The Flight Attendant Nextdoor: My Hair Growth Journey & Goals

 

From Scalp Health to Wondering if I Can Grow Waist-Length Strands: A Flight Attendant’s Hair Care Journey

As a flight attendant, I know firsthand how challenging it is to maintain healthy hair in a profession that constantly exposes it to dry cabin air, changing climates, and unpredictable schedules. But one thing I’ve learned? A healthy scalp equals healthy growth.

Your hair reflects your overall health, and while genetics play a role, proper care can help you retain and maximize your length. Whether you're starting fresh from a short cut or aiming for waist-length hair, let’s talk about setting realistic growth expectations, essential hair care routines, and the best ways to keep your strands thriving—no matter where you are in the world.

---

Setting Expectations: How Long Does Hair Growth Take?

Transforming from a cut to shoulder-length or beyond requires patience and consistency. Here’s what you can expect as hair grows at an average rate of 1/2 inch per month:

✔ 4 months of growth → 2-4 inches
✔ 9 months of growth → 4-6 inches
✔ 1 year of growth → 6-8 inches

Did You Know? Hair Grows at Specific Times!

Your body works on a rhythm—even when it comes to hair growth. Studies suggest that hair grows most between:

⏰ 10-11 AM and 2-4 PM
🌙 At night, your pineal gland produces melatonin, a hormone linked to hair growth.

If you want longer, healthier hair, quality sleep is non-negotiable! Poor sleep can shorten the anagen (growth) phase of the hair cycle, affecting retention.

---

Understanding the Hair Growth Cycle

Before diving into hair care, it's important to understand the three stages of hair growth:

• Anagen (Growth Phase) – 2-7 years

• 90% of your hair is in this phase at any time.

• The longer your hair stays in anagen, the more length you can retain.

• Catagen (Transition Phase) – 2-3 weeks

• Growth stops, and the follicle begins to shrink.

• Telogen (Resting & Shedding Phase) – 2-3 months

• Old hair sheds before a new one starts growing.

If your hair never seems to grow past a certain point, it may be breaking faster than it grows or shifting into the telogen phase prematurely.

---

My Hair Growth Toolbox: What Works for Me

1. Scalp Care = Faster Growth

Daily scalp massages stimulate blood flow to hair follicles, helping to maximize growth potential.

✅ Electric Scalp Massager
✅ Deep Conditioning (Every 30 Days)
✅ Protein Treatment (Every 60 Days)

2. Regular Trims (6-8 Weeks)

Trims prevent breakage from traveling up the shaft, keeping your hair healthier in the long run.

✅ Hair Cutting Guide Collar
✅ Professional trims with quality Hair Shears

3. Nutrition for Hair Growth

Your hair needs the right vitamins and minerals to thrive.

✔ Multivitamins (for overall health)
✔ Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Keeps the scalp hydrated
✔ Iron & Zinc – Prevents shedding
✔ Magnesium – Strengthens hair follicles

My Supplement Stack

🟢 Saw Palmetto (Blocks DHT, a hormone linked to hair loss)
🟢 Biotin (Supports keratin production)
🟢 Hydrolyzed Collagen (Boosts hair elasticity)
🟢 Reishi Mushroom (Reduces inflammation that can slow growth)
🟢 Flax Seed Oil (Great for scalp health and moisture retention)

💡 Dehydration = Dry, Weak Hair 💡
If your hair is constantly breaking, drink more water!

---

Next Goal: Waist-Length Hair perhaps by 2030, lol... not at current retention rate

I'm currently at shoulder-mid blade length and aiming for maximum retention within the next 2-3 years. This means:

✔ Protective styles (braids, buns, wigs, etc.)
✔ Consistent deep conditioning & periodic protein treatments (manage cabin air dryness)
✔ Minimizing heat styling

✈️ Challenge: Flying dehydrates my hair like crazy, so keeping moisture locked in is my biggest focus at this point!

---

Self-Care Days = Hair Love Days

One of my favorite things to do is pamper my hair on self-care days.

🛁 Ideas to Elevate Your Haircare Routine:
✔ Add fresh aloe vera or a nourishing hair mask
✔ Drink a bottle of water while deep conditioning
✔ Always rinse with cool water to seal in moisture
✔ Use leave-in conditioner (I love Aphogee Moisture Mist)

💡 Tip: Treat your hair like antique lace or fine silk—handle it with care!

---

Breaking Through My Growth Plateau: Learning My Hair at 17 Inches

As my hair strands reach a certain length/age, they tend to snap off—especially when my center crown to end of strands at mid blade length start hitting 17 inches.

To get to the root of the issue (pun intended), I committed to a 12-month no-heat journey to better understand my hair’s behavior.I'm about to start ignoring it again and wish it the best of luck because hair loves to be left alone.

🔥 Did I completely avoid heat? Not entirely.
But I significantly cut back, and through this process, I’ve come to a key realization:

✔ My hair grows well, but retention is the real challenge.

Now, as I approach the end of my 12-month journey in June, I’m exploring solutions to maximize retention and finally push past that stubborn 17-inch barrier.

I started my no-heat challenge in May, and while I’ve noticed less breakage at times, I’m still debating whether occasional blow-drying actually helps me retain more length, i believe it does during the cold season. I also feel too much protein has caused alot of recent breakage this last season. It appears ive lost about 9 months of growth based on image above, my hair has grown to bottom line and only a few strands remain that have been removed per last trim. OUCH!!!

🚨 My Hair’s Growth Limit? 17 inches—before it starts breaking.
👩‍👧 My daughter’s verdict? “It always looks the same length.” So now, I track it with a measuring tape to monitor progress.

Next salon visit? A trim to remove damaged ends—because breakage is real, and I’m determined to break the cycle, not my hair. Henna for Strength & Gray Coverage

I use a dark brown henna formula to strengthen my strands and cover grays.

Here’s my Henna Recipe & Application Process:
(Coming soon in a dedicated post!)

I’ve also tried the Cherry Lola Treatment—a game-changer for moisture and protein balance! ive only done a few times as I dont stock yogurt often.

💡 Tip: Always keep extra yogurt on hand for the Cherry Lola recipe.(will share in upcoming post)

---

My Hair Care Routine

🌀 Deep Conditioning (Every Wash Day)

• Shampoo 2-3 times (if removing a protective style).

• Apply conditioner with steam or heat for 15-20 minutes.

• No heat? Let it sit for 25 minutes or use a 2-minute reconstructor.

• Always use a plastic cap for deep treatments.

🌀 Deep Cleanse after protective styles to remove buildup.

🌀 Wash & Condition every 7-14 days.

📌 Reminder: Hair Growth = Patience!

---

Is This You? Let’s Get Our Hair on Track!

Do you want healthier, longer hair in the next 6-12 months?

✔ Struggling with breakage?
✔ Not retaining length?
✔ Wearing extensions by choice but want strong natural hair?
✔ Tired of starting over?

Hair loss and slow growth can also be linked to health issues like:

🚨 Hormone Imbalances
🚨 Scalp Infections & Alopecia
🚨 Thyroid Disorders & Malnutrition
🚨 Stress & Medication Side Effects

Let’s break the cycle—together!

---

Final Thoughts: Hair Growth is a Journey, Not a Race

I

f you’re on a hair growth journey, remember: patience and consistency are key.

I’ll be tracking my waist-length goal and sharing up along the way!

💬 What’s your hair goal for 2025 and beyond? Drop a comment below!

✈️ Follow my journey as a flight attendant + hair care enthusiast at The Flight Attendant Nextdoor!