My personal story and journey to healthier, growing hair
Fall of 2021 is when I first recognized that my hair had considerably thinned..ALOT. I’ve always had very thick, wavy hair, so this was a new insecurity and challenge that I was not used to. Since then, I’ve been on a slow but steady healthy hair regrowth journey.
If there’s one major takeaway to share it’s that you’ve got to be patient. It’s not easy, but it is worth it and you do see the results in time. So, I figured I’d share some helpful tips and hair care routine changes that I made to help my hair get back to it’s healthiest and fullest state. Of course if you’re unsure about anything with your hair, it’s always best to consult with your doctor first. This is my personal experience and what has been currently working for me.
Hair Care & Routine
Knowing what I know now, it’s amazing to me that my hair pulled through as long as it did without the proper care. Here’s a few hair care habits that I used to do, why it was NOT good for the health of my hair, and what I do now.
- Towel Drying. After washing my hair, I used to aggressively shake it out in a towel, wrap it up for a half hour, blow dry it on high heat, then straighten it – sometimes with heat protectant sometime without. Literally cringing as I type this! Thankfully, now I know that using a standard bath towel can increase the risk of damaging and causing breakage in our hair. The coarse, rough texture of a towel can contribute to this breakage along with the weight of a heavy towel on top of your head. Something I did not know before this journey was that our hair is at its most fragile state when it’s wet. Makes sense, but still, something I never thought about. Now, I am as careful as can be when my hair is wet. If I need to detangle it, I’ll use a leave in conditioner and then comb starting at the ends of my hair and work my way up – also to prevent breakage. If I want to wrap it up I ALWAYS use either a lightweight microfiber towel or a cotton T-shirt.
- Hydrating my Hair. Personally, my hair is on the dryer side, especially at the ends. Based on my lengthy hair health research, this can also contribute to hair breakage which we definitely DON’T want if we’re trying to grow our hair out. If we get split ends, not only will that hinder the chances of us getting our hair to longer lengths but if we don’t get regular trims that split will work its way up our hair, leading to more damage and a necessary, shorter haircut. Which is the last thing we want if our goal is longer locks. In an effort to be proactive with this, I use oil on my hair – specifically at the ends almost daily (especially in the winter time, when our hair and skin can be at its driest). You can use whatever oils you prefer, my favorites have been jojoba, amla, and almond oil. Those have seemed to work best with my hair type (dry, wavy) and don’t make it feel too weighed down. Along with this I also check my hair ends on a consistent basis and trim any split ends that I can find.
- Products. I never used to think twice about what shampoo or conditioner I was using. Granted, I never had any hair issues so I didn’t think it mattered. Now I’m not only super mindful about the ingredients in our food, but also what we’re putting ON our bodies, because that will affect our health too.
Knowing your hair type is also very important because a lot of brands have products that will help enhance the appearance, texture, and taming of our hair. Also knowing that the brand you’re buying from is reputable and has great reviews is equally important. - Scalp Care. Again, never took this into consideration but scalp health is so important if we’re wanting to grow healthy hair. That’s where it all begins! Personally, having a clarifying shampoo or rinse has been so so helpful. Clarifying shampoos/rinses are amazing because they remove any buildup on our scalp or in our hair. Think of it like our weekly face mask, it removes the dirt and build up so that we can achieve that clear complexion we want. It’s not something you want to use at every wash, as it can dry your hair out if used too much, but it is great to include into your hair wash rotation.
- Hair Oiling. I am obsessed with hair oiling. It has not only brought new hair growth, but has left my hair feeling shinier and healthier overall. Because my hair is on the drier side, I only wash it 1-2 times a week. Honestly, I try to go as long as I can because I’ve read that it’s actually better for our hair not to wash it super often. Over washing can wind up stripping our hair of its natural oils, creating that dry, dull feeling and appearance.
When I’m hair oiling, I’ll first thoroughly detangle my hair. Then I’ll concoct a mixture of my go to oils in a bowl, use a dropper and distribute it around my scalp. Here are my favorite oils that I currently include in my hair oiling routine:
~ Rosemary Oil
~ Pumpkin Seed Oil
~ Amla Oil
~ Castor Oil
~ Black Seed Oil
After I’ve oiled my hair, I’ll usually wrap it up in a hair clip and leave it in anywhere from 1-3 hours. I try to avoid tightly tying my hair back with a hair tie as this can also cause breakage along with a receding hairline. If I can leave my hair loosely styled and tied back, then that’s my go to. If I’m having a productive day and really on top of it, I’ll throw my microfiber towel in the dryer to warm up for a few minutes and then wrap my hair up in that. The reason being that heat will help activate the oils.
Once that step is complete, I’ll wash my hair using shampoo, a clarifying rinse, apply a hair mask from the mid length to the ends of my hair, and then use conditioner. It’s a lot of steps, but I’ve found that they are crucial if I want to keep moving forward with healthier, growing hair.
Healthy Hair Tips
Now that I’ve shared my current care routine and experience, here are some additional hair tips that I’ve learned along the way and applied to my daily routine:
- Always brush your hair starting at the ENDS, then work your way up
- Scalp massages are not only so relaxing but they’ll help in promoting hair growth
- Applying oil to the ends of your hair will help moisturize and prevent split ends
- Avoid using heat on your hair everyday. Shoot for every 3-4 days to avoid heat damage
- After applying your conditioner in the shower, rinse it out with COLD water. The cold water helps with closing your hair cuticles.
- When washing your hair with shampoo, only apply to your scalp. When washing your hair with conditioner, only apply to the mid length and ends.
- Washing your hair everyday should be avoided if possible as it will strip your hair of its natural oils
- Pay attention to your water intake and nutrition! What’s going on on the inside is much more important and pertinent than outside.
As I said before, patience is so key when you’re on a hair growth journey. We live in a world of instant gratification, tempting hair extensions, and “quick fixes” that can sometimes lead to more damage than good. My journey is ongoing. I have my days where I’m frustrated and feel like things are going nowhere. That is until I look back at pictures and can clearly see the changes. Not to mention, seeing and finding alll the new hairs growing is such a great feeling!
Talk soon.
Kath
