Are you trying to grow your hair long, but with frustrating results? Be patient, and take care of your hair, and it will grow. Hair typically grows about half an inch a month. To help your hair grow as fast and as healthily as possible, it's important to avoid damage to your hair and to give your body the nutrients necessary for hair growth.

How healthy is your hair right now?
The first thing to consider is the current health of your hair. Look at your ends - are there many splits? If so, consider trimming your hair to get rid of them. If there are only a few, you may be able to cut them out individually. Invest in a pair of scissors designed for hair (obtainable at any beauty supply and not expensive) so you can cut your hair cleanly. There's little point in making the effort to treat your hair better if it will break anyway from pre-existing damage. Splits will travel up the hair shaft, eventually causing the strand to break. If the ends break off, it will seem as if your hair is not growing.

Treat your hair as gently as possible
Always treat your hair as gently as possible. Rough handling will cause split ends and hair breakage. Putting your hair up, as soon as it is long enough, will avoid damage from causes such as wind, getting caught in purse straps, seat belts, etc. Be gentle when brushing your hair, and don't use a comb or brush with sharp parts or a molded comb with a rough 'seam' in the middle. Start brushing at the ends of your hair and work your way up towards your head. If your hair is long enough, consider putting it in a quick, simple three-strand braid at night. This really reduces tangles in the morning. You could also use a satin sleep cap, and satin pillowcases to help stop damage and tangles from hair rubbing against coarser cotton pillowcases.

Washing and styling long hair
Try to extend the time between hair washing, and do not brush your hair when it is wet, as hair is more delicate when it is wet. Experiment with different shampoos and conditioners to find ones which really suit your hair (we'll discuss hair washing in another post soon) - everyone's hair reacts to different ingredients in different ways. Don't rub your head with a towel after washing, as this will knot and tangle hair, increasing damage on brushing. Avoid blow drying and use of heat (for example straighteners) as much as possible. Use hair accessories which are kind to your hair - avoid those with sharp points and hair bands with metal clasps. Hair sticks are some of the least damaging hair accessories.

The importance of nutrition
Hair will not grow quickly and strongly if you do not give your body the nutrients it needs. If you do not eat a balanced diet, a multivitamin will ensure that you receive daily vitamins and minerals. Nutrients such as silica, biotin and MSM benefit hair, and there are special 'hair vitamin' pills that contain these and other ingredients to ensure healthy, strong growth.