Collins - 10 Secrets to Growing Black Hair Long and Fast: Natural hair care

1. Water and Hydration

We all know the importance of Hydration, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

Coily and curly textured hair has the tendency to become dryer more easily than most. It can often require more effort in order to keep our hair moisturized and prevent over drying and breakage. Its no surprise that breakage hinders hair growth. However, hair problems and dry scalp are also attributed to heat and chemical treatments, so it is imperative that you know how to keep your hair well oiled and hydrated in order to prevent overdrying and breakage.

Water and Hydration Facts:

An important key to healthy, beautiful, shiny and long hair is hydration. A Sufficient amount of water plays a major role in allowing the hair to grow long and fast. Dehydration can make you feel tired but it can also cause drying of your hair shaft and scalp and ultimately cause split ends and hair breakage.
Your hair follicles require ample nutrients in order to produce healthy hair and water is an essential nutrient. By drinking water in the right quantity, you can supply nutrients to your scalp and promote rapid hair growth. 8 -12 glasses per day is the average.

A very important element of hydration is making sure to keep you hair and ends hydrated. The ONLY way to truly hydrate our hair is with water. It is very important that before applying your leave in conditioner or oils that you make sure that your hair is moisturized with water. Hydrating your hair with water and following with an oil will help to lock in moisture throughout the day.

Another way to retain your hair's moisture is to avoid washing your hair every day. Regardless of how gentle the shampoo is, the very act of washing the hair strips natural oils from your hair and can cause breakage and dryness. Many shampoos also include petroleum, sulfate, alcohol and mineral oil that are very drying to the hair.

Things To Avoid To Retain Moisture:
Refrain from wearing hats, if possible, as they absorb the natural oil from your scalp and prevent it from hydrating or moisturizing your hair. Flat irons, blow dryers and other similar heated hair tools can lead to dry hair that eventually becomes brittle and causes breakage. It is advisable to avoid blow drying the hair on high heat altogether. If you must blow dry your hair, use a cool setting.
Water And Hydration Myths:
If your hair is naturally curly, kinky, coiled or wavy, then you have probably heard of the following myths.
Myth 1: Black women can't grow long hair:
The Truth: Black women can most certainly grow long hair! The only challenge is that in the past we had put our hair through a lot of stress that had caused our locks to suffer. Hair dryers, relaxers, harsh chemicals, heat, lack of moisture, over shampooing, over manipulation, etc, have all lead to breakage. These days we are now learning that through proper hydration and hair care, we CANgrow our hair long!

Myth 2: Water and conditioning too often can dry out natural hair:
The Truth: This myth has made many of us deprive our hair of the most crucial nutrient i.e. water. Curls, kinks and waves thrive the most when your hair care regimen is focused towards hydration. Water helps to enhance the hair's elasticity, reduce its breakage and improve curls.
Myth 3: Oil can moisturize natural hair:

The Truth: Oil is good for hair, but it is not a moisturizer! Moisture is hydration, which can be obtained with water as well as water-based products. Oils are lubricants and sealants that can trap moisture in the hair and prevent its depletion. Using oil alone as a moisturizer will only cause dryness over a period of time. Regardless of the fact that many hair product companies promote their remarkable "moisturizing oils" - oil alone as a moisturizer is a myth.

The Greenhouse effect

Another great method for locking in moisture is the Greenhouse Effect. This is a natural and effective way of boosting hair growth due to the fact that it allows the hair to retain moisture more efficiently. The steam effect created penetrates into the scalp to increase the average growth rate. This method should be done at night. The idea behind this method is that by creating warmth and moisture on your scalp, you are also creating the perfect atmosphere to open pores and follicles which allow for growth.

Steps for performing the greenhouse effect:

Step1: Spray you hair with water until slightly damp.

Step 2: place your hair in a bun, ponytail or braids.

Step 3: Place a plastic cap over your head. To increase the effect add a scarf or additional plastic bags to increase the warmth.

Step 4: Leave your hair covered overnight or leave on for an extended period of time. This will create a green house steam effect in your hair.

Step 5: In the morning, remove the cap and allow your hair to dry naturally or blow dry on a cool setting

Step 6: moisturize, seal and style your hair as usual.

When performing this method, sometimes it's best to avoid using oils to allow for the pores to be open and prevent blockage.