How many of us have seen those progress pictures of our sisters cutting off their hair and in the blink of an eye they go from big chop to luscious, overflowing locks?!
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Okay, so we know the rapid growth doesn’t happen overnight but celebrity hairstylist, Kendall Dorsey, spoke to Byrdie about his approach for growing natural hair fast:
"Avoid stress, skip the junk food, nix the excess heat and tight hairstyles, and whatever you do, don't skip your regular trims.”
In addition to his “mind-body-spirit” advisement, he also offered these six rules to help promote healthy, natural hair growth:
RULE 1: Regular Trims
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Time and time again we hear about trimming our ends. You have to let those damaged ends go to help your hair flourish and grow!
“I know cutting your hair seems like the last thing you want to do when you're trying to grow your hair out, but split ends eventually turn into fully broken strands," Dorsey explains. "This causes the dreaded 'I can't get my hair to grow past here' problem."
RULE 2: If You Need To Use Heat, Avoid Excessive Use
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Sometimes that perfect curl or flawless blowout requires the use of a hot tool, but when you are attempting to let your hair grow, you have to be conscious of how much heat is too much heat.
"Go easy on the hot tools. I know that it's hard to just let your hair be, but excessive heat can and will cause damage and breakage. If possible, give yourself some days where you just air-dry."
But if you need a quicker method to drying/styling your hair, Dorsey recommends the Dyson hairdryer.
"It has a super-powerful motor paired with a precise airflow and automatic built-in heat protection. Thanks to this combination, you'll not only be able to cut your drying time down; you'll also be cutting down on damage,” Dorsey shared.
RULE 3: Find Products That Promote Hair Growth
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Healthy hair start at the scalp, and because of this you want to be careful with the ingredients of the products you use to cleanse your scalp.
“[SLS, SLES, parabens and silicones] all add buildup on the hair by weighing it down and not allowing it to grow to its full potential."
You want to avoid products that contains those ingredients, instead, Dorsey personally recommends the Oribe shampoo and conditioner and the Evolis Promote Activator scalp treatment.
"This scalp treatment works to fight the FGF5 protein, which causes hair loss. It creates a happy, healthy scalp and follicle environment, which really amps up hair growth," Dorsey explains.
RULE 4: Health Is Wealth
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Our bodies are made up of a lot of moving parts and all of those parts/areas are connected. What we eat and what we do affects us all over, including our hair. Dorsey says taking care of your well-being impacts your hair growth as well.
“Serious stress, being sick, and extreme diets can all lead to hair loss. I always like to promote overall wellness as a key to hair growth. Make sure you're working out not only to keep your body looking right but also to keep your mind right and your stress levels down. Exercise also boosts your metabolism, which speeds up hair growth."
If your meals are not doing enough, Dorsey suggests taking vitamins which include biotin daily to help stimulate hair growth and a healthy body.
RULE 5: Protective Styles Are Key
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When choosing a protective style you want something that helps you just get up and go, but make sure you are choosing a style that does not cause more harm than convenience.
"Many times, all the tight pulling and manipulation causes excess stress on the scalp, which is a major no-no when trying to grow your hair out… I love a loose braid. It protects a lot of the hair from environmental elements and doesn't pull too tightly. Or easy wash-and-gos or twists. Any one of these styles will help keep your hair in the best shape possible and encourage hair growth."
RULE 6: Put In The Effort And Your Hair Will Repay You
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"When you follow all of my tips for maximizing hair growth, you can expect, on average, about a quarter-inch of growth per month. Or possibly more if you incorporate vitamins, supplements, and a topical treatment like the Evolis Professional Promote Activator."
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