Hairdresser reveals the ‘best kept secret’ for growing your hair longer, faster – it’s all about knowing your hair cycle
FEEL like your hair never gets past a certain length no matter what hack or treatment you try?
Well, don’t worry professional hairdresser Chris Wenzel – also known as the Blowout Professor – has the answers you’re looking for.
Chris, who specialises in hair growth and maintenance, revealed how anyone can go from short to long hair easily.
According to to the pro, you need to understand the growth cycle of your locks before you do anything else.
This cycle can be broken down into three different phases.
The first is called the Anagen phase, this is when your hair starts to grow.
This part of the cycle is different for everyone though – for some it might last for up to seven years, but for others it could just be three.
“They key here is the longer your cycle the longer your hair has to grow,” he explained.
Next up is the Catagen phase were your hair strands “go dormant and shrink.”
This is followed by the Telogen phase were the hair begins to shed.
So, why does knowing your cycle matter?
Chris said it’s because if you make mistakes in the first phase it could be the reason your hair isn’t as long as you’d like.
“During the Anagen phase your hair is always growing, it’s not like there’s some lever in your head where it’s like fast or slow,” Chris explained.
This means that although your hair will still grow during this phase, mistakes can cost you length – meaning your hair is breaking from the ends.
For example, Chris said constantly bleaching your hair could be causing it to snap off.
They key here is the longer your cycle the longer your hair has to grow.
Chris Wenzel
The hair pro suggested not focusing on growing your hair, since it does that all on it’s own, but instead in keeping it strong and healthy.
This way your locks can grow long during the phase and won’t break off, making it appear shorter “even if you weren’t blessed with a really long Anagen phase.”
How to keep your hair strong and healthy
Chris suggested using a hair mask once per week to nourish the outside and inside of your hair follicles.
Despite what you might’ve heard, you should avoid getting frequent trims Chris said.
Leave your hair to grow for six months at least because frequent trims are “a total waste of time.”
He also suggested adding hair oil into your every day routine to stop your locks from drying out.
You don’t need to lather your entire head in oil though – just focuses on the ends where your hair is the weakest.
Heat styling is another big no-no as far as Chris is concerned.
This is because all the moisture you’ve added to your hair from the oil and hair masks will be totally pointless.
If you do use heat, he suggested using a heat protectant spray and always have a three day break between heat styling.
Finally, Chris recommended using a water-based leave in conditioner to protect your roots as well as the ends of your hair.
This doesn’t mean you can ditch your in-shower conditioner though, using both is a must, even if you’ve got oily locks, Chris said.