How to Get Your Hair to Be Long and Healthy

Getting your hair to be long and healthy isn't as difficult as it might seem, nor is it expensive. With a bit of patience and a little maintenance work, you can grow long, healthy hair that looks great.

Instructions

1. Trim your hair regularly. The key to getting and maintaining healthy hair is to start with healthy hair. That might require you to cut significant amounts of hair before you begin growing your hair out, but the results are worth it. Once your hair is healthy, get a professional trim every 1 to 2 months; the trimming will slow down the growth process a little, but it will ensure that your long hair stays healthy.

2. Eat a healthy, protein-rich diet. A balanced diet, especially one filled with adequate amounts of protein, helps your hair to grow long and strong. Everything you put into your body influences the growth potential and health of your hair, so nourish your body and the results will show up on your head.

3. Avoid smoking. Not only does smoking put toxins into your body that damage the cells required for healthy hair growth, the smoke itself settles into your hair, making it dull, lifeless, and smelly--not ideal conditions for long, healthy hair.

4. Wash your hair less frequently. Skipping your daily shampoo allows your hair's natural oils to spread from your scalp down your hair shaft. Use a soft brush to gently work the oiliness from your roots to your ends, and save your hair a few times a week from the harshness of modern shampoos. Especially with long hair, it's essential that you let those oils get all the way down to the roots to keep your locks healthy.

5. Work with your natural hair type. If you are constantly trying to straighten curly hair or curl straight hair, you're probably damaging your hair with excessive styling. To get your hair to grow long and healthy, let your hair dry and style itself naturally as often as possible.