A real-life Rapunzel with 51-inch long hair says her locks are so thick bugs constantly get trapped in it.
Alena Mazanik, 35, from Leninsk-Kuznetsky, Russia, had always had lengthy hair but never aspired to have the hair she has now.
She spends 16 hours a week managing her fairytail locks.
In 1999, at the age of 13, she cut her 12-inch lengthy tresses off to fit in with the short bob hair styles of the time but swiftly realised it was a mistake and became very upset while she waited for it to grow back.
After it had recovered from the cut, she continued to grow it out. When she hit 19 in 2006, her hair was 22-inches long and she decided she wanted to try her hand at colouring her hair.
She continued dying her hair until she was 23 in 2010 - she experimented with hair dyes which severely damaged the condition of her hair.
Her hair care routine takes two to four hours a time, three to four times a week.
She uses herbal oils and masks to massage her scalp to stimulate growth combined with shampoo with soft surfactants and moisturising hair masks.
Following a wash, she uses sprays, creams and oils which stick in her hair to keep it in good condition. Now her hair is 51-inches long and almost reaches her knees.
She documents her hair growth journey online on Instagram and TikTok, where she has nearly two million followers, under the handle @mazanik_aliona .
“In 2018, I realised I wanted very long hair and I had to take good care of it to keep it healthy,” said Alena.
“I love that my hair is fluffy and very soft. In the summer, I wear my hair loose and enjoy the feeling of it brushing against my shoulders, arms and thighs.
“I enjoy combing my hair and stroking it with my hands.
“Sometimes the length of it causes problems, for example I accidentally sit on it or catch it in a car door and it clings to door handles. Flies, beetles and butterflies can even become tangled in it.”
Alena says she receives lots of compliments when she walks with her hair down and children often compare her to Rapunzel.
Men often tell her ‘never cut your beautiful hair’ and on the internet people leave her comments and messages telling her they love her hair - some women call her an inspiration and tell her she motivates them to grow their hair.
However, she also receives negative comments and gets told her hair looks like a horse's tail.
When she gets told this, she responds with ‘thank you, horses are beautiful animals with amazing thick hair’.
Some people think that her hair is too unkempt, but Alena believes that all hair can be beautiful.
“Everyday people from all over the world write to me on Instagram and TikTok and admire my hair,” continued Alena.
“Women tell me that I motivate and inspire them. They ask me for advice on how to grow their hair and I help them.
“However, some people believe that only straight and smooth hair is beautiful and my hair is unkempt.
“I explain to them that any hair can be beautiful - whether it’s straight, curly, fluffy, long or short, thick or sparse.
“You can’t hate people for their appearance. Every person is beautiful in their own way and has the right to choose what kind of hair they want.”
