your growing if your trying to get it long. S&D comes in handy between trims.
3. Stay away from harsh chemicals if your hair can't tolerate it, I learned my lesson from bleach many years ago
4. Keep hair up as much as you can to avoid mechanical damage
5. Keep hair moisturized whether it be from oils, conditioners, etc.

[Sweetie]

- Stretch washing
- S&D
- keep it up the more you can
- oil oil oil
- avoid hairdressers

[celebriangel]

1) Wash with a reasonably frequency (i.e. not every day or even every other day) with as gentle a cleansing method as your hair will stand.

2) wear hair up during the day and braided at night to prevent it getting all matted and tangled which leads to breakage

3) Handle your hair as gently as possible at all times.

4) Find out which oils/leave-ins work for you, and use them!

5) There is nothing you can do to repair damage - whether from colouring, heat styling, or rough handling - so eliminate these damaging things from your routine.

And I must add: Only let someone you trust absolutely near your hair with a pair of scissors.

[jojo]

1) using a BBB twice a day to distribute natural oils and exercise those follicles
2) condition after every wash, cones or coneless both help soften and protect
3) protein treatments just once every 3 months, followed always by a moisturising treatment
4) wear hair up to protect those ends from mechanical damage and weather
5) dust regular to keep your ends neat and split free

[ingvild]

This works for me.

- Not cutting it (I just had my first hair cut in over a year, but my hair is pretty resilient)
- Use mild shampoos, or CO
- Never/rarely using heat, hair spray, hair dye or other styling products (I never have, only henna)
- Wear it up for bed, and most days
- Have a decent comb and hair brush (although i guess the hair brush isn't necessary - I was brushless for a year or so until I got one with wooden bristles, I love it!) and be gentle when detangling and brushing

[Amber_Maiden]

1. Henna once a month for strength and conditioning
2. Use a gentle, all natural, non SLS shampoo (Aubrey Organics camellia oil shampoo if you're wondering)
3. Deep condition 2-3 times a month with castor oil

That really sums it up- I don't do much else these days. Luckily my hair is pretty strong and resilient so not much is needed to keep it healthy.

P.S. Amber Maiden, I'm curious what makes a T-shirt better for drying hair than a towel? I've never heard that one before! :)

Towels can be really rough on the hair shaft, and t-shirts are pretty much all made of compact cotton- so theres nothing to really "catch" your hair. I find they soak up the water fast, and keep my hair from getting frizzy :)

[FluffSpider]

Condition the crap out of it
Detangle gently, avoiding seams and synthetic brush bristles
Don't be too big of a trimaholic
Oil
Have patience and love it.

[MissManda]

5.) Keep conventional styling with heat and chemicals to an absolute minimum.
4.) Stretch washes as much as you can stand and use a gentle cleansing method, which is CO in my case.
3.) Feed your hair rich, moisturizing conditioners. Use them every time you wash and after any hair treatments (henna, protein, etc.).
2.) Learn your hair's growth rate and microtrim/dust with appropriate timing to keep your ends neat and tidy and to minimize the length you lose. If that means you have to trim your hair yourself, then DO IT.
1.) You and your hair are never too anything to grow to longer lengths. Keep an open mind for honest opinions and new ideas, but do not do anything that does not work for you and/or does not make you happy.

[princessp]

1. Updos held with excellent toys (that don't pull/ruin hair)
2. Silk nightcap
3. Silk pillowcase
4. CWC
5. ACV

[QueenJoey]

#5: stretch washes
#4: oil ends
#3: careful combing
#2: regular scalp massage

And#1: Stop cutting it! :p

[foogrrl]

1) Handle with care
2) No cones/ harsh shampoo
3) Oil!
4) Keep it up (or else the rest has me touching it far too often!)
5) Love it the way it is now, not the way you wish it was.

[proo]

I like your #5 foogrrl, great advice

[longcurlygirl<3]

1. Let it grow, stop looking at it all the time.
2. Bun it or put it up in a protective way.
3. Moisture!
4. Deep treatments/ oil
5. Love

[HintOfMint]

1. No heat styling
2. Wear hair up as often as possible
3. Eat meat, preferably red. (Sorry heart)
4. S&D often
5. Cut only twice a year at most

[MissAlida]

1.BS/White vinegar wash twice a week
2.Overnight oiling with EVOO twice a week
3.Detangling with wide tooth wood comb
4.Sleeping with hair in an english braid
5.Using diluted conditioner to spray on hair, if it looks dry.

[PrincessBob]

1: Diluted Apple Cider Vinegar for rinsing

2: Tangle Teezer + Widetooth seemless comb for detangling and a Boar Bristle Brush to remove lint and dandruff while distributing sebum. i will never use a brush with knobs on the end of the bristles ever again, they felt god on the scalp, but tore hair out by handfuls and tore through tangles ruthlessly leaving thousands of tiny dead soldiers in their wake

3: Oils, and how not to over-use them. Also that using coconut oil or EVOO very heavily for a week can help some people smother lice and end an infestation (worked for me, but took many SLS washings to return my hair to an acceptable level of oiliness)

4: Instructions for the myriad of minimal damage hair accessories and updos that never worked before being expressed in terms i could understand, and the encouragement to persevere until i figured out the exact methods for my personal needs. I still cannot do a passable french braid, though

5: Tied to #2 is do not rush the detangling process. While finger-combing doesn't work for me, it is imperative that i gently separate large tangles with my fingers before I try to move through them with a detangling tool.

[Mesmerise]

For me...

1. Avoid heat damage
2. Avoid chemical damage
3. Don't wash too often
4. Trim when necessary but not often (I never did much anyway)
5. Don't obsess too much over the details ;)

It's funny...but when I joined LHC I tried sooo many things to make my hair look nice. I started avoiding traditional shampoo and conditioner, didn't use cones etc. etc.

But the funny thing is, I noticed that quite a lot of the really long hair long hairs just use normal shampoo and conditioner when they wash, and don't seem to fuss too much over all the oiling and the treatments etc. So I started to think... maybe I'm just obsessing too much and fussing too much? I realised that my hair looked better when I used Pantene (scary hahaha...) and that cones aren't so bad for my hair. My hair was never bad when I was a kid, and I used to shampoo and condition normally and stuff... I didn't even know what split ends looked like until I damaged my hair in my teens!

So yeah... part of my new outlook on hair growth is not to fuss too much and to just let my hair do its thing!

[Dee94]

4. CG Method! (this one and the next were life changing :)

What's the CG method??

[TwilightMermaid]

What's the CG method??

It stands for the curly girl method. You wash hair with silicone free conditioner or a sulfate free shampoo, then style with a gel. You can also use a leave-in if desired. Honestly, the styling is up to you, as long as tere are no silicones:) It's used to have manageable frizz free curly hair without having to wash with harsh detergents.

[Dee94]

Thanks, maybe I should try that sometime! I still got a lot I could experiment with. :) One thing at a time though. :p

[Bryndhildr]

1. Avoid products with sulfates, silicones, parabens
2. Use supplements to promote growth from within (MSM, biotin, collagen and Vitamin C in powder formats are my favs)
3. No brushing or combing if the hair is not wet
4. Regular deep conditioning and protein treatments
5. No heat styling

[Sarahlabyrinth]

1. Don't cut it, only S & D if required.
2. Be gentle, always and protect your hair as much as you can.
3. Be patient for years.

[LittleHealthy]

1. Don't cut it, only S & D if required.
2. Be gentle, always and protect your hair as much as you can.
3. Be patient for years.

‘Be patient for years’ is probably up there as number one tip of all time haha!! Right next to ‘don’t cut it’... love this thread!!

[funfetti]

1. stop shampooing, or only shampoo the very top of your head when you notice it getting visibly greasy.
2. keep your hair in a bun or braids as much as possible! it keeps it from getting tangled, and protects it from a lot of damage.
3. don't brush hair wet, and be very gentle when drying it after a shower. i usually just wring it out a bit with my hands and then wear a towel around my neck so it can air dry on it.
4. you don't need to trim as much as most people say you do. if you are kind to your hair, you can go far past the "every eight weeks" rule.
5. find an oil your hair likes and use a bit on your ends every time they feel dry. i used to think oiling was overrated but really, it's made such a difference for my hair once i dedicated myself to it.

[sophia_]

1. find what kind of wash routines/products work for your hair. You might hear that sulfates/cones/wash scheduling/etc. are bad for the hair, but if they've been working for you, there's no need to change. Ex: I've been told not to use cones, but I've tried to go without them before and it was a disaster. However, using them on my scalp caused a stall in growth, I can only use them on my length. This also goes for other problems like the protein/moisture balance and your hair's pH. I have very hard water (Ozark rocks :cool: ) so I have to chelate my hair every few washes.
2. find the best method to detangle, I used to have a lot of trouble with this. Breakage from improper detangling can hinder growth more than one would think. Use what works for you, whether it be a brush with flexible bristles or a wide-toothed comb. In general (with some exceptions) if you have straight hair you should brush it dry, as I've found wet hair will instantly tangle again as soon as I've brushed it, let alone the breakage I get.
3. while protective styles are often necessary to prevent breakage, make sure you're not creating damage with them! Make them as damage-free as possible, don't pull your buns/braids/etc too tight, especially if you have hair as fine as mine.
4. hair grows on average 6 inches per year, so if you cut that much or more, you won't notice any growth. Trimming should only be done if you want to maintain your length/layers, or if you're trying to thicken your hemline or get rid of chemically processed/damaged/colored hair. If you don't notice any damage and don't want your hair shorter, there's no need to trim!

[Elizabeth E]

My top tips for hair growth:
6. Avoid heat/chemical/mechanical damage. Embrace your hair's natural colour and texture.
5. Stretch washes to once a week or as long as your scalp can handle.
4. S&D monthly and oil the ends whenever you're going to wear the hair up.
3. Be patient and don't trim too often, even when your uneven hemline is annoying you (the left side of my hair constantly seems to be growing faster)
2. Avoid hairdressers!!!
1. Wear. Your hair. Up! Seriously, this has made the greatest difference to mine. Wearing it up not only keeps it protected and out of your way, but it also keeps you from obsessing over the length too much.

And a personal favourite of mine, is owning a few different wigs for the times you want to experiment with colour and length. No need to damage your natural hair then!

[Dark40]

1. Definitely COwashing, 3 times a week.
2. Brushing once or twice a day.
3. Deep conditioning twice a week.
4. Trimming once or twice a year.
5. Using silicone conditioners.

[ravenskey]

Patience, patience, and more patience.

[LittleHealthy]

For me the thing that finally got my hair to grow (as in, to stop snapping off at the ends) was oiling. Oil in my ends at all times. Just a small amount, but literally oiling as soon as my hair was washed, and keeping them oiled adequately til the next wash. My bleached ends were snapping off for a year, as fast as my hair could grow to keep up, because I wasn’t moisturising them.
1. Oiling the ends - keeping them oiled
2. Washing less often ( every 2 - 3 days )
3. Sleeping on a satin pillowcase
4. Sleeping with hair in a loose bun
5. Wearing hair in protective styles each day

[nycelle]

1. Avoid heat
2. Avoid chemical processing like color
3. Trim, or S&D damaged hair especially if it tangles easy or catches on other hair
4. I don't believe sulfates or silicones make one bit of a difference in retaining length. They work for some, and not for others. So use what works best for your hair and scalp.

[lapushka]

What's the CG method??

Dee, YT is full of curly girls doing so-called "wash 'n gos" to style their hair. Most of them do the CG method. It is very informative to watch. Just type in wash 'n go, and you'll get lots of good info.

[Dee94]

Dee, YT is full of curly girls doing so-called "wash 'n gos" to style their hair. Most of them do the CG method. It is very informative to watch. Just type in wash 'n go, and you'll get lots of good info.

I'll definitely do that, thanks! :flower:

[Blossomfox]

Just commenting to follow this thread.

[DangerousBeauty]

‘Be patient for years’ is probably up there as number one tip of all time haha!! Right next to ‘don’t cut it’... love this thread!!

I could not agree more!

Add to this:

No heat, perms or straightening, commercial dyes
Micro trims only
Oil regularly
Pin up and forget about it.

Within six months, you will most probably see a drastic improvement in your length.

[cadaverinna]

1 - eat healthy
2 - avoid breakage
3 - S&D or micro-trim every few months
4 - run away from heat tools
5 - run away from chemicals
6(bonus) - be patient

[TreesOfEternity]

What has saved my hair is:
1. No heat!!!
2. Deep treatments and oils for sealing the moisture in
3. Combing and brushing gently only on dry hair after finger combing.
4. Using a sleeping cap.
5. Wearing hair up as much as possible.

[soldierssong]

I have some questions.... the terminology is still new to me.
what is EVOO?
CO?
CG?
Thank you!

[MusicalSpoons]

I have some questions.... the terminology is still new to me.
what is EVOO?
CO?
CG?
Thank you!

This will help: https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=54874

Edit: actually CG isn't mentioned there, sorry :doh: it stands for Curly Girl

[Ligeia Noire]

1-No dyes
2-No heat
3-Wear it up
4-Detangle carefully
5-Use silicones

[Yeahnah]

I've definitely noticed my hair is shinier this time round growing it out because I haven't been using chemical dyes and not washing as much. I guess it makes it healthier but I don't notice an increase in growth from doing this. Because its healthier I don't need as many trims though! Never satisfied yet getting a trim as they seem to take too much off...

[Crystawni]

Well, if you've joined LHC, you're on the right road to growing and/or enjoying long hair. So, along with the friendships, encouragement, knowledge, acceptance and inspiration here that will offer everything you need to grow long, for me my tips are:

1. Don't be a slave to hairdressers--and if your hair has volume, don't fall for razor-thinning and excessive layers where angle-cuts expose the inner hair structure, inviting damage, while thinning also gets rid of your growth-buddies (i.e. there's safety in numbers). Take control of your hair's destiny and self-trim if you can.

2. Don't be a slave to fashion. Be the fashion so you're a-head of the rest. :lol:

3. Stretching washes away from daily means less wet-dry stress on your hair, less handling, less potential damage and less attention to non-important details (noticing shedding, trying to style it, colour changes...). And your sebum gets a chance to work for you, too.

4. Nix the damaging habits so your hair has a chance to lengthen and age gracefully. No chemicals (dyes, perms, etc. that are ewwwww smelly yucky :puke:) unless you're gradually phasing something out. No heat tools (no burnies :sun:). No wind to mess with it (put that hair up). Check your hair tools for damaging wear and tear--especially old plastic combs that could be shearing off your hair with every stroke.

5. Enjoy your hair at every stage--explore and learn updos, use hair friendly, simple to use, comfortable and reliable hairtoys, and find styles and trims that work for you so you keep frustration and boredom at bay. Acceptance is key, with a sideorder of excited anticipation for the future.

Bonus, and maybe the most important: KISS aka Keep It Simple, Stupid. Routine, updos, trims, all that. Don't be a slave to your hair; it's only a part of the whole and will shine when you shine.

[Cate36]

To avoid breakage...

Don't wash every day - just when your scalp needs it, or co-wash if hair is dry....
Wash with cold water and zero heat.. air dry (I find cold water has helped - little science behind it however)
Sleep on Silk and do not sit or lean back on hair..careful when driving (the seat belt)
Only tie in a low pony, never high, and never strain the hair..

To Grow (what I do)

Invert you head for 5 - 10 mins every few days and very gentle massage
Take a good hair supplement (I use "help hair protein powder" (google it - has everything in and v good)
Bamboo supplements (I take the raw powder in my morning coffee) made a big difference along side extra vitamin C + collagen each day.
Bondi Boost growth spray (google it and read reviews... excellent)
Drink plenty of water - keep a bottle on you and never let yourself get thirsty
Cut out all additives and focus your diet on hair food. - Avocado, Eggs, Veg (grasses are great - barely etc etc), berries for C, bananas, Nori Seaweed - if a meat eater.. Sardines (the most nutritious fish you can eat), quality liver (considered by some a "super food" for iron etc etc). I don't eat meat, so take a high iron supplement..

[neko_kawaii]

1) Be gentle
2) Give it time
3) Relax and enjoy your hair

[Ylva]

Educate yourself about hair at least a little bit. You don't need to become any kind of a professional, but read a bit about how hair actually functions, like porosity and the such. This information will be especially helpful if you don't exactly want to take the "antique lace" route, but want to enjoy a bit of chemical treatment or other "hair sins" every once in a while. Some can get away with more than others in this department. However, always strive not to change too much about how your hair wants to be naturally. "Knowledge is power, but using it wisely is the key", said Khadgar, too.

Treat your hair as gently and kindly as possible. Try to wear at least some type of protective style, at least when out of the house.

Figure out a haircare routine that suits YOUR hair and scalp. It might look wonky in comparison to what others do, but if it works, it's okay. Unless it involves baking soda.

Always put your scalp before your hair. If your scalp is not okay, the hair is soon to follow.

Eat healthy and exercise moderately. Supplement afterwards if needed.

[RottenMango]

1. Use a hair mask every time you wash your hair.
2. Use a leave in conditioner daily.
3. Use a serum daily to seal the ends.
4. Cut your hair as little as possible or not as all.
5. Wear protective hairstyles.

[elfynity]

Growing takes time
Microtrim - your hair wont grow as well if your ends aren't healthy
Let your natural oils protect your hair
Protect your ends with moisture, detangling gently and keeping them up
Don't use heat or any hair chemicals
Take some kind of hair supplement
Know your hair type and work with it
Massage your scalp inverted and / or with a growth helper like peppermint EO
Fall in love with your own hair and send happy thoughts it's way

[Dark40]

1. Do not wash too often.
2. Keep it moisturized daily with oils.
3. Deep condition it whenever you feel there is a need.
4. CO-washing 3 times a week.
5. Trim less often.

[2gaits]

1. Stop cutting it.
2. Turn down the heat or no heat.
3. Cut out the chemical dye and bleach.
4. Oil and deep condition.
These things seem to be helping me the most with the condition of my hair. Healthy hair should mean less breakage and longer length over time.

[Groovy Granny]

Don't cut it :p

Learn what your hair needs for products

Protect it from the elements and friction damage.

And most importantly THIS ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-ciMuVhDXA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-ciMuVhDXA

[Pajarita]

Don't cut it :p

Learn what your hair needs for products

Protect it from the elements and friction damage.

And most importantly THIS ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-ciMuVhDXA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-ciMuVhDXA

That video kills me. I'd really like a time machine to go with that patience though.

[Begemot]

That video kills me. I'd really like a time machine to go with that patience though.

Same :lol: Such cool and funny ladies!

[Reservechic]

Even though I have fine textured curls and waves, this is what I must admit has benefitted me the greatest when it comes to growing my hair long as long as best retaining the length that I get:

1. My hair and scalp just isn't a major fan of using shampoo on it, whether it happens to be sulfate free or not. They all are drying, some more than others. Which is why, I like using DevaCurl's No Poo Decadence to cleanse my hair most of the time, or il'll I use the As I Am Coconut Co-Wash to cleanse my hair with. They both have great slip to them, and they leave my hair feeling moisturized as well as incredibly softer and well. And, most of all they get my hair and scalp completely clean, in the most gentle of ways.

3.Deep conditioning w/heat. This works miracles for my hair. And, I would highly recommend that anyone get a Hot Head Thermal Vonditioning Cap or hair stranger, in order to truly your hair go the next level.

3. I don't go off of any trimming schedule at all, as I only trim my hair when it is definitely needed. But, outside of that, I just plan to continue to let my hair grow and flourish and I have no plans to get any major cuts done to my hair ever again, either.

4. I don't engage in using a lot of oils or layering of products in my hair on a regular basis. I like for my hair go feel lightweight and fir my scalp to be able to not be bombarded with so much product and oils, till all it ends up doing is causing excessive buildup and end up clogging our scalp's hair follicles as well. For me, I'be definitely learned real well that less is definitely best, which is why, I choose to go by a very basic hair care routine.

5. I don't readily follow the Curly Girl Method or any popular method or trends that currently exists. There are certain ingredients that I choose to stay away from at this time and will continue to do so, only because of my either being allergic to them or their not being most compatible with my hair and/or scalp for different reasons. I choose not to overly worry about my hair, and let it overwhelm me. There are no rules when it comes to taking care of any type if hair. One just has to go with what they find works best for their hair and take pride and satisfaction in that. We all were blessed with individually unique hair by God. No need to try and have ones hair to 100% mirror anyone else's. Just do the best with your own hair and live to be at peace with it.

[Luna Starsetta]

1) treat your hair like gold and don't try to change your natural color or texture embrace it! Aka no heat or dye. And listen to your hair!
2) never skip Deep conditioning or oil treatments. Once a week is good.
3) microfiber towel to dry
4) sleep on a silk satin or microfiber pillow case!
5) curly girls don't brush your hair unless you have oil in it or your in the shower with conditioner!

[Ylva]

1) treat your hair like gold

= Bite it to plant your teeth marks on it :D

[MusicalSpoons]

There are no rules when it comes to taking care of any type if hair. One just has to go with what they find works best for their hair and take pride and satisfaction in that. We all were blessed with individually unique hair by God. No need to try and have ones hair to 100% mirror anyone else's. Just do the best with your own hair and live to be at peace with it.

All of this, but especially that last sentence!

Based on that, here are some general rules of growing long, healthy hair:
1) Protect it and minimise damage! In whatever style and using whatever accessories truly are best for your hair. That could be buns, braids, other updos, whatever works for you - things that cause damage for some are the best things for others (e.g. braids - horrible for my hair but many curlies and superlonghairs live in braids!) Avoid high heat and chemical processing, but if you make the informed decision to bleach / colour / perm / straighten, be prepared to put in the effort to mitigate as much damage as possible, and be prepared to accept it won't be as healthy as virgin hair. [Some people's hair can take it and still be in decent condition because they care well for it, but they'll usually acknowledge it would be even healthier if it were virgin.]

2. Find a good, protective way to have your hair when you sleep; again whatever works for you and your hair. Satin works for many, as pillowcases and/or bonnets and is probably a good first tweak to try.

3. Find the best washing routine and products for your hair, including whether you need to 'refresh' to keep it moisturised between washes. There's a lot of theory out there but the ultimate guide is how your hair and scalp react.

4. Use whatever detangling method and frequency works best for you and your hair.

5. Trim and/or S&D only as often as necessary. Some people can go years with trimming, others need regular trims because their hair is fragile and just splits despite taking good care if it, and most are somewhere in between the two extremes. Do what your hair needs, but don't snip more than necessary. (If it's not damaged, it doesn't *need* to come off!)

Bonus: learning about hair, caring for it, and ingredients / purposes of different products and process (detangling, washing, etc.) will help you make informed decisions about what you want to try and what really works best for your hair.

Bonus 2: Pinterest hairstyles often set the audience up to fail. Most of them require products, heat, damaging handling or even extensions (for thickness, if not length) so go in with realistic expectations and know that every style looks different on each head of hair too! We do have an entire Hairstyle Thesaurus here of generally hair-friendly styles so plenty of inspiration without needing Pinterest ;)

ETA:

= Bite it to plant your teeth marks on it :D

:rollin: