"MY HAIR JUST WON'T EVER GROW PAST A CERTAIN LENGTH!"
The amount of times I've had this said to me from a beautiful lady sitting in my salon chair, hoping I can create a miracle and they can finally have the long, luscious, thick, bouncy hair they've always dreamt of...
Can you relate?
Sorry to break it to you, girls - my hair wizard skills don't stretch that far. Work and patience is involved. BUT! There is hope yet!! We can definitely get you there, if you work with me on this one!
Ask yourself this:
Do I get my hair cut every 8 weeks?
Do I use heat on my hair more than once a week?
If I do use heat, is it above 185°C and do I use a heat protector?
Am I using professional home care products that are recommended by my stylist?
Am I using a hair mask treatment that's tailored to my hair needs?
Am I over-washing my hair?
Do I tie my hair up tightly a lot of the time and am I rough when I brush it?
Answer honestly! (I can't tell you off from here).
Now, it's very true that everyone's hair is different and therefore has different needs and routines, but let's go through these bullet points to help you understand why these steps are vital.
Do I get my hair cut every 8 weeks?
Your answer should be YES!.. or there about.
I would say on average 8 weeks is the right amount of time to leave it in between cuts but it does also depend on your hair type, the condition, style, etc. Haircut appointments can vary between 6-12 weeks (there are some clients I see every 3 weeks for a hair cut! But this is for very short hair that grows very quickly and needs to be kept in its style all neat and sharp) but I'd definitely not recommend leaving it longer than the 12 week mark. Your split ends (and yes, everyone gets split ends) will not be kind to you! And split ends can lead to breakage, and breakage means shorter hair! *gasp!* The only real way to get rid of split ends is to cut them off, and if you don't cut them they will keep splitting higher and higher up your hair and cause more damage.
Picture this: Have you ever finally gone to the hairdressers after months and months and months of "hair growing" only to end up having more cut off than what you wanted and feeling like you've got to start again... (que the tears).
It's most likely because you've left it too long between hair cuts. You can't leave damage on the hair, there's literally no point; it'll only get worse, it has to go!
Now, I know it may seem backward saying you need to have it cut if you want to grow it... But it's true. And I'm not saying you need 5 inches off at every appointment, but just what you need to keep those split ends at bay. Prevention is better than cure... or something like that.
So, BE REGULAR WITH YOUR HAIR CUTS! Promise me? Good! Let's move on.
Heat
I have a whole other blog on heat- the effects it has on the hair and what heat protectors I recommend, so head on over there for a good read all about that.
But long story short... Stay away from heat as much as you can. The incorrect and over use of it just causes damage and breakage and *urggh!* it just makes me sad when I see all the broken hair from heat damage. Especially you blondes!!! Bleach and heat... just please only use a maximum of once a week and that's if you REALLY have to! And make sure you're not crunching that number higher on the temperature gauge - keep it to 185°C or lower.
I challenge you to see how long you can go without heat!
Products and home care
What you use on your hair makes a whole lotta difference. Your stylists tells you about the products they're using and what would be good for you to use at home for a reason! We care about your hair and we understand what product is best for you. Supermarket products are NOTHING compared to professional ones! Cheap shampoo and conditioner isn't full of the good stuff to actually help your hair, it mainly just coats your hair in silicone to give you the illusion of shiny, healthy hair. Meanwhile, underneath, it's making your hair condition dryer and weaker. And weak, dry hair can cause breakage... and what have we already learnt about breakage? Yep, you've got it- shorter hair.
Also, over-washing your hair can make it weaker and dryer. Hair goes through a lot when we wash it and over time weakens it. We can train our hair to go longer between washes, and patience is key, but your hair will benefit in the long run! Try getting down to once or twice a week at a maximum. Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo is the best thing to help prolong hair wash days.
Remember that hair needs to be treated with love and gentle care.
Another issue I come across is breakage from too much tension. I always need my hair off my face but are you guilty of always scrapping it back tightly and then pulling out your hairband without undoing it first? I can hear the breakage from here... Too much tension isn't good for the hair and yes, it causes breakage. The same goes for brushing out all our knots. Gently does it. Don't give your hair a reason to snap off.
So there you have it.
Try implementing these steps into your hair routine and you may just be on the journey to healthier, longer hair. Everything takes time so don't expect results over night (and everyone is starting at a different stage so it may be longer for some) but trust me it really does work! You'll be surprised at the results! Give it a go!