Top Tips for Hair Growth

For as long as I have been on this Earth, I have had short hair. I remember when I was younger I used to wear those hairbands with fake plaits attatched to it because I was so desparate for longer hair. My Mum used to refuse to cut my hair, for reasons I am unaware of, and so naturally it just became damaged and unhealthy to a point where I had to have it all off and I looked like the mushroom from Super Mario. 

In secondary school it started to grow, but because it was still so short, and because I was a bit of a tomboy, I looked like a scarecrow - I mean that because it was all over the place and I hadn't discovered straighteners at this point. I would include a picture but I'm just not that brave.

I remember the first time I was ever able to put my hair in a ponytail was in year 9, and I then proceeded to wear my hair in a ponytail every single day. It wasn't until about a year and a half ago that it actually started to get a move on. My hair is still short, but its the longest it has ever been. Its about shoulder length now.  I got bored of waiting for my hair to grow so i did a lot of research, and by that I mean, youtube videos - probably not the most reliable source but they worked anyway.

Here are my top tips for growing hair: 

General care: 

Don't wash your hair everyday. Leave it for as long as you can tolerate before washing it. I usually went about 2 - 3 days bit because I'm blonde, it became dirtier quicker and it showed too, so I had no choice but to wash it.

Reduce the amount of heat you use on your hair. Sounds simple, but really effective. I went months without straightening my hair and I used the cool setting on my hairdryer. That really detoxed my hair and made it a lot healthier. There are loads of hairstyles which you can create without heat.

Do not brush your hair while wet. If you feel you have to, use a wide tooth comb. When your hair is wet it is more fragile and if you're throwing a brush through it, it is very likely that it will break and split.  If you find that you get very knotty hair, begin brushing it from the bottom and work your way up, don't try to go straight through from the crown of your hair to the ends, it causes tension and is not good for it. Going along with this, do not rub wet hair with a towel, because this is just like using sand paper to your hair. Squeeze out excess water and blow dry, or leave to air dry. 

Products:

Use a decent shampoo/conditioner. We all use shampoo, some of us opt for the cheaper option, which is totally fine if you're not into hair care. But if you are, however, you need to be a bit more aware of the ingredients. Ingredients to avoid: 

Sodium chloride (table salt) - it is used to thicken shampoos but it dries out your hair and scalp - not good, right? 

Lanolin, Petroleum and Mineral Oil - these prevent natural oils being absorbed by the hair shaft. 

Isopropyl Alcohol - because A) why would you want acohol in your hair? and B) because it gets rid of the moisture in your hair, leaving it prone to damage. 

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate & Sodium Laureth Sulfate - these are very irritating to the scalp, and are also used in household products such as toothpaste and cleaners. They have been linked to eye damage, severe skin irritation and damage of the immune system. So for health reasons, too, avoid these ingredients. 

If your hair is damaged or dry, use a hair mask. This is one of the main things that has helped my hair growth. I currently use Tresemme's Breakage Defence and I use it instead of my usual conditioner on every other wash. It says to leave it on for 5 minutes, but I leave it on for longer whenever I have used heat or whenever I am in need of a treatment. I find that this really brings my hair back to life, and it keeps it soft, let me tell you. Since using a hair mask I have definitely seen a decrease in my split ends. 

Moroccan oil will be your best friend. It has been proven to help with hair growth and is one of the most common products to use in correlation with growth. It helps to keep your hair looking healthy; thick, shiny, less frizzy and smooth. 

Other tips: 

Sleep with your hair in plaits. Or in general, wear you hair in plaits whenever you're having a dar indoors. It helps reduce the amount of dirt in your hair, it doesn't get sprawled out all over your pillow and it creates natural waves the next morning. 

GET YOUR HAIR CUT! Seriously, that's something I went wrong with and I cannot express how important it is to get the ends trimmed off. It keeps it healthy, reduces splits to all the way up your hair and it encourages it to grow. 

Don't pick at split ends. Just don't do it. 

Once in a while, tip your head upside down and massage your scalp. It gets the blood flowing and will help the roots. 

Use heat protectant whenever you use anything with heat - obvisously - including a hair dryer. 

A healthy diet. Proteins, omega3, iron and vitamin C really help with hair growth.