I dont know too many people with curly hair that don’t wish their hair would grow (or get length instead of bouncy up again)
Well here are a few tips to help get your locks growing:
Scalp care: Firstly there is a saying “healthy scalp means healthy hair”. It makes so much sense right! Keeping your scalp healthy is absolute key to getting longer hair.
If you have dry scalp then its your scalps way of saying something isn’t right. You may be cleansing too much and drying your scalp out, you could be reacting to some ingredients in your products.
If your scalp is oil and itchy it would be recommended to focus on cleansing a little more often with a clarifying shampoo, or ACV rinse. This will remove any oil build up (which can harden around your hair follicle and break your hair) ACV rinses will help to neutralise the ph level, and it has anti fungal and anti bacterial properties.
A clarifying shampoo every 2-4 weeks will also keep any build up off your scalp. Some brands I have tried are Curl Smith wash and scrub detox, or Bounce curl gentle clarifying shampoo.
Using a scalp brush will help to lift and remove dead skin, oil and dirt from your scalp as well as stimulate blood circulation crucial for feeling your hair to keep healthy.
Hair care: If your hair has endured years of colour and hot tool damage then you will already know that it hasn’t served your curls well. They will be straighter and limper…
There really is no easier way to repair this damage other than cutting it right off. I know what you’re thinking…”im not getting a pixie cut”. Thats not neccesary but getting a decent amount cut off your hair is going to make a huge difference in how your curl performs.
Using bond buildering treatments will really help to connect your the damaged disulfide bonds back together keeping your hair healthier and stronger.
Olpalex is your front runner for blond builders but you will notice that this product will need constance maintenance otherwise it will start to break down.
K18 is the new kid on the block and giving olaplex a run for number 1. K18 claims to reconnect your disulfide bonds as well as mimic your natural keratin (protein), that doesn’t break down through washing your hair. So there is no need to do home maintenance unless you continue to colour or use any hot tools on your hair. Pretty incredible right! I have actually started using this product in the salon and although it does have alcohol in it which is a no no for curls I can vouch that it really doesn’t dry your hair out at all and its purpose is to open the cuticle up so the product can get deep enough into the hair shaft.
Lastly using a good haircare range (shampoo, conditioner, leave in , deep condition and styling) All of these will have the ingredients you will need to keep your hair healthy.
Nutrition: A balanced diet is super important if you’re wanting long hair. If your body is running on junk food then so will your hair. And boy will you notice it. You will experience dry, limp, brittle, lifeless hair, scalp issues, and hair loss. So start looking into what your feeding your body if you’re noticing any of those symptoms.
You want to source ingredients that contain:
Omega 3 fatty acids – salmon, walnuts, hemp, flaxseeds.
Protein – legumes, nuts, lean meat and fish
B12 – Meat, eggs, dairy and fortified nut milks.
Biotin – egg yolks, canned salmon, beef liver
Zinc – nuts, shellfish
Selenium – fish, nuts especially Brazil nuts
Calcium – dairy, dark leafy greens, tofu, dried fruit
Vitamin A – carrots, oranges, leafy greens
Drinking plenty of water…i mean is it really necessary to say that. Drinking at least 2 litres of water will do wonders for your body, mind, energy, scalp and hair.
Supplements: There is one brand that claims to help assist in hair growth and that is Curl Smith ultimate length 30 day therapy supplements. Its free of Gluten, Nuts, GMO, Lactose, Preservatives, Artificial Sweeteners, Hormones, Soy, so if your allergic or sensitive to these ingredients then this might be one you could try.
There is no guarantee that supplements will make your hair grow but if you do try some make sure they list the above nutrients.
Another I would recommend trying out would be collagen as collagen has been shown to increase the hairs building protein resulting in longer thicker hair. Also may help to reduce the appearance of grey hair by supporting the healthy structure of the hair follicle.