Get Longer Hair Tips
Do you want long, gorgeous hair that people stop and admire? Many people dream of having long swishy hair, but don't know how to get it. Most of us don't realize that what we put in our bodies can affect what happens to our hair. Using a good hair care routine can also help to prevent your hair from breaking off before it gets long. Read on to learn how to get longer hair as fast as you can. These methods will also make it healthier and thicker.
Method 1 of 4: Taking Good Care of Your Hair
1-Change the way you wash your hair. Factors like how often you wash your hair and what water temperature you use can affect the length of your hair. That's because washing your hair too often (think every day) and using super hot water will cause it to dry out and become brittle. That leads to hair breakage, preventing your hair from growing long and thick. The solution? Wash your hair no more than 3 times a week, and use the coldest water you can handle.
At first, washing your hair less often might make it look a little greasy. Wear a hat for a few days until your scalp gets used to producing less oil and things balance out. It shouldn't take long!
If you hate showering in cold water, try washing your hair in the sink with cold water separately from your regular showers. When you shower, keep your hair wrapped up in a shower cap.
2-Dry your hair gently. Do you towel dry your hair roughly, brush it out, and blow it dry? You're breaking your hair! It won't get the chance to grow long and strong, because you're handling it too roughly while it's wet. Think of your hair like a garment made of good fabric; you wouldn't just throw it in the dryer, you'd carefully lay it out to gently air dry. Treat your hair with the same gentle care. After washing, gently pat it dry with a towel and let it finish air drying.
Don't brush your hair while it's wet. Wet hair tends to stretch and break more easily than dry hair. If you need to detangle it, use your fingers and a wide-toothed comb to gently work through the tangles.
Don't blow dry your hair except for special occasions. Blow drying often really does cause damage in the form of breakage, frizz and split ends, and it's not easy to repair; you just have to wait for fresh hair to grow out.
3-Don't use harsh chemicals on your hair. The shampoo and conditioner you use may be contributing to poor hair growth. Most commercial shampoos contain sulfates, which strip your hair of its natural oils and leave it susceptible to damage. Conditioners contain silicones that coat the hair with chemicals and need to be washed out with more strong shampoo. This cycle is really damaging to hair! Here's what you can do instead:
Give your hair one last wash with a strong shampoo, to get rid of any remaining silicones. Don't condition it this time; just gently detangle it and let it air dry.
Give your hair a break for a few days. Don't do anything to it - don't wash it, straighten it, or use any products.
Next time you wash your hair, use an all-natural shampoo. Read the label and use a shampoo that contains only natural oils and other cleansers, no chemicals. You could even try going shampoo free!
Condition with diluted apple cider vinegar. This really works, and when it dries you won't smell like vinegar at all. For a deep-conditioning treatment, try using coconut oil. You'll never want to go back to the chemical-laden stuff you used before.
4-Try all-natural hair styling techniques and products. In a similar vein, start using gentler methods when it comes to styling your hair. Use heating tools like curling irons, straighteners, and of course hair dryers only sparingly. Switch out chemical-filled hairsprays and gels for natural versions. This gives your hair the chance to grow long and strong, taking on its own unique, beautiful texture.
You can make your own hair gel from non-harmful ingredients.
To smooth flyaways and frizz, apply a little argan oil or another cosmetic oil to your hair, rather than using an over-the-counter product.
Try natural methods to curl your hair without heat or to straighten it without heat.
5-Use a mask on your hair once every two weeks. This will help repair any damage that's been done to it by replenishing your hair's moisture. Afterward your hair will feel soft, silky and healthy, and it'll stay healthy long enough to keep growing out.
Try a hot oil mask using coconut and almond oil, as coconut oil has high penetration and deep conditioning power while almond oil adds extra shine to the weak dry hair. Massage the oil into your hair and put on a shower cap. Run a warm blow dryer over the cap for about 10 minutes, then remove the cap and wash your hair.
You could also try using warm olive oil, cinnamon and honey - this lightens your hair as it conditions it.
6-Protect your hair from external damage. Cover it up when you spend long hours in the sun, swim in a chlorinated pool, or hang out where there's a high level of air pollution. Your hair can get damaged by repeated exposure to these elements, so tie it up in a scarf, wear a hat or swimcap, and make sure to use gentle washing and drying methods afterward to keep it healthy.
Method 2 of 4: Eating Well and Taking Hair Growth Supplements
1-Eat more protein. Protein is the foundation of hair, and you need a lot of it for your hair to grow long, shiny and healthy. That doesn't mean you have to eat loads of meat (although you can) - it just means you need to focus on having protein be at the center of most of your meals.
If you're a meat eater, enjoy, beef, chicken, fish, pork, and other types of meat. Eggs and some types of cheese are also high in protein.
Beans and other legumes, nuts, and leafy vegetables like spinach have protein, too. If you're a vegetarian, you should live on these!
2-Eat omega-3 fatty acids. This "good" fat contributes to healthy, shiny hair and skin. It's found in a number of delicious foods like avocados, nuts, salmon, flaxseed oil, and more. You can also take fish oil supplements for large bursts of omega-3 if you want an extra boost.
3-Drink plenty of water. If you're dehydrated, it'll show in your hair. Your hair will become dry, dull, and more prone to breakage. That's means drinking water is an easy and absolutely essential part of growing longer hair. You'll see a difference in no time!
Carry around a water bottle and plant to drink at least 2-3 liters of water a day.
If you have trouble drinking a lot of plain water, drink herbal tea or flavored water, too.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol, and don't drink too much soda. Choose water instead.
4Take hair growth supplements. Certain supplements are said to help promote hair growth and lead to longer hair over time. This isn't exactly a quick fix, but if you start taking supplements you might see improved hair growth over the course of a few weeks or months. Give some of these supplements a try and see if they work for you:
Biotin is a popular hair growth supplement.[1] It's often taken by pregnant women to make sure their growing babies have enough nutrients, but there's no reason you can't take it if you aren't pregnant.
Atlantic cedar oil is a supplement that can be applied directly to the scalp to promote hair growth.[2] Argan oil can be used the same way.
Beta-sitosterol is a plant and seed-based substance that may lead to faster hair growth.[3]
Method 1 of 4: Taking Good Care of Your Hair
At first, washing your hair less often might make it look a little greasy. Wear a hat for a few days until your scalp gets used to producing less oil and things balance out. It shouldn't take long!
If you hate showering in cold water, try washing your hair in the sink with cold water separately from your regular showers. When you shower, keep your hair wrapped up in a shower cap.
Don't brush your hair while it's wet. Wet hair tends to stretch and break more easily than dry hair. If you need to detangle it, use your fingers and a wide-toothed comb to gently work through the tangles.
Don't blow dry your hair except for special occasions. Blow drying often really does cause damage in the form of breakage, frizz and split ends, and it's not easy to repair; you just have to wait for fresh hair to grow out.
Give your hair one last wash with a strong shampoo, to get rid of any remaining silicones. Don't condition it this time; just gently detangle it and let it air dry.
Give your hair a break for a few days. Don't do anything to it - don't wash it, straighten it, or use any products.
Next time you wash your hair, use an all-natural shampoo. Read the label and use a shampoo that contains only natural oils and other cleansers, no chemicals. You could even try going shampoo free!
Condition with diluted apple cider vinegar. This really works, and when it dries you won't smell like vinegar at all. For a deep-conditioning treatment, try using coconut oil. You'll never want to go back to the chemical-laden stuff you used before.
You can make your own hair gel from non-harmful ingredients.
To smooth flyaways and frizz, apply a little argan oil or another cosmetic oil to your hair, rather than using an over-the-counter product.
Try natural methods to curl your hair without heat or to straighten it without heat.
5-Use a mask on your hair once every two weeks. This will help repair any damage that's been done to it by replenishing your hair's moisture. Afterward your hair will feel soft, silky and healthy, and it'll stay healthy long enough to keep growing out.
Try a hot oil mask using coconut and almond oil, as coconut oil has high penetration and deep conditioning power while almond oil adds extra shine to the weak dry hair. Massage the oil into your hair and put on a shower cap. Run a warm blow dryer over the cap for about 10 minutes, then remove the cap and wash your hair.
You could also try using warm olive oil, cinnamon and honey - this lightens your hair as it conditions it.
Method 2 of 4: Eating Well and Taking Hair Growth Supplements
If you're a meat eater, enjoy, beef, chicken, fish, pork, and other types of meat. Eggs and some types of cheese are also high in protein.
Beans and other legumes, nuts, and leafy vegetables like spinach have protein, too. If you're a vegetarian, you should live on these!
Carry around a water bottle and plant to drink at least 2-3 liters of water a day.
If you have trouble drinking a lot of plain water, drink herbal tea or flavored water, too.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol, and don't drink too much soda. Choose water instead.
Biotin is a popular hair growth supplement.[1] It's often taken by pregnant women to make sure their growing babies have enough nutrients, but there's no reason you can't take it if you aren't pregnant.
Atlantic cedar oil is a supplement that can be applied directly to the scalp to promote hair growth.[2] Argan oil can be used the same way.
Beta-sitosterol is a plant and seed-based substance that may lead to faster hair growth.[3]
