What Your Hair Stylist Doesn't Tell You

OG and I have long hair.  Longer than the "average" length of long hair.  We are often asked not only why do we wear our hair long but also HOW did we get it to grow so long.  Well, the why is a personal conviction to our faith.

OG's hair has NEVER been cut more than a 1"-2"  trim.  Mine?  Well, when I was a young girl it was REALLY long - down to my knees long.  But since having it cut short, like the back of my neck showing short, and then re-growing it, I've never had the patience to grow it longer than mid-buttocks.

I'm really surprised at the number of ladies and girls we meet who tell us they would like longer hair but they just can't seem to get it to grow.  They tell us that they are careful to have only the ends trimmed every 6-8 weeks but their hair seems to stay about the same length.  Well, there's a secret to growing long hair that's not really a secret.  My aunt P was a hair dresser/stylist for 40+ years & when I was in Jr. high school, she told me the secret to "growing out" one's hair, especially if interested in a new longer style.

The average person's hair grows only 6" per year - that's only 1/2" per month.  If you get a 1' trim every 8 weeks, most people cut off all the new length thus, their hair seems to ALWAYS stay the same length and not grow.  More than 25 years ago when I decided to grow my hair longer, the first thing I did was stop my frequent visits to the hair dresser.  Instead of getting a 1" trim every 8 weeks I started getting a 1/2" trim every 12 weeks.  In order to keep the ends from getting too scraggly I also made sure I used a good quality conditioner and moisturizing shampoo.  Not only do I need to avoid hair color and other chemical treatments like the plague, I also do not use heated styling tools (including a blow dryer) on a regular basis.  When these tools are used frequently, they cause significant damage to the naturally dryer ends of longer hair.  If there is a special occasion, I'll use a curling iron, hot rollers or straightening iron, however, on an average day my hair is in a barrette, ponytail or a casual up-do.  By the way, a casual up-do and a ponytail with a stylish barrette or clip is GREAT for the" in between" period while trying to grow one's hair longer.

I am living proof that my Aunt P's secret really works.  At 18, I boasted cute pixie.  At 22, I was the original inspiration for Jennifer Aniston's famous "do" (just joking, but my hair was styled almost identical to her current style).  It's now been more than a couple decades since I was 22 and I've worn my hair significantly longer than my waist for over 2 decades.  So, trim if you must, but never more than 1/2 an inch every 12 weeks.