Those of you who are familiar with the YouTuber, SunKissAlba, know that she just finished a hair growth challenge. I was apart of the challenge, and let me tell you, I learned so much about my hair. What my hair likes and dislikes and so forth. So now, I'm here to share what I've learned with you!
Now I know that some of you may be scratching the top of your heads saying "What does shampoo have to do with growing long hair?" Hair grows from your scalp, if your scalp is over saturated with sebum (Sebum is the natural oils your scalp produces) then that prohibits hair growth. (Basically the oil is suffocating the hair and scalp) Keeping the scalp clean, even for kinky hair, is very important. If you don't clean your scalp regularly (at least once a month) then you really can't expect to see much hair growth.
When I say "moisturize" I don't necessarily mean use a leave in conditioner. Keep your entire body hydrated by drinking plenty enough water. Before you wash your hair, saturate your hair with an oil of your choice. Leave that in for an hour before washing it out. (This leaves your hair soft and manageable) And if your hair is need of extra moisture, deep conditioning is also really good. If your hair needs a leave in conditioner, use one. Just don't over moisturize your hair!
Sealing in that moisture is also quite important. Heavy oils for sealing are castor oil and olive oil. Light oils are avocado oil and argon oil. If you don't like oils, organic aloe vera juice is also a really good sealant.
Protective styling does not mean to go and get a wave. I personally am against protective styling with extensions. It weakens the hair in my opinion. (I could be wrong) What I do recommend is buns, scarves (If you are into that sort of thing) and snoods (or beanies). Also, protecting your hair from the chill of winter and the heat of summer is important as well. Below is my favorite YouTuber with lots of wonderful protective styles.
Haartraum on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/HaartraumFrisuren
Don't touch your hair more than necessary. Try not to manipulate (aka fancy styles, washing too frequently, etc) your hair too often. This can cause breakage which prohibits growth. Simply put your hair in a bun (or whatever go to style you have in your arsenal) and leave it alone. If your hair is misbehaving, braid your hair in two braids and slap a beanie or a hat on. Trust me, this works wonders.
Let me rephrase that, don't cut your hair too often. Once or twice a year (for a large trim or cut) should suffice. Cutting your hair too often = cutting off your new length.
Here is how much my hair grew over a 6 month period. (Technically 3 months, because I couldn't figure out how to get my hair to grow at the time.)
Well those are my tips for growing long hair. I hope this helps you in your hair journey.
What are your top tips for hair growth?
