Is there anything more frustrating than not being able to achieve the hair you want? Whether you’ve been trying to grow long locks or find yourself wishing your hair was fuller or thicker, there are many small oversights that can disrupt your hair growth and prevent you from getting the hair of your dreams. We’re breaking down some of the most common mistakes that prevent hair growth and hopefully, helping you get on the right track to achieving your hair goals.

Neglecting The Scalp

At Calista, we are constantly trying to remind our BeautyBrave customers of the importance of scalp health. While this is true for the overall look, feel, and health of your hair, it’s also a major factor in how quickly you’re able to grow your hair. When your scalp is filled with dead skin and clogged hair follicles, your hair growth is going to be disrupted. Make sure you use a shampoo and conditioner pair that not only cleanse the scalp, but also exfoliate and condition it. Additionally, use a scalp-stimulating brush to make sure your scalp is creating a viable environment for hair growth. Healthy hair starts at the scalp, so make sure that you’re giving your scalp the attention it deserves before pursuing any other hair routine changes to accelerate growth.

Over-washing Fragile Strands 

A lot of people think that constant shampooing and conditioning is the key to healthy hair. But actually, the opposite is true. While washing your hair on a regular basis is important for your scalp health and overall growth pattern, over-washing your hair can cause more harm than good. If you wash your hair on a daily basis, you risk over-saturating your hair strands, stripping your hair of its natural oils, and even causing damage by towel drying or using a blowdryer. How often you wash your hair is completely personal to you, so check with the stylist who knows your hair best and come up with a hair washing schedule that won’t stand in the way of your hair growth journey.

Excessive Heat Exposure

As a hair tool company, we’re never going to fully discourage you from using heat styling tools to get the style you desire. However, we want what’s best for you and your hair, so take it from us: excessive, unhealthy heat styling is going to stand in the way of hair growth and overall hair health. Excessive heat would mean using heat without protection or using too high a heat setting for your hair type. Unhealthy heat would mean using heat styling tools that don’t use ionic and ceramic technology, thus actively drying out the hair. When heat styling, remember these three things:

1. Always use a heat protectant spray before exposing your hair to heat.

2. Consider your hair type when choosing a heat setting (fine, thin hair typically only requires a low setting, while thick, coarse hair may require a higher setting).

3. Do not use hair tools unless they have ionic and ceramic properties. Ionic properties help maintain moisture and prevent frizz while ceramic barrels produce a far infrared heat that penetrates the hair shaft, working from the inside out to protect your hair's natural moisture and shine.

Bad Brushing

As we’ve stated above, brushing your hair is important for a healthy scalp! However, you want to make sure you’re brushing it the right way. When trying to remove tangles or knots, being forceful and yanking the hair will cause a lot of harm to what might otherwise be perfectly healthy hair strands. To avoid damaging your hair and set the stage for better growth, start by choosing the correct brush for your hair and hair goals. When brushing out knots, avoid harsh tugging and pulling. We recommend starting at the ends of your hair and working your way up to gently untangle as you go. Once you’ve removed all of the knots, then brush from the scalp downward to get that necessary scalp stimulation. Additionally, we highly recommend using a flexible brush to work your conditioner through your hair in the shower. This way, you’re certain that you’re gently removing knots while also working a fortifying conditioner or hair mask through the entirety of your hair to set the stage for healthy hair growth.

What are your favorite hair growth tips? Let us know in the comment section or comment on one of our recent social posts on Facebook (Calista by Maria McCool) or Instagram (@calistatools).