How I Grew My Hair & Retained Length

Towards the end of the COVID lockdown in late April, I may or may not have gone through a bit of a depressive episode and chopped off a good 2-3 inches of hair. Sigh.

After wiping away the tears, I realized that every cloud really does have a silver lining. My hair was dead. Protein overload coupled with not taking good care of my hair resulted in damaged strands with some epic split ends. Thankfully, that little midnight Edward Scissorhands moment put me on the path to great hair.

Read on to see how to grow your hair and retain length. Achieve your hair goals!

Tips For Growing Hair & Retaining Length

Set A Length Goal!

Think about what length you want your hair to be and make that your goal! Write it down, look at that daily. Document your hair journey too with pictures. This is SO MOTIVATING.

Cut It

If your hair is dry and damaged, and you see split ends, get a good trim. Suck it up and know that this is for the best. Start with a clean slate!

Wash and Deep Condition

Wash your hair – find a schedule that works well for you. I wash my hair once or twice a week. Keeping your scalp clean is conducive to growth.

Deep conditioning your hair weekly repairs hair, puts moisture back in your strands. Great deep conditioners repair from the inside out, so take the time to make this a weekly must.

Go one step further and add heat to your deep conditioning routine. Speeds up all of that conditiony goodness!

Wrap Your Hair At Night

When you wrap your hair with a silk or satin scarf nightly, you protect your hair from friction from pillowcases. Cotton pillowcases with suck the moisture out of your hair.

When you moisturize and seal before bed too, a hair wrap will assist with helping those products penetrate your hair.

No Direct Heat

Give your hair a break and stop using direct heat. No flat irons, curling irons, or super hot hair dryers. Direct heat sucks the moisture right out of your hair, leading to dryness and damage.

If you do insist on using direct heat, limit it to once or twice a month and use a good heat protectant.

Don’t Abuse Protein-based Haircare

Take a good look at your haircare. Protein is in EVERYTHING these days, which can lead to protein overload. You will know if you suffer from this if your hair is dry and lifeless, doesn’t hold a style, and is breaking.

Limit your protein treatments to once monthly. Protein is great – too much protein is horrible hair.

Sections Make Life Easy

Section your hair before washing. You can section it into twists or braids…whatever works. Washing your hair in sections, especially if you have a ton of hair, makes detangling easier. More importantly, it will ensure that all of your hair gets an equal amount of conditioner.

Massage Your Scalp

Using a scalp massager not only feels AMAZING, it increased blood flow to your hair follicles. Hair follicles will adore that rush of nutrient-rich blood leading to better and faster hair growth.

Loving the Manta Healthy Hair Brush for gentle scalp massages.

“Respect Your Elders” – Tuck In Your Ends

Keeping your ends nice, safe and tucked away protects them! The ends are the oldest part of hair, and more subject to drying out and breakage. Moisturize and seal your hair well, and wear protective styles.

Protective styles can be low buns, wigs, braids, you name it…anything that covers and protects your real hair.

Keeping your hair off your shoulders reduces friction which can lead to breakage. Rough scarves, coats, purse straps, sweaters…they want to break your hair off!

Add Collagen To Your Diet

Collagen has been proven to build hair proteins and strengthen the skin that contains your hair roots. It may also prevent hair follicle damage and graying.

Since I started taking a spoonful of Jamieson Collagen each morning with my breakfast, my new growth has improved dramatically. Your nails will also grow like crazy.

Jamieson Collagen

Finger Detangling

Always use a wide-tooth comb when detangling. Go one step further and use your fingers to detangle your hair. You can really feel the amount of tension you are putting on your strands, leading to more gentle detangling.

Last tip and the most important of all, have patience with your hair. Be gentle both with yourself and your hair. Promise – you’ll be growing your hair and retaining good length in no time! Reward yourself too when you hit your healthy hair goal!