Do you want to grow your hair longer? If so, you are not alone. Long hair seems to be a symbol of youthfulness, health, vitality, and fertility. Almost every day, I have clients who tell me that they want to grow their hair longer, and they often claim that they are having difficulty doing so. There are many reasons why you may be having difficulty growing your hair longer. Consider the following nine factors to maximize the length and appearance of your hair. How quickly curly hair grows The fact of the matter is that curly hair takes a longer time to grow longer because it grows in a curl, rather than straight down. But curly hair, as well as straight hair, usually grows about 1/2” per month. So with patience, and with a coordinated plan with your hair stylist, you can have longer hair. Create a plan with your hairstylist One of the most important things that you must do in order to grow your hair longer is to create an action plan with your hairstylist. It is vital that your hairstylist understands your goal, knows how fast your hair grows, and then cuts as little as possible off the ends of your hair that is giving you your length. The hair that is giving you your length is the hair that is growing below your parietal ridge. The hair that is growing above this, or wherever your stylist chooses to begin elevating, is the hair that your stylist uses to create an attractive shape. If you have curly hair, you don’t want a haircut where all your hair is the same length, unless you like the triangle look. Don’t thin out or texturize curly hair Do not allow your stylist to thin out or texturize your curls. Doing so makes the process of growing your hair out take much longer because it breaks up the ends of the curls and it creates frizz. Nobody wants their hair to have a frizzy and thin perimeter. Plan regular haircuts Split ends are your enemy. It is important to get regular haircuts when you are growing your hair longer in order to cut off split ends. Although split ends don’t look like they are going anywhere, they are actually splitting up your hair strand and making your hair shorter. When growing their hair longer, I recommend that my wavy clients (2A-2B) and curly clients (2C-3B) come for a haircut every twelve weeks, my super curly (3C-4A) clients come every four months, and my super curly (4B-4C) come every six months. Hair density The density of your hair plays an important role in how long you will want your hair to grow. If you are lucky enough to have thick curly hair, then you will be able to grow your hair longer without it looking too thin. However, if your hair is thin, then the longer it gets, the thinner it will look. I usually recommend that my clients with thin hair get a cut that maximizes the appearance of fullness rather than grow it so long that it looks too thin on the ends. Fullness is more attractive than length in these cases. Spring factor Your curl pattern plays a large role in how long your hair will grow. Very tight 4A-4C curls have a high spring factor and therefore take a long time to grow long. Looser 2A-2C waves achieve length more quickly because they have a smaller spring factor. Curl pattern Everyone’s curl pattern is unique. If the curls at the nape of your neck are tighter than the curls on your crown, then it will take longer for your hair to grow long because the hairs that are creating your length have a greater spring factor. If the curls at your nape are looser than those at your crown, then you will be able to achieve length faster. However, in both these cases, it is important that your stylist knows how to blend the differing curls together. For more information on this, see my blog on why it is important to cut curly hair dry. Diet Your hair is composed of water and protein (keratin). It is critical to drink plenty of water and eat a healthy diet when you have the intention of growing your hair longer. Just like your doctor tells you, the best foods for your body is also good for your hair, so eat lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and healthy stuff. Supplements There are vitamins and minerals you can take each morning that can support healthy hair growth. A supplement with keratin, biotin, collagen peptides, hyaluronic acid, all the alphabetic vitamins, or any combination of the above can help your hair grow longer and stronger. But even if your are taking supplements, it will require patience to grow your hair longer. The key to getting the best results is to be consistent with the supplements and commit to them daily for at least six months. Genetics Eventually, based on your genetics, your hair will grow as long as it will grow. The ultimate length that your hair can grow is is a factor of the amount of time your hair remains in the follicle before a new hair grows into the follicle and pushes the old hair out. This length of time is different for everyone and appears to be inherited genetically. If you are genetically predetermined to grow hair for 18 months before a new hair starts growing into the follicle, then you will be able to grow your hair about nine inches long before it falls out. If you can grow your hair for 60 months before a new hair grows in the follicle, then you can grow your hair 30 inches long. I know it’s not fair, but that is the way life is sometimes. By coordinating with your hair stylist and following a plan, you will be able to maximize the length of your curly hair
