Cotton is damaging. The friction resulting from sleeping on a cotton pillow will cause breakage. Your hair is already exposed to the elements (i.e. your clothes , the weather, etc.) during the day, so don’t subject it to further abuse at night. Do yourself a favor and use satin or silk to protect your hair as you sleep. Here are some places where you can snag a satin pillowcase, bonnet, or scarf
Maintain Proper Moisture/Protein Balance
To reduce breakage and achieve length goals, you must maintain a moisture and protein balance. Moisture increases flexibility and elasticity, while protein ensures strength and maintains structure. Too much or too little of either of these things will lead to breakage. Look out for detailed post on this topic, but for the sake of brevity the key take away is use a deep conditioner weekly and protein treatments as needed.
Proper nutrition is just as important as external hair care. I watched my hair grow longer as I upped my fruit and vegetable intake, indulged in protein galore, drank tons of water daily, and exercised 3-4 days a week. Additionally, I take multivitamins, which range from the Costco Adult Multivitamins Gummies to the Flintstone Kids Multivitamin Gummies with extra Vitamin C. I have tried hair vitamins, but found that they don’t seem to work any better than these ordinary vitamins.
Here are a few ways to ENHANCE your diet to OPTIMIZE your HAIR GROWTH. Please note that these are the foods I eat often and seem to contribute to the overall health of my hair and hair growth
- FRUITS: All the berries, cantaloupe, apples
- VEGETABLES: Kale, Spinach, Broccoli, and Carrots
- PROTEINS: Salmon or fish (generally), Chicken, Quinoa, and PBJ Sandwiches
- NUTS: Almonds and Pistachios
- WATER: 8 glasses a day (add lemon for additional health benefits)
- OTHERS: Oatmeal and wheat bread
You’ll reach your length goals before you know it. So focus on taking care of your hair, forget your length goals, and length will come. It’s worth noting that you have a predetermined terminal length, which means you may not be able to grow your hair as long as you hoped. That being said you won’t be able to determine your terminal length without monitoring your hair growth and practicing healthy hair habits. So take care of your hair, record your progress, and be patient!
