Things You'll Need:
- A wide toothed comb of your choice..Conditioner/moisturizer,carefully selected organic oils and/or hair butters,essential oils(optional) filtered water,natural shampoo or apple cider vinegar and/or ba
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Step 1
These are some tips that will help in retaining the length of your hair and cause it to grow longer. We'll begin with washing. I chose to deal with this topic first and foremost as this is one way that majorly affects how much hair length we retain.
WASHING
Using filtered water or if you can afford to, install a shower filter(I have done so and it has made a major difference).The filter gets rid of a lot of chemicals, Chlorine and such things that can damage and dry out your hair shaft. This is equally beneficial to your overall health as your skin absorbs many toxins just from showering in regular tap water.
Wet your hair thoroughly under the stream. It should be drenched with water. Using a palm full of conditioner slather your hair(yes, ignore what the bottle says about a dime size amount ... won't work with tightly coiled/curly hair) until it has that slippery feel and you can easily run your fingers through without too much difficulty. -
Step 2
After saturating the hair you can section it into four depending on the length of your hair or your comfort level but I've found it easier to deal with it this way. Now use your wide toothed comb and gently detangle hair starting at the ends and progressing to the root only after the knots on the ends have been cleared. You will lose a LOT LESS hair this way and retain length longer. Do each section separately to ease the process. Be very gentle so as not to tug on the hair unduly. Massage the scalp thoroughly to help remove build up from the scalp.
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Step 3
Detangling & Moisturizing
After detangling each section, braid the section and move to the next. Rinse each section separately and re braid to avoid tangles. Squeeze the excess water from your hair gently. If your hair was not long enough to braid you can shake the excess water from your hair.
At this juncture you can use any type of moisturizer that does not weigh down the hair or block moisture from penetrating the shaft. I use Extra virgin Olive oil(EVOO) with Shea butter and Organic coconut oil. I put equal part EVOO and coconut oil (about a quarter cup) and three thirds cup of Shea butter. This is usually a batch that would last me a while.
On the use of essential oils:
Rosemary is good for preventing dandruff and also strengthens the hair shaft, prolonging it's life and retaining length longer. It thickens the hair as well.
Peppermint is very invigorating to the scalp and helps improve blood flow to the roots.
Apply these oils on clean scalp maybe two or three times a week or at your leisure. A good scalp massage while doing this is also beneficial since scalp massage aids the circulation in the scalp. A massage can be done every night even without applying oils to the scalp.
These are what I use there are countless others that you can choose from. -
Step 4
MOISTURIZING cont'd
You can experiment with other moisturizers and see what works for you. The important thing is to keep away from those products that contain sulfates, cones and the like. READ READ READ!Carefully check your labels to make sure that the ingredients are safe.
Here are two sites that offer some advice on what to stay away from. There are too many to post here. Ideally if you can use purely organic hair care products it would be great or if you're creative, savvy or inclined, you can try your own home made recipes.
Curly Nikki at
http://www.curlynikki.com/search/label/Curly%20Hair%20Ingredients
And Teri at www.biracialhair.org -
Step 5
I did not mention shampoo as it is really not necessary in your hair care regimen. Many shampoos contain elements that strip and dry out the hair and also leave films of chemicals that are very difficult to rinse away. This buildup hinders moisture from penetrating the hair shaft.
Other options that can help is using two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a cup of warm water or a tablespoon of baking soda to a cup of warm water and rinsing the hair with it. Of course, this should be adjusted to the amount needed according to the hair length. Massaging the scalp while doing this removes the build up from products as well. This will leave your hair clean but not stripped. However it could be drying for those whose hair tend to be on the drier side. That being the case, a deep condition following this should alleviate the problem. -
Step 6
STYLING
Washing your hair as described above will help your hair to grow longer as it helps to delay breakage and premature shedding. Your African American Afro textured/curly hair is very fragile because of it's curl pattern and is easily ripped from the scalp or broken if there is careless tugging with a fine tooth comb.
When styling if heat can be avoided it should be. Too much heat too frequently will over time break and thin out your hair and make it drier and drier. The drier your hair the more easily it breaks. Which is why moisture is also so very important. Keep the heat to a minimum if you must and use a good water based heat protectant before using a heat appliance. -
Step 7
BRAIDING & BUNS
Avoid tightly braided styles that pull at the edges and/or scalp and tight buns. These can lead to hair loss and breakage and we certainly can't afford that. If you do wear your buns, make them looser and remove the bands at bedtime. Using ouch less bands can also prevent the hair from being snagged and torn out. -
Step 8
Deep Conditioning
Deep conditioning helps to maintain healthy hair, reducing split ends and thus breakage. You can deep condition with EVOO, coconut oil,mayonnaise,avocado and or a mixture of two or more of the above. There are other options that you can find all over the internet. When deep conditioning use a heat cap for about 30 minutes or plastic wrap/cap for no less than an hour. -
Step 9
BED TIME HAIR
Always use a silk scarf to tie your head at night to prevent your hair from drying out. Another option is sleeping on a silk or satin sheet and/or pillow case. -
Step 10
Alas! This might seem like the last thing but in actuality it is the single most important thing you can do for your hair to be beautiful, strong, shiny and long.
DIET
No no...not that kind ..Y our diet is of paramount importance where your hair is concerned. The old adage is true. You are what you eat. A well balanced diet is favorable to beautiful hair, skin and everything else. A diet rich in vegetables and fruits which contain the basic elements for your hair and skin ( like sulphur which is an important mineral in hair, skin and nails) is what your diet should consist of.
Lots of water is no less important as we are made up of 70% water. About a half gallon consumed over the day, each and everyday is important to your overall health. How else are your cells going to receive all that good nutrition so that you can grow long healthy hair!?
Supplementation is also very useful since most foods are robbed of their vital elements.
Some supplements that are good "hair food" include,( but aren't limited to )are:
Biotin
MSM
Flaxseed oil
Alfalfa
and good overall vitamins
These are some of the basic things that can be done to help retain length. This list is by no means exhaustive and are some of the things I found to be helpful in my hair regimen. Hope you them helpful too and I wish you the best in your hair journey. Happy hair growing!
