O/T--growing hair long

M

Maximus

Cathlete
I saw Sarah Jessica Parker in her latest Gap commercial & I was wondering how the heck she grew her hair from chin length to halfway down her back in less than 2 years. I've been trying to grow out a bad haircut since 1998 & it's still only just below my shoulders.

What is Hollywood's secret? Is SJP wearing extensions (it sure doesn't look like it) or is her hair really that long? How on earth did she get it to grow so fast?

And I don't buy the old hairdresser line that you have to get your hair cut every six weeks to make it grow faster. I tried that for a few years & it seemed like my hair kept getting shorter & shorter. x( Now I deep condition w/heat every week & only get my hair cut 3-4 times a year. I'm making progress but I sure would like to have really long hair like tomorrow.

Any thoughts?
 
My hair used to be about a few inches below my shoulders and I decided to grow it longer a few years ago. I don't cut it often at all (maybe 4 times a year, if that) and I don't do anything special (treatments, etc.). The one thing that I do for my hair is that I don't wash it every day and I try to let it air dry as often as I can until the very end when I straighten it out. since I only do this a couple of times a week, that helps control the damage. At one point, it stopped growing for what seemed like *EVER* but then all of a sudden, it seemed like ot got really long overnight.

Hang in there...it'll grow!
 
I don't know about SJP but there are extensions that look like real hair. Just last night I saw some on HSN (I really NEVER watch that, but it caught my eye) and they looked real and really cool. I have short hair and am actually thinking of getting one for when I go out.
 
I heard the secret of long hair on celebrities is hair extentions. Like Paris Hilton has really short hair and puts in extensions, I found that out when I was at the hair dressers one day and looking through those hair books and read about it. I always wondered how they can get long hair so fast, I have been growing mine out for the last few years and so far it is only a few inches past my shoulders. and I take calcium and other vitamins and it is taking it's own sweet time to grow.
 
I don't know for sure, but I wonder if it's a genetic thing. I bet nutrition, hormones, etc. have a lot to do with it, too. I've heard there is a special vitamin formula you can buy just for hair...my mother in law takes them and swears by them.

Kerrie
 
Scalp treatments and massaging the scalp is what works for me! My friends mother is a hairdresser and gave me that tip. The scalp treatment gets rid of an buildup to let your scalp "breathe". The massaging gets the blood flow circulating under the scalp. My hair was a little past shoulder length last summer and now it's about 3 inches past my bra strap. I just had 2 inches taken off too. Try it, it works!

Aila
 
Good hair extensions, like the ones I'm quite sure are used on SJP and the like, are pretty much completely indiscernible. Plus with the air brushing, retouching, etc. you'd NEVER be able to tell.

You know, unless they're pink dreads or something:p
 
High quality hair extensions are actually made from human hair and they look absolutely real. (unless your hair is very thin and then you can see the tracks in certain lighting)

my own hair grows about1/2 in. per month, so it's possible hers grew out that fast.

jes
 
What they normally do is take your hair in sections and scrape(gently) your scalp with a fine tooth comb(rattail) until your scalp is free of any type of buildup. Then they put a cholesterol butter or deep conditioner directly on the scalp and massage for a while. They cover your head and stick you under the dryer for about 20 min. I have done it at home, but it's not the same as going to the shop. I don't have access to a dryer, but have slept on it with my head covered with a plastic bag for the heat. I try to go get it done every 6-8 weeks.

HTH
Aila
 
Some people's hair just grows faster. My sister had really short hair less than a year ago and it's already down past her shoulders. It's longer than mine, and I've been growing mine for years. Of course, she doesn't get hers trimmed as often as I do. I go every 8 - 10 weeks. Mine looks a little healthier, but not much. She's got great hair.
 
It may just grow fast. My hair grows really fast. If it were chin length two years ago and I didn't cut it aside from just regular trims, I bet it would be a lot longer than hers is now.
 
I noticed my hair grows faster and looks better when I'm eatting right and exercising regulary. The cardio helps get that blood flowing all over. It's also better on your hair to use more natural products found in the health food stores.. they have more hair friendly ingredients (nettle, chamomile, horsetail, jojoba) and don't build up as much as salon and drug store brands would. I've read taking biotin helps too!
 
Hair grows 1cm - 1/2inch per month. I don't know about SJP, but a lot of Hollywood women use hair extensions.

It is not true that cutting your hair every 6 weeks makes it grow faster. Hair grows from the scalp and it doesn't "breathe" so getting your ends trimmed every six weeks is not going to make it grow.

This is what I do when I'm growing my hair out. I get my ends trimmed every 12 weeks for 9 months to let it grow. During that time I wash my hair twice per week and I get a deep conditioning treatment once a week to try to avoid breakage. I stay away from blow dryers and heat appliances because I'm not cutting my hair often and that damages my hair. I don't get any chemical treatments, but if you do you should get them less often because that also damages your hair. I use leave in conditioners and I put my hair in a ponytail or a bun. After that I get my ends trimmed every six weeks for 6 months to get it healthy again. If after those 6 months I like my hair length I keep cutting it every 6weeks, if I don't like the length yet I start the cycle all over again.

When you cut your hair every 6 weeks you do it to keep it healthy and split end free, but you have to do it less often if you want to let your hair grow.
 
I also wanted to add that while hair itself doesn't "breathe" the scalp does and it makes sense to massage it and condition it. The deep conditioning treatments I get are from scalp to ends.
 
I have had long hair my whole life, but did cut it twice. I am in the second time of growing it out and I swear by these vitimins from Phyto. I can't remember what they are called, but if you really want to know I can look them up.

Phyto is a brand of hair products that is sold where I get my hair cut. The vitimins are phenominal, and my hair it growing not only faster, but has shine and health. My fingernails are growing like crazy too, and they used to split and break but they are much stonger. I seriously have to clip them every couple of days.

Having said that, I think Hollywood gals use extensions. SJP included. There is no way you can process, style, color etc. that much and have hair that long in two years. Not to mention pregnancy and nursing a baby literally sucks the life out of you.
 
I really think how fast your hair grows is simply a genetic thing. I have had long hair for 25 years now and I get it trimmed every six months or it would be to my knees in a year. I like to keep my hair between my arse and the lower part of my back but by the time I go in for a trim (six months later) it is already hanging down past the top my cheeks. And my four kids have hair that grows just as fast. My girls all have long hair too and I trim their's myself so I line them up every few months and have to take inches off of theirs as well. And my son...holy cow I could cut his hair every week if he would let me because within two weeks of a haircut he already will have side burns and the hair will be down the nape of his neck. I like his short, I'm not into these boys who have this long straggly hair. Like a friend of mine said one day, it's one thing if a boy wants long hair and he keeps it looking nice by getting it trimed, WASHING IT, etc. But most of these boys with long hair just simply look like they quit getting hair cuts and it's mangey looking.
 
Thanks Dani & everyone--I'm hitting Sephora tonight & will definitely check out the Phyto vitamins (I absolutely love the Phytospecific Beauty Styling Creme--it is the best styling product I've ever used). I think I'll also try the scalp thing too. I want my hair loooooooooong by summer!
 
Hey Maximus, I pulled my bottle out of the fridge and they are called Phytophanere. The bottle says dietary supplement for hair and nails. It costs a fortune, like 40 bucks, but I swear by them and take them every day. I will probably always splurge on them just because I see such a differance. Not to mention the people I have told about it, and their experiences as well.

I can never pronounce the Phyto products, but I like just about everything I have tried. I will have to check out their styling cream. I go in tomorrow for an intensive hair conditioning scalp treatment. You might ask at a salon that sells this stuff. There is an educator (their term not mine) coming in to do them for free and I managed to get on the list. I'm sure my little mountain town is not the only place they travel to, but I will let you know how it goes and will ask specifically about how to encourage growth.
 
They are probably most definitely extensions. All the celebs get them. I read Allure magazine, and there is a photo of Jessica Simpson with extensions. They are made from human hair and look real. All the celebs get them.

Lori
 
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