5 Easy Steps to Grow Back Your Edges

• hair + beauty
• August 20, 2020
• Ashley

Edges are not only a huge thing in the natural hair community but the black community as a whole. Edges are a big deal and it can be an embarrassing and seemingly never ending problem when after years of relaxers, too-tight braids, high pony tails, weaves, wigs, extensions and hair glue, you are left with no edges.Women have tried it all from coloring in edges with eye brow pencils, to manipulating their hair to cover their edges and even gluing on hair to cover the missing hair. None of these quick fixes however will make your edges grow back. Here are five quick steps to help your edges grow and prevent further breakage.

1. Recognize the problem

Sometimes the scalp can be so severely damaged it is extremely hard for the hair to grow back in this area. This can result from chemicals and even excessive tension. Sometimes hair can also be thinned from alopecia. If you believe your hair has thinned due to medical issues contact your physician for the best course of action and do follow these steps.

2. Stop bad habits

If you wear your hair out when sleeping your edges are rubbing against your pillow case causing friction which causes more breakage. Begin wearing your hair in protective styles at night as well as sleeping with a silk pillow case, or bonnet. Stop using harsh brushes, and gels on your hair that can cause breakage and damage. Alleviate tight tension causing buns from your hair regiment. If you wear you hair in braids or weaves often make sure that the style is not too tight, so it isn’t causing tension bumps. Also allow your hair rest time in between styles. Meaning if you often wear braids and are taking your hair down to get it re-braided, allow some down time in which you wear your hair in loose protective styles before going back to braids or weave. You want your hair to have some time that it is tension free.

3. Baby your edges

Start paying extra attention and giving extra care to your edges. Massage your edges throughout the day and before you go to sleep to stimulate hair growth.

4. Oils

Several different oils are known to promote and stimulate hair growth. Peppermint and rosemary are very popular and perform well. Castor oil is also said to promote hair growth. There are many different recipes online for oil mixtures that help to stimulate growth. One of our favorite is rosemary oil and a carrier oil (olive, grape seed, jojoba, apricot, etc) you can pretty much use any carrier oil. Mix a few drops of rosemary oil into your carrier oil and massage this on your edges. This recipe helps to stimulate growth. You may feel a tingling sensation, but if you feel any burning or uncomfortable sensations, stop using as you may either have open sores or allergies to essential or carrier oils.

Here’s a recipe that uses essential oils to stimulate growth:

Ingredients:
2 drops thyme essential oil
3 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops rosemary essential oil
2 drops atlas cedar/cedarwood essential oil
3 mL jojoba oil
20 mL grapeseed oil

Directions:
Mix the essential oils into the jojoba and grapeseed oils. Massage into scalp nightly for a at least  two minutes. Be sure to store the mix in a cool. dark place. (DISCLAIMER: Essential oils are very potent. Please consult a doctor before using them, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a medical condition.)

5. Change your diet

Sweet potatoes, spinach and blueberries have all been said to promote hair growth along with many other great foods and vegetables. Begin incorporating these foods as well as more fruits, vegetables, and water into your diet and keep an eye on your results. Remember you can never have too many fruits or vegetables in your diet!

Will you be following these steps to grow back your edges?

Ashley Renee is a licensed esthetician, Mac makeup artist, natural hair enthusiast, writer and poet from Chicago,living in L.A. Follow her on Instagram @Ashleyvsrenee!