What Makes People's Hair Grow Long?

What Makes People's Hair Grow Long?
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Growing out your hair is a slow process. Healthy hair typically grows 1/2 inch per month, but there are individual variances. A healthy diet, good hair care and genetics can all allow some people to grow their hair to extreme lengths. Although you can't change your genes, you can adjust your diet and hair care routines to encourage long, healthy hair.

Considerations

Growing your hair out requires maximizing your hair growth at the root while protecting the length and ends of your hair from damage and breakage. Keeping your hair healthy is essential; breakage and split ends can keep your hair from growing to long lengths. There is no miracle cure or product that will give you long, luscious hair in less time.

Types

If you want long hair, coming to terms with your natural hair texture and learning to manage it is crucial, according to LongHairLovers.com. Different hair types look their best and are as manageable as possible when cared for properly. Opt for lighter products for fine hair or additional moisture for curls. Consider replacing your usual products with sulfate free versions or using conditioner instead of shampoo, recommends NaturallyCurly.com.

Function

Adequate nutrition is essential to maximize hair growth. Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet that includes good fats, protein and plenty of fruits and vegetables. A good quality multivitamin can help avoid nutritional deficiencies and provide you with many of these. You may also take a B-complex supplement, B-6, vitamin C, and vitamin E, recommends HairBoutique.com.

Care

Rich conditioning and gentle care help your hair stay healthy as it grows. Use a conditioner designed for your hair type regularly. Make time for deep conditioning or oil treatments weekly or even more frequently, suggests LongHairLovers.com. Handle your hair gently, especially when wet. Detangle with a wide-tooth comb, and avoid brushing wet hair, recommends LongLocks.com.

Misconceptions

Although skipping haircuts may seem logical as your hair grows, this can lead to additional damage and reduced length. Regular trims keep the ends of your hair healthy by removing damage and split ends. If your hair is quite damaged, consider cutting away the damage before you opt to grow your hair out, recommends LongLocks.com. Communicate your wishes clearly to your stylist to avoid losing too much length with regular trims.

References

Article reviewed by Anton Alden Last updated on: Oct 11, 2010

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