What you really need to be doing to grow your natural hair

First, forget everything you thought you knew. Next? Read this, of course

Before we even start, we need to be honest with you: despite what your TikTok “for you” page might suggest, you can’t make your hair grow faster. No matter how many pricey creams, masks and serums you invest in, they won’t speed up the relatively steady rate of half an inch growth per month. But – and this is the important bit – you can improve the condition and overall health of your hair. Which, in turn, will prevent breakage, maintain that steady growth and help your hair appear longer.

“Hair growth is a two-stage process,” explains trichologist Audrey Davis-Sivasothy. “The actual growth from your scalp is stage one” – AKA the part you cannot control – “and the retention of that growth is stage two.” And that, dear friends, is where our fun begins.

FIRST, CUT YOUR HAIR

It’s true what your hairdresser says: to retain length, you have to lose length – specifically about a quarter of an inch. “Your hair is growing every day, so why isn’t it getting longer? Because you’re not trimming it,” confirms hairstylist Jazzee Santiago. “Coily hair splits and tangles around itself, creating fairy knots (tiny tangles) that break,” so your hair looks shorter and more flimsy as a result. “Type 4 hair needs to be trimmed every three months or every two months if it’s colour-treated. Don’t even consider skipping – set a reminder.” Not sure which hairdresser to visit? See Antidotestreet.com’s salon manifesto for inspo.

PREP THE *RIGHT* WAY

“The equation for longer hair is low manipulation plus hydration and time,” says Davis-Sivasothy. Which means skipping harsh chemical treatments, colour and tight styles. This is where loose twists, rolls and French braids become your friends. “But don’t just braid your dry hair,” says Santiago. Yes, braids are protective, but before you get those fingers working, you need to prep the hair first. This will add much-needed moisture back, otherwise it’s like doing your skincare routine without washing your face – pointless.

“To prep, saturate your wet hair with a ton of leave-in conditioner, then blow-dry with a comb attachment until it’s 100% dry, stretching each section with your fingers as you work,” advises Santiago. Yes, turns out blow-drys are still allowed if you’re growing your hair. “Heat helps the leave-in conditioner penetrate your hair cuticle and stretch it, so it won’t shrink up and dry out as quickly in your protective style,” she says.

ADD MOISTURE, NOT OIL

If your go-to product is oil, oil and more oil, especially when protective styling, listen up. “Oils don’t moisturise – they seal in moisture,” says Davis-Sivasothy. So if you’re slathering them on without a hydrated base, “You’ll end up with crispy, broken hair.”

For the first two weeks of your growth process, she recommends re-wetting and moisturising your hair every day with a daily moisturising conditioner and a leave-in to help “rebuild the

hydrogen bonds in your hair” (basically, the stuff that locks in moisture). Then layer on an oil.

“With daily moisture, those bonds will get better at staying, and your hair will start looking fuller within a month,” explains Davis-Sivasothy. Just so we’re all clear, I don’t want to hear any excuses for your limited growth. For two weeks, you should wet your hair daily and follow with a conditioner and leave-in before braiding into a protective style. Remember, this doesn’t replace wash day – you still need to shampoo every 7 to 10 days. After two weeks, you can space out the water rinses to every five days or so. By month two, “You’ll start to see length, not breakage.”

EMBRACE SHAMPOO

Clarifying shampoos are usually associated with oily hair and scalps, but as Davis-Sivasothy points out, “Product build-up can clog pores and make it harder for hair to push through the follicle,” which is why adding one to your routine – even if your hair is dry – is so important if growth is your goal. “Switch your regular shampoo for a clarifying version once a week if you’re a heavy user of butters and oils, or once a month if you use lighter products.”

BUT SLOW DOWN ON THE PROTEIN

If every product you own has “anti-breakage” or “strengthening” on the label, bad news: you may be throwing fuel on the fire. “These protein-filled formulas help repair strands, which is great if your hair’s not dried out,” says Davis-Sivasothy (and if you’re reading this, it probably is). “Too much protein on dehydrated hair creates a stiff build-up that will cause strands to snap off.”

To avoid the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve, try cutting out all protein for a month and loading up on moisture-rich products. Then, and only then, bring back one protein-based product, like a weekly deep conditioner, DavisSivasothy recommends. Now all that’s left to do is brag to your friends about those extra inches.