Maintaining healthy hair doesn’t have to be an exhausting process. It requires dedication and patience but the appearance of thick, beautiful hair is worth the effort. Many seem to be unaware of this but your hair is always growing at a rate of ½ inch per month. A lack of obvious hair growth isn’t a sign of hair not growing. It instead signals significant breakage. Here are several tips to lessen your risk of breakage.
1. Wash your hair every 1 to 2 weeks
I know it’s tempting to wash your hair after a long day but it’s important not to over wash your hair. Washing it too frequently sucks the moisture out of your hair, creating brittle looking strands. It helps to use a treatment designed for your hair type. After your next wash day, pay attention to your hair type and adjust your routine.
2. Moisturize your scalp throughout the week
Keeping your scalp moisturized ensures a nourished scalp and stimulates hair growth. Apply the treatment to the ends of your hair to prevent hair from drying out and splitting.
3. Protective styling
A key to growing long healthy hair is giving your hair a chance to grow. Protective styling, such as braids, weaves, crotchet keeps your hair shielded from heat damage and over manipulation. Being able to switch up between styles without straining your own hair is an added bonus.
4. Clip those ends
Trim split ends every few weeks to encourage healthy hair growth. Allowing split ends to stay can result in continuous splitting all the way up the hair shaft causing breakage.
5. Use minimal heat
Applying a significant amount of heat to your hair weakens the strands causing excessive damage. If you must use a flat iron, use a heat protectant and limit yourself to heat styling a few times a month.
6. Make sure to consume necessary vitamins
Hair growth starts from within. Make sure you’re putting the right things in your body to see progress. Vitamins B,E and Biotin jump start the growth of strong hair follicles. Taking hair vitamins or simply eating healthier and working out can lead to growth.
7. Avoid frequent high stress hairstyles
Although protective styles are highly beneficial, too much of anything can lead to hair damage. Tight braids or ponytails put a lot of stress on your hair causing breakage and weak edges. Give your hair time to breath and strengthen after every protective style.