How to get long healthy hair

So, it’s finally a new year, and I have made some promises to myself. One of which is to take extra good care of my hair. Last year was very eventful, and as such I didn't have that much time to stick to my usual routines. But I’m gonna change all that this year.

I have thick curly hair since my mum is Russian and my dad is African. I would love to have long hair and as such I have spent a lot of time in the last 3 years researching how to get my hair to grow as long as I want it to be. From everything I have read and heard from people, there is no way to make your hair grow extra fast. But there is a way to help it grow faster than it usually does. I use these methods myself and can honestly say that it works for me.

      
About 3 years ago I cut my hair to just below my neck. For me, that was terror in the making! You know the kind they show people experiencing in horror moves. I was like “OMG!!! My hair is so short! How do I even put it back in a ponytail!!! This is because I knew it would take forever for my hair to grow back. So I started searching the web and asking people loads of questions. So if you are wondering how to get long healthy hair, try the following steps:

• Firstly in order to grow your hair long, cut off all the damaged part. If you know you have split ends and you want to grow your hair long, you are gonna have to suck it up and cut of all your split ends.
• Every now and then when you notice split ends, get a trim. This does not necessarily mean than you have to get a trim every month. But when you notice some split ends and do decide to do it, trim during a waxing crescent moon.
• Nutrition. If you want to grow your hair, you have to eat lots of protein and vitamins. You have to have a fully nourished meal and avoid harsh diets. If your body is not getting the nourishment it needs, then neither is your hair.
• Deep conditioning at least once a month. You definitely have to deep condition, minimum once a month, although personally I like to do it more often because after I wash out the conditioner, my hair feels extra extra soft and super nice. (I wish it would be that way always!!!)
• Hot oil treatments using olive oil or jojoba oil. Weekly hot oil massages help in the circulation of blood and provides the hair with vitamins which it needs. I for one love them almost as much as deep conditioning.
• Don’t tie your hair up in styles that pull hard on your hair. If individual strands experience extra stress, they tend to grow weak and will probably later break. So if you want to make a ponytail, try to make more or less a loose but pretty ponytail so you don’t pull too hard on your hair.
• Be careful about the hair accessories you use. Metal tends to get stuck in our hair. For example, if you use a barrette or a hairband with metal, you have to take it out very carefully to avoid pulling your hair out with it. (Ouch!)
• Be very gentle with wet hair. Try not to comb your hair when it is wet, but if you can’t stick to that rule like me (because combing my hair out when it is wet is the easiest) then make sure you comb it out extremely carefully because wet hair breaks more easily.
• Stick to a comb rather than a brush. But if you have to use a brush, use a natural 100% boar bristle brush which will not tear your hair. I prefer to stick to a wide-toothed comb.
• Don’t wash your hair too often, it dries it out. If your hair gets dirty easily and you have to wash it every day, try washing it with conditioner every other day.
• Avoid using heated appliances such as straighteners, curling irons and blow dryers. Or at least try to keep it to a minimum and don’t forget to used heat protection spray or serum.
• Try to reduce the friction on your hair. Don’t sleep with your hair loose, or sleep on a satin pillow case.
• Avoid using harsh chemicals on your hair.
• Rinse your hair in as cold water as you can stand. This makes your hair less likely to break and gives it shine.
• Avoid combing your hair multiple times every day. Combing your hair once in the morning when you are going out and at night when going to bed is well enough. Combing you hair too often leads to pulling our hair strands prematurely.

When I wash my hair on the weekends and have at least an hour to do so, I use different homemade remedies on my hair.

• I make lemonade. Yes literally. I squeeze out 2 lemons, dilute it with water and rinse my hair with it.
• Apple cider vinegar diluted with water adds shine to your hair.
• Mix 1 egg with a tablespoon of honey and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Apply to your hair and leave it on for about 3minutes. Sounds yucky, doesn't it? But what wouldn't I do for the love of my hair.
• Mix carrier oil such as olive oil or jojoba oil with different essential. Rub it into your hair and cover with a shower cap or some sort of nylon. Leave it overnight and wash your hair as usual the next morning. Different essential oils can help improve hair growth. I usually mix Olive oil, Coconut oil; with essential oils like Rosemary, Lavender and Peppermint which help stimulate blood flow to the hair roots. There are many other essentials oils which have the same function.

I’m gonna stock up on some more essential oils this year if I want to achieve my hair growth goal this year.

Let me know what you think, I would be glad to read about other ways to grow long, strong and healthy hair.