Source: Gritty Pretty
@gritty_pretty

This week, I made the decision to grow my hair out.

I made the call, oh, maybe 0.34 seconds after I had it chopped short. Good timing, Eleanor.

Don’t get me wrong – the cut itself is great; excellent even. But, subconsciously, I think I had been missing my long hair for some time and it just so happened that right then and there, I decided I wanted to revert back to longer-looking strands.

Now before you say anything, there is such thing as hair being too long and I definitely had my moment (which I won’t be reliving – FYI). In fact, that’s not what I’m aiming for here.

What I’m seeking is healthy, luscious and thick mid-length locks. You know the kind when you see a beautiful woman crossing the street and after she’s moved on, you later keep having flashbacks of the way her hair moved perfectly as she walked. And no, that’s not creepy at all.

While I’m on the tedious quest of getting some length back (sans hair extensions and complete with regular 8 week salon trims), I’ve enlisted the help of Katy Reeve, National Creative Director at TONI&GUY Australia, to offer some tips on how to make hair grow faster…

TIP #1

Get your hands in there. “Massaging promotes blood flow to the scalp, which in turn stimulates the hair follicles to make the hair grow faster,” says Reeve. Find a conditioning treatment that promotes optimal scalp health and hair growth. “A self-heating oil boosts circulation to the scalp and helps to restore damaged hair to a healthier state,” she says.

TIP #2

Take a chill pill. Reeve says, “Stress is one of the most important factors that contribute to hair loss.” And, she’s right. Some trichologists (which are doctors who specialise in hair and scalp) believe stress can disrupt the normal hair cycle and trigger hair follicles to either enter the telogen phases (also known as the fall-out phase). Reeve recommends trying to minimise stress whether it be through yoga or meditation and to ensure you have a good night’s sleep – this will encourage good hair growth.

TIP #3

Rosemary isn’t excellent just for lamb roasts. “Rosemary is great for hair growth because it stimulates the hair follicles,” says Reeve. “Drinking herbal and green tea also can also improve circulation and promote new hair growth.”

TIP #4

When in doubt, try a treatment. Pretty much a facial for your scalp. It removes dead skin cells and excess sebum to renew scalp skin and provide the perfect foundation for thicker, fuller, stronger hair. Reeve says it’s also a good idea to use a range of shampoo and conditioner that encourages thicker, denser hair.

So, is anyone else out there with me at the moment?

Rather than seeing the next six to twelve months as a depressing, laborious process, let’s band together, take on these tips and wait it out until we’re swishing our strands like in those cheesy infomercials.