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shafts out. It doesn't encourage the body to produce more proteins and, therefore, build new strands of hair. Tight braids will actually break the hair that you DO have off!

To gain length you must take LOGICAL steps that keep the hair on your head longer! All the myths above tend to take it off!

Try the following steps for 6 months and watch what happens!

1) Using chemical relaxers.

The beauty of a properly used chemical relaxer is it doesn't burn the ends of the hair off the way the use of a searing hot comb does. The strands of hair can retain their structure and get longer. Be sure to watch what the stylist is doing. Relaxer should only be applied to new growth.

It is appropriate for the relaxer to be applied through to the ends of the hair if and only if it is the first time the hair has been relaxed. The touch ups should focus on the new growth closest to the scalp only. Some stylists will comb the product all the way to the ends every time. This will keep the hair over processed and in poor condition, and the stylist will then feel justified in cutting your hair again. You might have to find a new stylist if the stylist ignores your wishes.

2) Have your touch up every 6 weeks, without fail, until your hair gets past shoulder length.

DO NOT go to the stylist more often than you need to for those touch ups. That means that you aren't going in every two weeks for a wash and set. Each time someone other than you combs through your hair they are going to be rougher with it than you will be. This is because part of the stylists focus is speed. They cannot take the time to carefully comb out shampooed hair. Another aspect it that they cannot feel the amount of pressure they are using when combing your hair, and they will pull out and damage more healthy than you when they run into snags.

Once your hair is heavier, at about shoulder length, you can have your touch ups every 7 weeks.

3) Wrap your hair at night.

Get some do-rags and gently comb your hair back. Secure it with one of those plain brown hair combs, the type you leave in, then put on the do-rag. This protects the hair from the friction of the pillow as you sleep, and helps your natural oils stay on the hair shaft instead of dissipating into the pillow case. This also makes morning simpler as you will have fewer "Bed-head" issues.

4) Wash your hair in the shower.

Keep the hair down so that washing and then rinsing all goes with the pull of gravity. Puling the hair forward or having in pool in a sink raises the

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