IT'S official PSL season — but for anyone looking to boost hair growth, pumpkin may be more than just a tasty treat.
One hair pro has revealed several unconventional hacks for encouraging longer locks, including a fall foodie favorite.
Ghanima Abdullah, who is from Chicago but lives in the Dominican Republic, is a cosmetologist at .
Speaking to The U.S. Sun, she shared her must-try tips for growing hair past waist length.
Tight pulling, chemicals, high heat, and shampooing too frequently can damage hair follicles.
Abdullah said it’s important to avoid these habits and use effective products to stimulate hair growth.
Pumpkin is a popular fall food and among the surprising natural ingredients that can transform tresses.
“Once you stop damaging practices, use hair growth serums or oils at night to encourage more hair growth,” she said.
“These can just be a simple oil like coconut or pumpkin seed oil that contains a few drops of essential oils that encourage hair growth and maintenance, like rosemary, black seed, peppermint, and lavender.”
Amazon sells a variety of hair growth products that contain a blend of essential oils that complement each other.
“Each of these products is effective because they contain more than one hair growth ingredient,” she said.
“ uses different natural oils to strengthen the hair and stimulate the hair follicles.
“uses a combination of rosemary and mint essential oils to stimulate the hair follicles and encourage hair growth.
“If you don't like oils, uses horseradish and rosemary to stimulate the hair follicles without an oily residue.
“It dries instantly on the scalp due to the alcohol content.”
If your body isn't receiving the nutrients it needs, neither will your hair follicles.
Ghanima Abdullah
A DIY hair serum made at home can be just as effective.
Mix a few drops of essential oils with natural aloe vera, flaxseed gel, or fenugreek gel.
Abdullah recommended using shampoo once a month or every other month to avoid stripping the natural oils from the scalp and hair.
Natural oils are necessary for “healthy, strong, long hair”
“It's unconventional, but try not to shampoo your hair,” she said.
“Shampoo is corrosive to the inner core of the hair. It's alkaline, which means it lifts the hair cuticle and goes inside the hair.
“This can cause corrosion to the sensitive inner core which can later lead to damage or split ends.
“It's also corrosive to the hair follicles, which means that as long as you're using shampoo on a regular basis, your hair will continue to decrease in quality.”
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Thinning and slow growth are the result of overusing shampoo.
She suggested swapping the product for a vinegar solution or aloe vera wash to remove dirt and grease.
Ingredients list shouldn’t be ignored on other routinely used haircare products as they may contain substances that hinder growth.
“If your hair is already dry, you'll want to avoid products that contain SD alcohol,” she said.
“But in general, avoid products that contain silicone, mineral oil or other petrochemicals.
“These are cheap alternatives to natural oils that can actually block some of the good properties found in the essential oils that the product contains.
“Petrochemicals are known to block the hair follicles, preventing the entry of good ingredients.
“Look for sesame oil, black seed oil, and castor oil instead.”
Haircare regimens should be paired with a healthy diet to achieve the best results.
“If your body isn't receiving the nutrients it needs, neither will your hair follicles,” she said.
“Like any other bodily system, your hair follicles need proper nutrition to grow a healthy quality of hair that will stay on the scalp for long enough to grow long.
“In particular, oxygen is needed. So if you're anemic, you need to address that before attempting to grow out your hair.
“As an example of the importance of oxygen, minoxidil relies on providing extra oxygen to the scalp to grow hair.”
