Real-Life-Rapunzel Hasn't Cut Her Hair In Over 30 Years, And She Still Never Gets Tired Of Caring For It
Imagine your hair being as long as you are tall
Some people are willing to spend years growing their hair, but Alena Kravchenko took that commitment to another level. The 34-year-old from Odesa, Ukraine, has spent most of her life caring for a braid that now reaches six feet long, and the result has earned her a real-life Rapunzel nickname.
She says she has not cut her hair in nearly 30 years, and the story only gets more interesting from there. What started with her mother’s encouragement turned into a lifelong routine, complete with careful washing, natural drying, and plenty of attention.
Now her hair has become the kind of thing people cannot stop talking about. Read on.
alenuwka_longhair
Thirty-four-year-old Alena Kravchenko from Odesa, Ukraine, has been caring for her hair for a very long time.
So long that she's been dubbed Rapunzel-in-real-life after going viral over her hair, which is six feet long.
alenuwka_longhairAlena has been growing her gorgeous mane since she was five years old. Her mother was the first to encourage her to do so.
“From an early age, my mother instilled a love for long hair,” she divulged to Bored Panda in an interview.
alenuwka_longhair
This is a little hard to believe, but she claims to have not cut her hair in almost 30 years. Even though she is only 5'6", she still has not considered cutting it.
Let's all hope she's trimmed it a few times here and there, though; your hair doesn't just get thick on a whim.
alenuwka_longhair
“My love for my braid is so strong that for a second in my whole life, I did not think about a haircut. I cannot see and cannot imagine myself with short hair or dyed a different color!”
alenuwka_longhair
Firsthand experience says taking care of long hair takes consistency and diligence, but Alena explained that it's not that hard for her and that she absolutely loves her hair.
alenuwka_longhair
“It’s not hard for me with my hair, nor the constant care of it; it’s all a joy because this is part of me - my beauty and wealth!” she added.
This echoes the neighbor who refused to groom an aggressive cat after getting scratched.
alenuwka_longhair
Called it.
She says the secret to keeping her hair healthy is allowing it to dry naturally and that she does indeed use products to nourish it.
alenuwka_longhair
“The main thing that I never do: I don’t dry my hair with a hairdryer, I don’t use curling irons, I don’t comb my wet hair (they dry naturally); it’s all taboo. I wash my hair once a week, use natural masks, and various types of oils to nourish my hair; the main care is professional cosmetics. I definitely use dried fruits, nuts, and homemade cottage cheese.”
alenuwka_longhair
The biggest tip she has for those who are considering growing their hair out is, “In order to have long and beautiful hair, you just need to really want and love what you do.”
And commenters weighed in...
Not necessarily; it's not as big of a chore as one might think.
If you're prone to thick hair, long hair is VERY heavy. This doesn't surprise me at all.
In the sun, I bet it does!
HAHA, love what you did there.
BAHAHAHAHAHAHA. The ultimate burn.
You're not wrong.
For more “who pays” tension, read how roommates argued after splitting dog grooming costs.
