Some headlines are annoying clickbait; this is NOT one of them – promise. As someone who constantly uses bleach and heat styling tools, I’m no stranger to damaged hair. But last summer I encountered my worst hair nightmare ever after removing my tape extensions (note: do not wear tape extensions, especially if you have naturally curly hair!). My hair was thin, brittle, short, and very damaged, and I was freaking out. Apparently, the extensions had been tugging at my hair, causing a lot of breakage and hindering growth. So yeah, avoid tape extensions!
Anyway, I already knew to take biotin, but decided I really needed to make a lifestyle change in order to get my hair back to normal as quickly as possible. And needless to say, my hair growth methods were extra af. It all paid off, though, as I started seeing results in just two weeks and longer, stronger hair in just one month. It’s been six months since I removed my extensions and my hair is in better shape now than it was before I had extensions applied. My hair is also much thicker and fuller than it’s been for much of my twenties. Read on for my tips – I hope they work for you, too!*
Food
What we eat has a major effect on the overall health of your hair. This is not to say that I went on a strict Whole30 diet. I just started going out of my way to eat foods that would help with hair growth like salmon, almonds, avocado, egg yolks, and spinach – basically anything with omega-3, biotin, and iron. I also started drinking protein shakes more regularly to supplement nutrients and increase my protein intake, which is necessary for hair growth. I’m very picky when it comes to protein shakes but I like Premier Protein, which also contains biotin.
Supplements
In addition to a slight modification in my diet, I also started taking supplements. Here are the two main supplements I take:
Collagen
Collagen is so, so important, you guys. Not only does it help with growth, but it helps strengthen hair too. I immediately notice a difference in my hair health once I stop taking it. My favorite collagen supplements are the soft chews by NeoCell.
Biotin
The first thing I did after removing my tape extensions was order SugarBearHair. Like me, you’ve probably seen the vitamins all over your Instagram feed. Did they live up to the hype? Yes, and they taste amazing. However, they quickly became too expensive so I switched to HUM Hair Sweet Hair, which is just as good and vegan.
Hair Treatments
So we’ve covered how to improve your hair through eating and supplements. But what about hair treatments? Here’s what I use:
Castor Oil
Having previously used castor oil on my eyebrows during the Cara Delevingne eyebrow craze, I knew that applying it to my scalp would help stimulate hair growth. So, before shampooing my hair, I massage my scalp with castor oil and let it sit for at least an hour. This is the castor oil I use, but any brand will do!
Kiehl’s Magic Elixir
In addition to the castor oil, I also apply Kiehl’s Magic Elixir, which contains rosemary oil, avocado oil and aloe to stimulate growth and moisturize hair. This along with the castor oil became my pre-shampoo mask treatment, which I still use.
Last minute thoughts…
This may seem obvious but sleep, stress and water intake also effect hair health and growth. I always prioritize a good night’s sleep over anything. Also, swap your shampoo for one that’s sulfate-free to prevent drying and damaging your hair. I use Olaplex as a deep conditioning treatment to strengthen my strands and reduce breakage.
That’s all! Let me know if you have any questions in the comments.
*Disclaimer, I’m not a doctor and all advice in this post is based on my personal experience. If you’re experiencing hair loss, please check with your doctor to determine the cause before following the advice outlined in this post.
