10 Tips on How to Grow Long Hair ...

Long, beautiful and shiny hair is every girl’s dream! I’ve always had long hair, and I can’t imagine cutting it short! Everyone is always asking me how I grow it so long, though, so here are my top ten tips on how to grow healthy, shiny long hair!

1 Preparation!

Preparation! Growing long and beautiful hair goes far beyond just what shower products to use. The first step in growing long, healthy hair is to cut off any damaged bits, no matter how much you have. This is the part everyone always struggles with! Go to a hairdresser and ask them to remove all the dead hair, and to style the rest. That way, you’ll look gorgeous and have well- prepared hair!

Photo Credit: brokenheels

2 Book Regular Trims

Book Regular Trims This will prevent damage from stopping your hair from growing. Go as often as you need to! My hair grows fast, so I go at least a month, but see what works for you. Most hairdressers recommend a trim every six to eight weeks. If you notice your hair growth slowing down, there is probably damaged hair stopping it.

Photo Credit: Mike Rohde

3 Talk to Your Stylist!

Talk to Your Stylist! Tell your stylist that you are aiming to grow your hair, and get them to show you exactly how much they want to cut off before they start. This helps put you in control, and ensures the stylist doesn’t thwart your growing efforts!

Photo Credit: allicette

7 Pros and Cons of Long Hair …

4 Avoid Heat!

Avoid Heat! Try your hardest to avoid using your hair dryer, curlers, straightners... even if you use protective spray, the heat dries out and damages hair, which significantly slows down growth, and eventually stops it completely. If you have to use something, make sure you use a lot of a high quality protection product!

Photo Credit: Folica.com

5 Don’t Use Chemicals!

Don’t Use Chemicals! For similar reasons to above, resist having hair permed or using permanent dyes, as these are very harsh on the hair. If you have to use a colour, try to use non peroxide, natural colour. Healthy hair will look gorgeous anyway, though, and you don’t want to get roots!

Photo Credit: rdtaj

6 Accessorize!

Accessorize! Get rid of any accessories which might be damaging your hair. These could be rubber bands, or any hair tie that uses metal, as this allows the hair to get caught. Check that all barrettes and clips work correctly, and won’t be ripping out your hair!

Photo Credit: ::sämyii::

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7 Eat Carefully!

Eat Carefully! If you are depriving your body of nutrition, your hair will be one of the first places to suffer. Ensure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals, and that you’ve got at least some fat in your diet.

Photo Credit: Anne (2010)

8 Be Gentle!

Be Gentle! Never brush wet hair, and if you can, get used to using a comb rather than a brush as much as possible. Combs are much less likely to rip hair, and will keep hair much healthier! Use a detangler if necessary, but don’t use too much or your hair will look greasy.

Photo Credit: monbrye

9 Rinse in Cold Water!

Rinse in Cold Water! I hate this one, but it really does work! Make your last rinse cold, and it will seal the hair follicles and give you shiny, healthy and bouncy hair. It’s amazing!

Photo Credit: meeralee

10 Deep Condition!

Deep Condition! Use a deep conditioner once a month, after leaving hair unwashed for slightly longer than usual. This allows the natural oils to work their magic, and the conditioner will enrich hair and make it glean.

Photo Credit: bmaebell

While there are more don’ts then do’s, growing your hair really isn’t hard, and once you’ve got the hang of looking after it and promoting growth, it’ll look gorgeous whatever length it is. Have you got a tip for growing hair, or looking after long hair? Please tell me about it!

Top Photo Credit: .Surya.

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Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

My friend has amazing long hair and her first food recommendation was tuna! Fresh or canned. Apparently makes her hair grow like crazy because of the protein and omega 3 oils you get from salmon.

Sandra

@Sandra

i want 10 steps not 1

Mahim

@Mahim

same problem i have lost a lot hairs and i want them to grow back my hairs have become very lean and dull.............if u can tell me something please ....!!!

aneeqa

@aneeqa

I used to have long hair down to my butt at one point, I used to cut it every month because I believed it helped. About 2 years ago, i had about the worst hair cut of my life and had it up to my shoulders. I didn't worry too much cause I kept eating the same, I kept cutting, I kept doing my hair masks but nothing seems to be working. My hair is actually really healthy, always been, I never worry about that. However, I now think that cutting your hair every month is a little extreme because you won't notice it growing. I cut it only when i feel like my ends are getting damaged and it's finally growing better. My Advice is to keep doing hair masks, making sure your SCALP and HAIR has all the proteins it needs to grow and stay healthy.

TIMA

@TIMA

.. guyz please help me .. last year(i think that is december) i decided to cut my hair .. and then after a few months i noticed that there's nothing change ..now i miss my long hair .. i want to get back my long hair before christmas .. please help me ..

mabeth

@mabeth

My hair damaged badly last year due to too much of chemicals from hair colouring, straightening and also curl!!! Then I cut my hair short just under my ears!! It was so disappointed.. however.. my hair growth very fast after that maybe due to damaged hair disappeared.. hu3 =) but after 3 months it was slow down.. I taught if I dont cut my hair I can keep it longer hair but it works otherwise actually.. So I did hair trim and it did wonders on my hair growth.. I do trim my hair every month.. Finally, I got long hair I ever wanted.. it was full of satisfaction.. I ve to b patient n of coz sacrifice a lot; no colour,curl n straight treats, very fussy hair treatment (before I just shampoo but now I take effort on olive oil, vitamins and masker).. But I am so happy now with my hair.. its natural,healthy n beautifull.. sorry if i praised myself too much.. =)

anne

@anne

This is the best post for me ...well at least from this week. Just last Saturday I cut my hair, was really very damaged cause I didn't cut it for almost 6 months and I was using hair dryer and flat iron all the time and although I was using protective products, my hair was still pretty damaged. Unfortunately my hair grows very slow, I had this problem all my life and even when I tried to let it dry naturally it still didn't helped.

Tavia

@Tavia

oh! and the aspirin would be mixed with the olive oil lol

Theo

@Theo

oh and btw girls, don't fret over the rate of your growth during these cold months. Your hair growth is fastest during the warmer months and really slows down during the winter (i've personally experienced this too)

Sheila

@Sheila

Patience is a Virtu, they say!! It's what you've got to have in order to grow long hair. I passed it and it was a really depressing time. I cut my hair short which I didn't like and it seemed ages till it grew! But finally with all the patience it's long till I wanted it from the beginning! Trimming it regulary should help too. When you trim your hair it will get more healy and will grow quicker!

Xannyyy

@Xannyyy

GREAT POST I was thinking "ok this isnt going to benefit someone with hair like mine" (a wild afro) but these are actually tips that anyone can use reguardless of their hair texture :] --I trim my hair once a month by the way and it makes my hair feel amazingggg

vanisha

@vanisha

Kati I am good on all your advice except the brushing wet hair and cold water rinse. Are you implying that I can rinse all the conditioner out with warm water and then just do a cold water rinse? If that is the case then I will do that. I kinda need to brush my hair wet because I wear wigs most of the time on account of my hair still being to short (to me). It works better to have my hair wet and combed back to get the wig cap on and secured. But I will get a big goody comb to use. That's what I used as a teen and it worked alot better than my brushes.

September

@September

Thanks.. i really want long hair again! short hair on me = UGH. I find that stress affects me a lot. Like now during exam week.. I find pieces of my hair everywhere. really freaky o-o Brush hair a lot (: 3 times an hour helped me grow a inch in two weeks..

Amy

@Amy

I'm now growing my hair out. I'm in 9th grade and i cut my hair up to my ears in 5th grade, and have wanted it long ever since. It's now in the middle of my back, and all my hair stylists say it's great. I deep condition, get trims and rinse with cold water. it really works everyone!! pay attention (:

Rose

@Rose

Most of these tips are dedicated to healthy looking and shiny hair, not to hair growth. Hair doesn't grow from ends, but from roots. So, cutting the hair is useless - it just helps hair look healthier, not longer. What you need is healthy and nutritious food, vitamins, normal hormonal levels, non-stressing environment, some oils or hair masks might help too. So, all you need is: a) check your health. b) think, what you eat. c) avoid stress, relax and sleep well. d) take care of your hair - let your roots breathe. And the rest is genes. If your family doesn't have it, you won't too.

Paulina

@Paulina

I have long hair, well I think it's not long enough to be considered "Asian Long hair". What I eat never really effect how fast my hair grows, but everyone's hair is different. BUT, I am going to try rinsing my hair in cold water.

Alice

@Alice

I've mentioned this before on your blog but I've been growing out my hair to donate it and a lot of your tips have been tried and tested and are very good! I would recommend a moisturizing treatment at least once a month and once in a while I made an olive oil mask for my hair. I did this more when I had time but it really makes hair shinier and stronger! (Of course you shampoo it after! :) )

Theo

@Theo

Topic for me!! I used to have long hair. I couldn't take care of it so I decided to stick with short hair for a while. Now I want to grow long hair. I massage my scalp with almond oil, or coconut oil before I take a shower.

Fatima

@Fatima

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