Take Care of Your Hair

1. Get frequent trims — yes, really.

It may seem counterintuitive, but if you want long hair that's actually healthy, you need to get regular trims. "While haircuts don't make your hair grow any faster, they get rid of split ends that break your hair," explains celebrity hairstylist Michael Dueñas. "Eliminating the breakage gives the appearance that your hair is growing faster." After all, a split end that breaks can lead to your hair losing length — not to mention shine, volume, and smoothness. Not sure how often to trim your hair? We've got a guide for that.

2. Spread the wealth that is your hair's natural oil.

Going to bed with unbrushed hair may seem tempting when you're tired, but giving your hair a few quick strokes can be great for its health. "Starting at the scalp, use a boar bristle brush to distribute your scalp's oils evenly onto your hair so it stays naturally moisturized," recommends Eva Scrivo Salon senior colorist and hair educator Meri Kate O'Connor. Bonus: This simple step each night helps increase circulation, which helps make your scalp healthier. Which leads us to…

3. Keep your scalp healthy.

Think of your hair like a tree: If the soil and roots aren't taken care of, the tree can't grow tall and solid. "Hair growth starts with a healthy scalp," explains celebrity hairstylist and WEN founder Chaz Dean. "When you cleanse and treat your scalp with healthy ingredients, you product strong, beautiful hair." If you're not sure how healthy your hair is, Chaz recommends doing a "root lift test": At the crown of your head, hold up a section of your hair. Healthy hair should be the same thickness root to end, but if your ends are thinner, it's time to rethink your haircare regimen.

4. Start from the inside by eating the right foods.

Having long, strong hair doesn't just depend on which products you put on your hair, it also depends on what you put into your body. "To promote hair growth, you need to 'feed' the hair from the inside," explains Dr. Francesco Fusco, dermatologist and CLEAR Scalp & Hair expert. "Try increasing your protein intake with foods like fish, beans, nuts, and whole gains." If you're not a meat-lover, be sure to maintain a diet high in protein — Dr. Fusco warns that women who don't get enough of it often experience "more shedding."

5. Stop abusing it with heat styling tools.

The biggest culprit that's ruining your hair: damage from hot tools. "Stop over-styling your hair," warns celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves. If you must use heat, Paves recommends decreasing the temperature and always using a heat protectant — otherwise, you risk damaging your locks, leading to breakage and frizz.

6. Skip the daily shampoo.

Good news: Your hair care routine just got a whole lot simpler. By now, you've likely heard all the testimonials attributing great hair to going "no 'poo," but do you know whyit actually helps your hair? "Shampooing your hair two to three times a week is a general rule," says Paves. "This allows your natural oils to penetrate your hair, allowing it to hydrate and repair itself." But just be sure not to let too much buildup occur — Dr. Fusco warns that this can lead to a surplus of oil, itching, and dandruff.

7. Add a vitamin to your morning routine.

If your diet isn't supplying you with enough nutrition, a supplement could make a world of difference. "Look for a multivitamin that's formulated and labeled 'For Hair, Skin, and Nails,'" advises Dr. Fusco. "Those contain important vitamins like biotin, vitamin C, and B vitamins that support hair health." Bonus: You'll get better skin in the process!

8. Finish your shower with a cool rinse.

A super steamy shower isn't just bad for your skin — it's also rough on your hair. "Turn the water temperature down when cleansing," recommends Paves. "And rinse with cool water to help seal the cuticle and strengthen your hair before styling it."

9. Stop doing trendy "cleanses."

Diet companies may try to convince you that a "cleanse" will turn your whole life around, but Dueñas strongly advises against them. "Doing a cleanse is terrible for your hair because you're depriving your body of nutrients," he warns. "After doing a cleanse even for a week, you'll notice slower hair growth and lackluster locks."

10. Sleep on a silk pillowcase.

Getting better hair in your sleep is possible — all you need is to switch up your pillowcase. "Silk is easier on hair — it helps avoid tangles and breakage," says Jesleen Ahluwalia, M.D., a physician from Spring Street Dermatology in New York City. The less breakage your hair experiences, the longer your locks will be.

11. Pay attention to how your skin feels after using hair care products.

It's easy to see shiny locks initiallyand assume a product is working for you, but Dean recommends taking a closer look (and feel). "What the formula is doing to your skin is generally what it's doing to your hair," he says. "Does it make your skin f eel dry, stripped, heavy, waxy, sticky, or greasy? Or does it feel soft, hydrated, silky, and supple?" Treat your hair the way you would treat your skin — after all, it's another part of you! If your hair follicles are clogged and congested, there's no way it can grow as efficiently.

Unless your scalp unleashes new strands like a Chia Pet, gaining new length is going to take time. "Hair typically only grows about a quarter of an inch — to a half an inch max — a month," says celebrity hair stylist Mark Townsend, who helped Ashley Olsen grow out her asymmetric bob to past her waist. "And that's only if it is super-healthy and doesn't have a ton of split ends." The bottom line: practice patience.

2. Ironically, a scissor is your friend.

Although getting regular trims to snip splits won't make your hair actually grow faster, it will keep tips looking healthy and prevent splits from working their way up strands, requiring you to chop hair off more often. "If you wait so long that splits are causing your hair to break off high up on the strand, your hair will actually be shorter than if you get consistent trims," Townsend says, who suggests asking your stylist to take around just an eighth of an inch off every 10 to 12 weeks to prevent extreme split ends before they start.

3. Use conditioner every time you shampoo.

"If your hair is wet, that means you have to condition it," Townsend says. "Over time, from coloring and heat styling, strands start to get thinner at the bottom." Conditioner helps replace the lipids and proteins inside the hair shaft, "as well as seal the cuticle to help prevent more damage from happening so that you can get your hair to grow longer and look healthier," he says.

4. And don't shampoo every time you shower.

"It's shocking to me how many women skip conditioner when showering, which is the worst thing you can do for your hair — especially when you're trying to grow it long — and it's actually shampoo that you should be skipping as much as possible," Townsend says. Here's why: The purpose of shampoo is to wash away dirt and product buildup, but it can also take essential natural oils that keep strands soft and healthy along with it. When you really do need shampoo, be gentler on your hair by only lathering up at your scalp and then simply letting the suds slide down strands, hitting the rest of the hair as the water rinses it away.

5. Apply an oil or mask treatment weekly.

Because hair that touches your shoulders or beyond can be several years old and most likely needs more TLC than normal conditioner. Townsend suggests using moisture-based masks and oils weekly. "I make a natural oil treatment and give it to all of my clients to use pre-shampoo," Townsend says. (His easy recipe: 1 cup of unrefined coconut oil mixed with 1 tablespoon each of almond, macadamia and jojoba oil.) Because oils can leave a residue on hair, he says to apply it to damp hair, leave it on for 10 minutes, then shampoo and condition like normal. "These oils are able to fill strands up with fatty acids and then, when rinsed out, using regular shampoo helps seal them inside hair," Townsend says, adding that Kate Bosworth, Diane Kruger, and Ashley and Mary Kate Olsen are fans. Not into DIY? Try an oil-based hair treatment instead.

6. Consider trying hair-boosting supplements.

Your body requires many vital nutrients to create new hair, from ample protein to a slew of essential minerals. So take a look at your diet — because while eating a balanced diet helps, you may not be getting the proper amount of all the hair-building nutrients needed to create healthy hair that can grow super-long and withstand damage. "I take Viviscal Extra Strength and biotin tablets every day and tell my clients to do so as well — especially if they want to grow their hairand make it healthier as soon as it comes out of the follicle," Townsend says. Before starting to take supplements, it's best to check in with your doctor to make sure not only that you take the right amounts and that they won't interact with any medications you're currently taking.

7. Brush your hair like it's spun from gold.

Constant brushing can cause physical harm to your hair. "When you detangle wet hair, be sure to start from the bottom and work your way up — we often instinctually go from the scalp down but that just brings small tangles into one large knot and can cause you to lose a lot of hair," Townsend explains. He also suggests reaching for the Sheila Stotts Natural Boar Bristle Brush, as boar bristle brushes are good at distributing your scalp's natural oils down your hair and being extra-gentle on strands too.