Achieving and retaining length is undoubtedly one of the major goals for many people with natural hair, especially if you did a big chop. It can almost feel as if your hair grows to a certain point and then stops abruptly.
The truth is you're probably focusing on the wrong thing(s). You cannot control how fast your hair grows because genetics play a huge role in this. However, you can control how much length you retain. Focus your attention on preventing excess breakage and it'll be worth it. Keep reading for tips on retaining your hair length.
Tip 1: Deep Condition Every Week
If there's one thing your hair needs, it's moisture and protein, and the best way to meet these needs is to deep condition. Deep conditioning helps with improving the moisture-protein balance of your hair, which further promotes hair elasticity. When the elasticity of your hair is at an optimal state, it means your hair becomes flexible and less susceptible to breakage. Deep conditioning also prevents your hair from becoming dry and damaged, while keeping it lush and vibrant.
Tip 2: Protective Styling
The less you manipulate your hair, the more it grows. Although curly hair looks stronger than fine, straight hair, it is actually quite delicate, especially if you're not doing the right things. Over styling and using hot tools like flat irons can and will damage your hair overtime. So instead of blow drying and stretching regularly, consider putting your hair in a protective style.
Low manipulation hairstyles such as braids, buns, flat twists, and wigs are excellent options for promoting hair growth. But remember you still need to take care of your hair and scalp even when wearing a protective style.
Tip 3: Get a Trim!
We know this sounds counterproductive and unnecessary, but we promise you the opposite is the case. Do you know that split ends can cause your hair to keep breaking because they are unhealthy? Split ends will keep splitting and cause your already damaged hair to become worse. So, you need to get a professional trim asap!
It's important to get your hair trimmed when you see a problem if you want to retain length. The more you get rid of these split ends, the healthier your hair will be and the more length you will retain.
Tip 4: Use a Silk or Satin Bonnet for Bedtime
You know how you read about a lot of tips to grow your hair and they're not all important? This is one of the important ones! It might seem insignificant but when you think about the reason why this is essential, it makes sense. The friction between your hair strands and cotton bedding can cause your hair to become dry and flaky which promotes breakage.
To prevent this from happening, make sure to wrap your hair with a silk scarf or use a satin bonnet. And if you feel like taking it up a notch, use a silk pillow case.
The bottom line is don't focus on the length of your hair, focus on the health of it and the length will follow. Long hair is beautiful, but so is short healthy hair.
Put these tips into practice and you will see the results you want.
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