Personal growth can be challenging, sometimes even painful. And, few growth processes are more frustrating than patiently growing out long hair. You need the inner peace of the Dalai Lama to grow out your locks past the collarbone without caving in and running back to the salon with a picture of Michelle Williams.
Whether you’re transitioning from a pixie cut to waist-length strands or feel like your hair is stuck in growth purgatory, there are ways to ease your journey through this painstaking process. We consulted some hair-growth gurus on their best advice for full hair that’s longer than a Real Housewives reunion special.
Follow these tips on what to eat, how to style, and when to cut your hair, so the growing-out limbo feels like a breeze.
by: Liesa Goins
“Hair is at its most fragile state when it’s wet,” says Jet Rhys, owner of Jet Rhys Salons in San Diego. “Pulling, tugging, or brushing tangles on wet hair can weaken it,” she explains. A little TLC with your damp strands can help prevent breakage and allow them to grow longer.
Try to handle your tresses as little as possible when they’re wet, Rhys advises. If you must work out tangles, carefully work from the bottom up. Use a brush designed to gently remove snares, like Sheila Stotts Tangle Removal Brush.
When blowdrying your hair, it should be 90% dry before you use a round brush to style it, Rhys says. The combination of the heat and the brush will break hair, negating all the growing-out effort you’ve put into it.
