I want to have THEIR length...

This is a sentence that MANY of us have mentioned from time to time. weather we are relaxed or naturally curly. Hair envy, Hair crush whatever you want to call it we long to have length. How can we achieve length? is there a special pill that we can take? can we speed up the process?

The quick answer is yes and no. Yes YOU can achieve Length and NO there are no special pills out there that could speed up the process ( even though there are MANY on the market that claim that it can) dont get sucked into all the hype.  Hair grows on average 1/4 of an inch each month so sorry ladies you can't chop off your hair and expect BSL (bra strap length) hair in six months.There are however some steps that you can take to retain the length that you get from your hair growing.

1. Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize : This is SO important our hair is very fragile and and in order to retain that 1/4 inch hair growth you need to concentrate on your ends. That is the oldest part of your hair and it's VERY fragile and susceptible to split ends and tangles which lead to breakage. use whatever moisturizer you feel is best for your hair and make sure to seal that in with a oil that works best for you. Not sure what oils to use? check out a list here

2. Low Manipulation styles: Nothing hurts your hair more then pulling and tugging at it all the time. I must admit I have HIH (Hand in hair) syndrome really bad. it's cute and I want to fluff it up or play in it. Also I am HORRIBLE at keeping the same style for a while. but it's so important to give our hair a break from time to time. I LOVE protective styles now and I keep them in for at least a week to give my hair the rest that it needs. But, while your hair is in it's protective style remember to moisturize it well before you do the style and make sure that the style is not to tight (if you decide to do braids, cornrows, flattwist etc) because the tension could cause damage not only to your edges but also your ends and scalp. Not sure what kind of protective styles are out there? check here for a few of my favorites that are easy to do and very cute.

3. Protect your tresses when you sleep: This one I had to remind myself and I am FINALLY in the habit of wrapping my hair at night with a satin head wrap or wearing a satin bonnet. True this may not look sexy when you go to sleep so if you are worried about looks you can invest in a cute satin pillowcase and you can just fall asleep. Cotton pillowcases are absorbent and will rob your hair of the moisture is needs to grow as well as tangle your hair and can create split ends that result in breakage.

4. Take your time when detangling: NEVER and I mean NEVER detangle your hair when it is dry! that is in the natural bible somewhere. our hair has strength when it is wet so only detangle when your hair has water or a conditioner with great slip in it. also make sure that you are not tugging you always want to start from the bottom of your hair and work your way up to your roots.

5. Last but certainly not least is BE PATIENT: there is no way for any of us to speed up the growth process. so just enjoy your hair in the TWA stage. Think about it, the more you learn how to take care of your hair now the easier it will be when you have to work with ALL THAT HAIR you will get in the future.