Having and maintaining natural hair can be an extreme sport. So how do you retain your natural hair length? If your hair for some reason never grows past a certain length here are some length retention tips you can include in your hair regimen.
Moisturize
In order to retain your natural hair length, moisture should be your best friend. Natural hair is very delicate when it’s dry and it’s prone to breakage. Your hair should always be hydrated to prevent breakage and tangling. When choosing a moisturizer for your hair choose a water-based moisturizer. You can use the LOC or LCO method to ensure your hair is always moisturized.
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Nighttime Haircare
You need a nighttime hair care routine if you’re to retain your natural hair length. Always make sure you protect your hair before going to bed using a silk scarf or a silk/satin pillowcase. Sleeping without any hair protection causes breakage. Cotton and polyester pillowcases are highly absorbent, meaning the cotton will rip your hair of its natural moisture.
Protective & Low Manipulation Hairstyles
Retaining your natural hair length can be achieved by protective styling and low manipulation hairstyles. Protective styling ensures your ends are always protected which promotes hair growth and length retention. Your ends are the most fragile and daily styling makes your hair prone to breakage.
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Hair Accessories
Hair accessories can also contribute to breakage and even hair loss. Check whether your accessories have any broken clips, edges because the wrong hair accessory can hurt your scalp or even break your hair. Make sure you’re using natural hair-friendly accessories.
Split ends
You need to trim your hair often to get rid of split ends. Stop holding onto your split ends for length because they’re doing more damage than good. Split ends continue to damage your hair shaft which leads to more tangles and knotting. The best way to get rid of split ends is to cut them.
Detangling
When detangling your hair, always make sure it’s wet and in sections. Also, ensure you’re detangling with the right tool. Use a wide-tooth comb or a suitable brush. You can even opt to detangle with your fingers. This is a great way to retain your natural hair length. Never detangle your hair when dry as this leads to massive breakage.
Wash Day
When washing your hair, wash it with a sulphate free shampoo to ensure your hair still retains its natural moisture. Before washing also make sure you prepoo your hair this will make sure you retain your natural hair length.
Depending on the length of your hair, it’s best to wash it in sections. This will help in avoiding tangles and knots.
Moisture & Protein Balance
Moisture is very important when it comes to retaining your natural hair growth. But, too much moisture can cause your hair to be weak which causes breakage. The same goes for proteins. If you’ve been doing too many protein treatments on your hair, it might be time to take a break. You need to maintain the moisture and protein balance so as to prevent hair breakage.
Ditch the heat
Using excessive heat on natural hair causes breakage. Excessive heat strips your hair of natural moisture and makes it brittle. Limit your use of heat to 2 or 3 times a year. If you have to use heat use it on the low setting and use heat protectant for your hair.
Healthy Diet
You are what you eat, drink lots of water, and eat fruits to make sure you have a well-balanced diet. Ensure you’re taking in the proper vitamins and nutrients for optimal hair growth.
Hands in hair syndrome
If you’re one of those people who always feel the need to have your hands in your hair you need to stop. Constantly touching and coiling your hair causes tangles, knots, and even split ends.
Patience
It may feel like your hair is not making any progress but you need to be patient. Different hair grows at a different rate. Embrace the journey and be patient, you will get to your desired hair length.