2 May 2011

Ella said: How to make my hair grow faster is something I have always wanted to know as a teen, dunno, may just be me...

Ella, it's not just you! We want to know this too, so we put Aiss on the case and this is what she found out...

Ok so technically there aren’t any miracle products that you can put on your tresses one night to wake up with Rapunzel style locks the next. That’s because there's no scientifically proven way to make your hair grow faster , boo! But there’s loads of research into hair loss and there are several things you can do to encourage your hair grow to its full potential.

Keep your hair in great condition: Seeing a hairdresser regularly to have your hair cut and styled will keep it in top condition which will give the impression it's longer even if it's not.

• Use a quality brush to keep your hair brushed, such as a boar brush. Tilt your head forward and brush with your head upside down to bring the oils to the ends of your hair and stimulate the scalp.
• Keep your hair well moisturized by using a good quality conditioner. Whatever After team recommends Fredderic Fekkai’s Shea butter conditioner for Afro-Caribbean hair. It’s quite pricey but smells of sherbet and leaves even the most damaged hair silky soft.
• Don't wash your hair every day - this can lead to your hair actually being dryer and more damaged. Instead allow the hair oils to condition your hair rather than constantly washing the oils out.
• Massage your hair while washing it. Massaging your scalp really can help your hair grow faster and longer because it helps your blood flow in your scalp.

Be kind to your hair: Your hair falls out of its own accord (approximately 70 to 150 hairs daily), but the gentler you are with your hair, the less chances it will fall out excessively. Some things to keep in mind include:

• Don't put your hair into tight ponytails or constantly braid it in tight plaits.
• Brush your hair carefully. Right before brushing, use your fingers to gently comb through your hair. When you brush, start at the ends, and hold the strand you're brushing with your other hand so that if you pull on the hair with a brush, you're not pulling on the root.
• Brush your hair before you shower in the morning. Throughout the night your hair can knot up a lot. Brushing your hair before you shower reduces tangling when washing it in the shower. When using conditioner, try sifting your fingers through your hair. This reduces extensive combing after your shower and helps to distribute the conditioner evenly.
• Minimize how much you style your hair. Any kind of styling that involves pulling your hair at the root (blow drying straight, straight iron, curling iron, rollers) will contribute to hair loss. Heat styling also can encourage hair to break. If you really need to dry your hair fast, use a blow dryer for 5 minutes only.
• Avoid overly long or elaborate extensions or tight hairstyles that tug your natural hair.
• Avoid or minimize harsh treatments like dyes, tints, bleaches, straighteners, and permanent waves. These weaken your hair and increase the likelihood of breakage and loss.
• Minimize or stop using heating items on your hair.

Eat healthily: Your body needs several building blocks in order to produce a healthy head of hair. In particular, you'll need enough protein and vitamins, and you can easily meet your body's requirement by eating a balanced, nutritious diet.

If you're a vegetarian, eat foods rich in Vitamin C whenever you eat iron-rich veggies. Vitamin C will help your body absorb the kind of iron that is found in vegetables.

Relax: Stress is a common cause of reversible hair loss. so when those exams are coming up make sure you get lots of sleep and take a few long baths - because you’ve got your beauty to think about as well as those results!