So you finally got the cut you've been coveting for what seems like forever, but about three months into your new 'do, you realize you desperately miss your long hair. It's not that you hate your new look, necessarily, but there are only so many ways one can style a bob/lob/pixie, and you get bored easily. So, what to do? While you can't exactly get that length back overnight there are some tips and tricks to help maximize your growth and, most importantly, make the process a bit more bearable.
1. Be Patient
Gaining new length will take time. Hair typically only grows about a quarter of an inch — to a half an inch max — a month. And that's only if it is super-healthy and doesn't have a ton of split ends.
2. Get regular trims.
Although getting regular trims won't make your hair grow any faster, they will keep your ends looking healthy and prevent any splits from working their way up the strands, requiring you to chop hair off more often. Ask your stylist to take around just an eighth of an inch off every 10 to 12 weeks to prevent extreme split ends before they start.
3. Condition after every shampoo.
If your hair is wet, that means you have to condition it. Over time, from coloring and heat styling, strands start to get thinner at the bottom. The Schwarzkopf essence ULTIME™ Omega Repair™ Conditioner deeply nourishes hair fibers and repairs damaged hair within the cells to prevent slit ends, so that you can get your hair to grow longer and look healthier!
4. But don't shampoo every time you shower.
You should skip shampooing as much as possible. The purpose of shampoo is to wash away dirt and product buildup, but it can also take essential natural oils that keep strands soft and healthy along with it. When you really do need shampoo, be gentler on your hair by only lathering up at your scalp and then simply letting the suds slide down strands, hitting the rest of the hair as the water rinses it away.
5. Apply an oil weekly.
Because hair that touches your shoulders or beyond can be several years old, it most likely needs more help than normal conditioner can provide. Schwarzkopf essence ULTIME™ Amber+ Oil Nutrition™ 60 Second Treatment contains amber extract and oil to reconstruct hair from within and condition deeply.
6. Be careful when brushing.
Constant brushing can cause physical harm to your hair. When you detangle wet hair, be sure to start from the bottom and work your way up. Going from the scalp down brings small tangles into one large knot and can cause you to lose a lot of hair. And using a boar bristle brush is best for distributing your scalp's natural oils down your hair and being extra-gentle on strands.
7. Skip the towel turban wrap.
Bath towels cause so much breakage. Your hair gets caught in all the woven fibers and since most women almost always wrap it too tight around their face, all those tiny, fragile strands around your face are more prone to break. Opt for the super-thin and soft microfiber hair towels or even a cotton t-shirt instead.
8. Rinse with cold water at the end of every shower.
Cold water lays down the outer layer of hair more smoothly, which helps prevent moisture loss, snags and heat damage. Just a few seconds at the end of every shower can make a huge difference over time. This really help to grow hair and keep long hair healthy for longer