Use The Aloe Vera Plant For Hair Growth And Retention

Its funny how when you are young you tend to have less appreciation for the little things your mom and dad would do for you.

Part of it was a lack of understanding, essentially a childlike selfish mentality. This isn’t a bad thing, the innocence of children is endearing really, I mean all they care about are curly haired dolls and riding their tricycles all day long.

Back when I was a child myself, on Saturday mornings I got my life literally, but I had no idea that’s what I was getting until now. Hindsight is 20/20 as they say.

My mom would pick the freshest aloe plant she could find, she would then slit it open and scrape out all the ‘gook’ (as I would call it) for what she called the best conditioner for my hair. I thought the process was absolutely gross but what did I know.

I did not see the value of fresh aloe vera gel*, I certainly didn’t understand the simple fact that the process of applying that super plant to my hair was one of the reasons my ponytail was the longest it had ever been.

My mom took very good care of my hair, she utilized all sorts of plants and herbs and conditioners not to mention feeding us well too so we had all the elements in place for strong healthy hair growth.

When I got older I decided in my ‘wisdom’ it was best to completely reverse what she had done because I believed the hype that relaxers were much better for my hair than old fashioned aloe vera.

It took a few years of broken, dry limp looking hair but eventually I had an epiphany and I realized how much I actually appreciated my mom and her gook because my way was certainly not working for me, or my hair.

If I wanted length retention and hair growth I would need to incorporate aloe vera gel* and aloe vera juice* into my hair routine and my diet.

What is Aloe Vera?

I couldn’t complete this post without a short explanation on just what aloe vera is. Some of us might just be slightly clueless I know I was!

Aloe vera is a perennial plant that is found in most climates because it grows pretty easily. My mom had hers near our “verandah” area otherwise known as an outdoor patio.

The gel in the plant has antibacterial and antifungal properties which makes it great for wounds and burns. The plant also contains a lot of water which makes it very hydrating and perfect for your hair. It’s also perfect for your skin as it prevents sun damage.

How does Aloe Vera help with hair growth?

When you think about hair growth you always tend to focus on things that you eat, drink or in fact anything that would cause some sort of scalp stimulation which is completely right.

Hair growth is solely determined by how healthy you are and by extension how healthy your scalp is. Growth is also determined by how much stimulation your scalp receives from the awesome nutrients your blood brings to it.

What you eat and drink determines how you look, how you feel, how your hair grows, how your skin glows and of course how healthy your nails are. Garbage in garbage out right?

When you drink Aloe Vera juice* daily you will notice a huge difference in how your hair looks and feels. Growth will increase, your hair will feel hydrated and I know this is a hair focused article, but can I just mention again how much better your skin will look?

Some people drink straight aloe vera juice like you would a cup of lemonade, others mix it with water or fresh juice. Either is fine and if you make a habit of drinking at least one glass daily you will literally start seeing all areas of your body improve and this your digestive tract, skin, nails and of course your hair!

How does Aloe Vera help with length retention

To retain length your focus should be limiting the damage that your hair strands sustain with daily manipulation. You choice of products is what helps to keep your hair moisturized, and helps prevent damage.

Your cuticles laying flat is a big part of length retention and as aloe vera juice is at the perfect pH to keep the cuticles of your hair flat, it’s a perfect length retention product to add to your arsenal. This is why many women with healthy hair tend to use it as a spray or leave in conditioner* to keep their strands smooth and shiny.

Aloe is one of the best ways to condition your hair after a wash session or just daily maintenance. For those of us who do not have access to pure aloe vera, one option is to choose a product that claims to have the plant added to it.

I would warn that you need to pay expert attention to the ingredient list because depending on how far up the list the aloe appears will determine just how much is in the product.

I have to be very honest here and tell you that I am pretty skeptical of products that claim to have aloe vera in them just for the purpose of hiking up the price. To me the cost isn’t worth the minute percentage that is actually in the bottle.

I prefer to get as close to the real thing as I can even if I purchase it from the store. If you have to buy your aloe vera, get the from health food stores so that you have a better chance at ensuring that what you have is of the best quality.

In conclusion in order to incorporate aloe vera juice or gel into your regimen you can simply drink the juice, spray it directly on your hair, or apply the gel liberally on your hair for wet curly looks. Some ladies even use it for a bit of edge control. I say do all four!

How do you incorporate aloe vera into your regimen?