Length Retention 101

For some curly girls, hair length plays a major role in their curl journey.

While we may know that healthy, happy hair comes in all different lengths, it’s hard not to fantasize about long and bouncy waves, curls, kinks or coils.

But what is the secret to growing longggg curly hair? This week on the blog we're diving deep into the myths and truths behind hair growth.

"My Hair Doesn't Grow Past A Certain Point"

Maybe you’ve been rocking your natural curls for a while now and for whatever reason, it seems your hair has been frozen at the same exact length.

At this point, you’re pretty much convinced that your hair just doesn’t grow no matter what you do.

The average person can expect their curls to grow 0.5 inches per month, but for curly girls that can seem like nothing when shrinkage comes into play. It’s easiest to tell how much your hair has grown when it’s dyed or damaged, because you can see how much growth you’ve had from the last time you colored your hair or started transitioning.

The reality is that for most people, hair really never stops growing; what might actually be happening is that you’re having issues retaining length.

"Trimming Hair Often Will Make It Grow Faster"

There are some curly girls who swear that trimming is the only way to experience actual hair growth. Realistically, trimming can only help you maintain a set of healthy and happy curls. How? Well, one of the biggest enemies of long, healthy curls are split ends!

Unattended to, damaged ends will break off on their own at the weakest points in the hair which steal inches off your curls.

So in actuality, while trimming your ends won’t make your hair grow faster, it will help you retain length by preventing splits/damage from travelling further up the hair shaft.

"If I Want My Hair Long, I Need It To Grow Faster"

By now, you’re probably starting to realize that a lot of the misconceptions we have about lengthy hair have more to do with keeping the length we have than with a lack of new growth. It doesn't matter how much you try to accelerate your hair growth, without proper care there's no guarantee that you can maintain length.

So now that we’ve uncovered the fact that the secret to long, luscious hair is actually retention rather than fast growth, let’s dive into some of the ways we can protect and maintain our curls!

4 Ways to Retain Length

1. DIET & HYDRATION

Healthy hair starts from the inside out! Remember, your hair gets most of its nutrients from your diet. Not sure where to begin?

Well, curls love staying hydrated! Be sure that you’re drinking enough water on a daily basis. Bonus: It’ll not only make a difference for your hair but the rest of your body will feel good too!

Hair is made up of protein, so include foods in your diet that are high in clean protein like eggs, beans and avocados.

2. CLEAN SCALP & HAIR

Healthy hair starts at the scalp. Consider it the foundation for healthy, vibrant curls. A dirty scalp means that your curls need to push through a bunch of dirt, oil and product build-up in order to emerge.

The cleaner your scalp, the easier it is for your hair to grow. Also, product build-up on your kinks can wreak havoc on retaining length. The more gunk you have on your strands, the easier it will be for your curls to get in miserable knots and tangles! If you ever find that your hair needs a deep cleansing, try clarifying your curls to give them a fresh start.

3. MORE MOISTURE

Your ends are the oldest part of your hair, so it makes sense that you have to take extra care of them. Dry hair can be a disaster for your ends because each strand becomes more brittle and susceptible to damage when it’s dry.

Don’t be a victim of dry, thirsty strands!

On top of making sure you are drinking enough water, you also need to add moisture to your hair.

Check out our blog here to see more on how to keep your curls moisturized!

4. DITCH THE SOURCE OF DAMAGE

Yes, girl, we are talking about your flat iron, blow-dryer, hair colour and anything else that can compromise the health of your hair. Damage is the number one enemy to a long, healthy head of hair. So, if you want to start seeing growth and progress with your curls, it’s time to unplug your hot tools, pack away the box dye and give your curls a much-needed break.

It Takes Time

The biggest tip we want to leave you with is this: Have patience! Your curls aren’t gonna grow at lightning speed. With less than an inch of growth per month, you have to give your curls the time and the care they need. Set yourself up for success by prioritizing the health of your hair, and it’s likely you’ll see the results you’re looking for.

What are your #lengthgoals? What are you doing to attain them? Tell us in the comments below!