Growing and maintaining extremely long hair is not just a passion for Alia Nasyrova – it’s a lifestyle. The 33-year-old Latvian native has spent over 20 years growing her hair to an astonishing 90 inches, turning her love for long hair into a unique career.
Alia now calls herself a modern-day Rapunzel, using her hair as both an artistic statement and a source of income.
Alia explains that her fascination with long hair began during her childhood, inspired by fairy tales where heroines often had flowing locks. Now, she models her hair for fans who follow her online, offering exclusive content. Alia describes her mission as traveling the world to showcase the beauty of long-haired individuals, which she considers a form of art.
Maintaining hair this long, however, is no small feat. Alia spends an hour each day washing her hair and lets it air-dry for a full day. When she goes out, she brings along a bag weighing 22 pounds, filled with shampoo, conditioner, and other necessary products to care for her hair. She even engages in “hair exercises,” stretching her locks on a yoga mat to keep them healthy.
Alia’s husband, Ivan Balaban, supports her unique lifestyle and tries to accommodate her needs. He makes sure to stay out of the way of her hair at home, saying he treats her braid with respect and occasionally asks it to move so he doesn’t accidentally step on it. In a light-hearted moment from a 2017 interview, Ivan shared that he carefully cuddles up against the wall to give her hair enough space.
Though Alia’s hair reaches the ground behind her, it hasn’t been without challenges. She recalled an incident from her childhood when someone stuck gum in her hair at the theater, forcing her to cut a section of it to remove the gum. Despite such moments, she continues to cherish her long locks.
While Alia’s hair is extraordinary, it doesn’t hold the world record. According to Guinness World Records, the longest hair belongs to Xie Qiuping from China, whose hair measures an incredible 18 feet 5 inches. Xie has been growing her hair since 1973, making her achievement truly historic.
Alia’s dedication to her hair is both impressive and inspiring. For many of us, managing short hair is a challenge in itself, but Alia’s patience and love for her hair show just how much care and commitment it takes to grow such luxurious locks. Could you imagine caring for hair that long, or would you prefer a simpler, more manageable style?