Hair growth - my tips

So I have been looking through some of my old photos and noticed the length my hair used to be compared to the length that it is now, which reminded me of the struggle it was to grow my hair!
I left work at the end of summer last year to go to university and I've returned this summer and one of the things that everyone has said to me is "your hair has grown SO much!". It really has! It finally really, really has!

So I'm just writing this post a long with recommendations of a few products that I used which I feel helped me along my journey to hair growth (whether they actually helped the growth or not, they definitely made my hair feel healthy, and healthy hair will grow!).

Rule 1 - Keep your hair in great condition!
To me the most important item in hair care is simply your shampoo and conditioner! You want to apply shampoo to your roots down to the middle of your hair as this is where most of the oil in your hair accumulates. I usually shampoo twice just to make sure I've washed it thoroughly. I then apply conditioner through the ends of my hair and using my brush carefully brush through my hair. The conditioner makes it easier to brush through the hair which means less stress on the hair and therefore less breakage.
If I want to give my hair a conditioning treat which I do about once a week I either use a conditioning mask such as the Tresemme Platinum Strength Deep Conditioning Treatment. Or you can just use any standard conditioner but really layer it on all over your hair and give it a good brush through before washing it out!
Avoid hair breakage by using treatments such as the Tresemme Split Remedy range.

Rule 2 - Give your hair a break!
It sounds like a cliché but... don't use heat on your hair unless if it's necessary! Saying that, necessary doesn't have to mean just when you're in a rush! I never let my hair naturally dry, this is because it's so thick that it would take literally hours to dry! However, I don't normally straighten my hair excessively. If I straighten my hair it's usually just to neaten it up a bit as it's quite naturally curly.
If I fully straighten my hair I use a heat protection spray. I usually use Tresemme Heat Defence Spray I like the Tresemme products for heat protection because unlike some sprays they don't leave a burning smell on my hair after I've straightened it. If you feel you really need to straighten your hair, there are products you can use which help keep your hair straighter for longer, such as Tresemme Keratin Smooth treatments.

Rule 3 - Don't be afraid to try something new!
I tried Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment. I loved the full range. I still use it now occasionally but it's a bit pricey to use as a standard shampoo when you're not really aiming for hair growth! I really loved the leave in treatment as it left my hair feeling and smelling great! All in all I would recommend giving the full range a go at least once and see for yourself!
I've also tried Alpecin Caffeine Shampoo which I also really liked. The only downside to this shampoo was you're not really supposed to use conditioner with it which I don't like as my hair needs a good condition every now and then! The shampoo did leave my scalp feeling really refreshed and clean though so I would still recommend this shampoo for you lovely girls looking to grow their lovely locks!

Rule 4 - Stay healthy!
A healthy body means healthy hair, but no need to go on a massive health kick! Your major focuses should be protein, vitamins and plenty of water.

Rule 5 - Don't be afraid to say what you mean!
Anyone that knows me knows that I really have a fear of going to the hairdressers! I've been traumatised by too many cuts where I've come out feeling as if I need to cover the bald patches! Maybe that's a bit extreme but I always regret going as soon as I've come out!
However one of my closest friends recently became qualified at Toni and Guy which was the best thing that ever happened to me because like me she knew the struggles of trying to grow her hair as she had her hair cut into a bob about the same time as me and was growing it for years! It finally meant that I could really trust in my hairdresser and really say what I wanted (for example - I ONLY want the very ends cut off). My advice though is to be brave and not let your hairdresser get carried away! Tell them exactly how much you want off - however if they tell you it's for the best to get a bit more than that off due to breakage, believe them, they are the professionals after all! Just follow my first and second rules to help avoid breakage for next time!

I will add any more rules that I think of at a later date and I really hope this helps any of you wanting to grow your hair!

Do you have any rules that you need to stick to? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
Sally x