This woman says strangers are constantly asking to touch her 61ins-long locks.
Ivanna Stelmakh, 36, from Lviv, Ukraine, usually sported a short hair do while she was growing up as this was easier for her mum Yaroslav to look after.
However, Ivanna had always dreamt of having long hair and decided to start growing it out when she was 17-years-old.
Ivanna’s mum, grandmother, and great-grandmother passed along their best hair care tips which included regular trimming of the ends and leading a healthy lifestyle.
The tips worked a treat and by the age of 25, Ivanna’s incredible tresses measured over 63 inches.
She went on to enter her enviable mane in a competition and won the first place-prize.
Following this, Ivanna decided to switch up her look and opted for a shorter do but after feeling like she had lost a part of herself, she grew out her hair again and it currently measures 61 inches.
When people see Ivanna’s hair, they often remark, ‘Wow, is that real?’ or ‘Can I touch your hair?’ while others are curious about how long it took Ivanna to achieve such an incredible length.
On the dating scene, men are similarly curious.
While some view the cost and time of upkeeping such a long hairdo as an annoyance, others admire Ivanna’s femininity and confess their secret desires.
Ivanna washes her hair only when needed and this varies from every four days to once a week.
This process takes up to 30 minutes and once a month, Ivanna spends one-hour doing a hair mask.
“From a young age, me and my mother dreamt of long, luxurious hair but she lacked the patience to care for this,” Ivanna said.
“It was much easier for me to have short hair as a child.
“My mother taught me to take good care of my hair and she passed along secrets from my grandmother and great-grandmother.
“I finally began to grow my hair out. Believe me, it’s hard work.
“Haircare takes a long time. I trim the ends and it’s important to choose the right shampoo and conditioner.
“I lead an active and healthy lifestyle and I eat lots of fruit, vegetables and chocolate. My mum always jokes that the chocolate helps my hair grow.
“I love how shiny, silky, and long it is. It’s difficult to brush but I’m good at doing different styles.
“I entered competitions for several years and won the first-place prize for my long hair.
“In Ukraine, they wrote about me, and I was on TV and it felt like I had achieved my goal.
“After that, I decided to change my look. I liked my shorter hair for a time, but I started to feel like I had lost my superpower, my peculiarity – a part of myself.
“People told me I would never have hair that long again but look at me now.
“They always say, ‘Wow, is that real?’ or ask if they can touch my hair. Others also ask for tips on haircare or ask how long it took to grow.
“Men react differently. Some are annoyed by such long hair. They ask about the money and hours it takes to look after it.
“Others find is extraordinary and love the ideal of beauty and femininity. They start talking about their secret desires – such proposals are quite common.”
If others are looking to grow out their hair, Ivanna advises that patience is key.
“If you want to grow long hair, you can,” Ivanna said.
“You must want it very much as it’s hard work and you have to be patient.
“If your hair doesn’t grow, don’t give up. Check your lifestyle. Our hair is a big indicator of our health.”
