Have you ever wanted to try a new chic hairstyle but were told by the stylist that your hair is “just too short”? How did you feel?
Frustrated, annoyed, or overwhelmed? At one point in our lives or another everyone desires to grow out their hair naturally.
Growing your hair is not as difficult as you may have come to believe. Sure it requires some amount of effort and patience, but natural hair growth is very achievable.
How fast does your hair grow?
An average person hair grows at least a quarter of an inch monthly so if you are looking to grow your hair 6 inches every week, it would be nearly impossible. There isn’t a definite process to take if you are looking to speed up the natural hair growth;
there are however, a couple of things you could do to see some results in your journey.
How long does it take to grow out your hair?
The amount of time it takes for your hair depends on your starting length, your aim, your nutrition, the condition of your hair, and how often you are trimming the ends of your hair.
If you want to notice a significant increase in the length of your hair, then you will want to make sure you are eating right and treating your hair right.
How to improve natural hair growth
Here are a few ways to improve your natural hair growth.
Eat the right food
If your aim is growing long natural hair, then you would have to watch what you eat. Your hair needs certain kinds of nutrient to grow healthy and strong.
Try hair supplements
There are various supplements that can be taken for healthy hair growth. When buying hair supplements, look out for ones with Biotin.
Biotin is beneficial for long healthy hair, skin, and nails. Before you begin taking supplements, you should speak to your doctor first.
Massage your scalp daily
You are probably wondering how a scalp massage will aid in your hair growth journey. Well, when you massage your scalp, blood flow to the scalp is increased, and nutrients get to your hair follicle faster.
You don’t have to do this daily to see results. The next you are washing your hair, spend a few minutes massaging the products into your scalp.
Avoid excessive heat and chemicals
When you are trying to grow your hair out it will be wise to stay away from electrical heat and bleaching products. This can cause your hair to be weak, and thin out.
Exercise and sleep well
Try to engage in stress relieving activities like exercising and do not deprive yourself of sleep. You do not want your body to go into survival mode; because at that stage hair growth may not occur.
Try protective hairstyles
Protective hairstyles like wigs can aid in hair growth. It is important to take care of your hair properly even while wearing a wig.
Have a weekly or bi-weekly routine where you wash and moisturize your hair every evening.
Try some natural remedies
If you are not comfortable taking hair supplements, there are certain home remedies you could whip up to boost hair growth.
Natural Hair Growth Remedies
Rosemary Hair mix
Rosemary is a herb used in the kitchen to add flavor to many meals. This herb is beneficial for hair growth too; it gets rids of dandruff, and strengthen the root of the hair.
To make a rosemary mix add few drops of rosemary essential oil into two tablespoons of coconut oil. Apply the mixture all over your hair massaging your scalp as you do so.
Leave it on for some few minutes and shampoo as usual.
Eggs
Remember when we said that the hair is made of protein and it needs some more protein to grow? You could use egg as an alternative to buying protein hair treatments.
To make the egg treatment, mix two egg yolks with 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Apply mixture all over the hair and allow it to sit for 20 minutes before washing it off.
Use plain water or vinegar to rinse off the egg mixture.
Castor oil
Castor oil is rich in omega-9 fatty acids, and it is a good remedy for dry and frizzy hair. To make the castor oil hair treatment, mix few drops of castor oil into a carrier oil like coconut or olive oil.
Allow the mixture to sit on your hair for 20-30 minutes before washing it off.
Coconut milk
Coconut milk is rich in vitamins and minerals like phosphorus which is needed for hair growth. You can add some coconut milk to your diet or use it to wash your hair twice a month.
Natural hair growth nutrition
You are what you eat, and if you want to have healthy long natural hair, you must eat the right food. Foods that are rich in protein and omega 3 fatty acids should be consumed more.
The human hair is made up of protein, so incorporating protein-rich foods in your meals will go a long way in speeding hair growth. Some foods rich in protein include meats, fish, egg, soy products, and beans.
Zinc and iron are two other nutrients you should endeavor to incorporate in your meal. Lean meats, lentils, and soy products are good food sources of iron while oysters, pumpkin, and dark chocolate are food sources for zinc.
Vitamin C should also be taken as it aids in the absorption of iron and formation of collagen which your body needs to develop long hair. Citrus fruits happen to be the most common food source of vitamin c.
Try eating fruits and vegetables daily.
How to maintain natural hair growth
Now that you are beginning to see some progress in hair length, there are some things you should do to maintain the growth
- Pay attention to your hair and trim off all split and damaged ends.
- Combing your hair everyday is not the best route to take if you are looking to retain hair length. Less manipulation is key if you want to notice a significant difference in hair length.
- Those with type 4 hair should always work in sections. Divide your hair into parts before conditioning, shampooing or braiding.
Natural hair growth products
Hair products containing organic extracts are useful for fighting hair loss and baldness. When picking out a hair product, it is essential to choose one containing natural ingredients free from chemical preservatives.
When it comes to hair oils, cold pressed oils are the best as they have all of the important nutrients preserved in them. Some natural hair products to buy included;
If your hair is dry or breaks off easily, this is the hair cream for you. It contains the right amount of vitamins minerals, and protein needed for the restoration of hair.
Follow the application instruction listed on the package to see immediate results.
If you are unable to make a hair mask, then this is the perfect product for you. It contains ingredients like jojoba oil, wheat germ, and keratin which will improve hair growth.
Perfect for moisturizing the hair and preventing the damage of UV rays on the hair; this hair mask is what you need to see results.
How to measure natural hair growth
Measuring your hair length is the only way to know if your efforts at length retention are yielding any results. A lot of natural queens who have achieved long hair say the perfect way to measure hair growth is by using a measuring tape when your hair is still wet.
They say that the hair measurement should be done in sections. Natural hair growth is possible especially for those with healthy hair.
It is difficult to grow out damaged hair naturally. If your hair has been damaged from too much heat or chemicals, then the best thing to do will be to have a big chop and start over.
This might seem scary but think of how healthy your hair will be once it starts growing.
Hey Curl Friend, I’m Patrina Haupt the creator and author of Natural Hair Queen. I hope you find my healthy hair care tips helpful in your hair journey. Healthy hair care practices are definitely, what helped me to achieve waist length hair.
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Hi, i wish to find out if i can use different brands to treat my natural hair. Eg shampoo from another brand and use conditioner from another?
You can you just need to be mindful of the ingredients listed on the bottle and how your hair responds to it.