Every little girl dreams about those mermaid tresses… the length, the shine and the color. But it’s not just little girls who want to keep their hair long for as much as possible. Each woman has, at some point in her life, imagined herself with those Rapunzel-length locks. Whether you have a Pixie, a bob, a lob or any other type of hairdo and wish there was a way to make your hair grow faster, longer and healthier, don’t fret. Find out everything you need to know about achieving lengthy luscious locks this season, in the following article about growing your hair longer and healthier.
First things first: How does hair actually grow?
Let’s take a look at how exactly hair grows and what determines its natural rhythm. As you might already know, hair is made from the same type of structural protein as your nails – keratin. An adult person has approximately 120.000 hair strands, and each one of these strands grows from within its own, unique root. At the same time, each follicle (root) has a tiny gland which secretes sebum and some even tinier muscles.
Normally, hair grows in a series of phases. The first one is called the active phase, during which hair grows constantly from its roots. This phase can last for up to four years, followed by an inactive period, in which the hair loses its strength and starts to shade. In the third phase, the empty follicles remain completely inactive for several months, after which the process starts all over again.
All about hair growth rhythm and why it’s so important
You may be wondering why your hair has to go through all these phases just to look normal. Surprisingly or not, this process is a natural, needed function for your hair to grow longer and healthier. Your hair grows approximately 1.25 cm per month, depending on each individual and their lifestyle. Generally, people lose from 40 to 100 strands of hair on a daily basis, which means these locks have already reached the second phase of the cycle.
The good news? Your body constantly replaces these strands of hair with brand new ones, whilst other inactive follicles regain their active status. So it’s not so much about what you have to do to make your hair grow longer and healthier, it’s more about providing your body with the right nourishment so that it can do its job the right way.
What can YOU do to make your hair grow long and healthy?
Pay attention to what you eat, as diet is extremely important for achieving those glorious Rapunzel-length locks. Iron, vitamin B, zinc and protein should all be a part of your daily diet routine, so make sure you eat foods that contain high levels of such vitamins and minerals. For example, spinach, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, legumes, red meat, quinoa, broccoli and even dark chocolate should all be on your menu if you plan growing your hair longer and healthier. At the same time, you can also count on supplements that contain a combination of Vitamin B, Iron, Zinc and other minerals to maintain your healthy locks if your diet isn’t well balanced.
From a regular clip-in to a 360-lace frontal: Fake it ‘till you make it
Hair extensions are simply the easiest and fastest trick to “cheat” your way up to the top and 360-lace frontal is one of the most popular options. By adding in some hair extensions, you can achieve pretty much any type of hairstyle you want. Most importantly, you can get that lengthy, shiny and healthy-looking hair you’ve always dreamed of in just a matter of minutes.
There are plenty of companies on the market that can offer you natural-looking extensions of the highest quality: Hair 100, Luxy Hair, Pure Extensions, Unice Hair and Nadula Hair to name a few. You can find an enormous variety of hair styles and colors to suit your personality to the max. From temporary, semi-permanent and permanent extensions, there’s always a quick solution to all your long hair issues. Just make sure you check out the hair extension reviews available on the company’s website, so you can get a better understanding of the product you’re about to purchase and what you’re actually getting for your money.