7 Reasons That Explain Why Your Hair Is Not Growing

You could be doing everything in your power but your hair is still not growing the way you hoped it would. Ever see those people whose hair goes from a TWA to the middle of their back in like 2 days? Ok.Ok. I jest. Not 2 days but like 5 days…Ok fine. 7 months. Take it or leave it. But you get what I mean. On the other hand, yours has taken 3 years and it’s still not near your shoulders. Someone once said ‘’Life is unfair’’.

I’m here to give you the closure you need. These could be the reasons why your hair length is stagnant.

1. Split Ends

Courtesy: Pinterest

Your ends are the oldest part of your hair so you need to take extra care of them. The problem with holding on to split ends is that the split travels up the hair shaft and causes even more breakage, therefore lack of noticeable growth. They are eliminated by getting a trim. Usually half an inch. The frequency of trims depends on how often you use heat, how much you condition your hair, age of the ends and if you wear your hair down frequently. You may try to hold on to your length by avoiding trimming your ends…but in the end, you may still gain no length.

2. Over-Manipulation

The famous British band, The Beatles once sang a song called ‘’Let it Be’. Your hair. You should also let it be. Manipulating it through everyday practices like combing, styling, touching, twirling and playing with it at work leads to wear and tear and consequently breakage.  That’s why you may think your hair is not growing. You can adopt low-manipulation hairstyles like braids, buns and twists. So keep manipulation to a minimum or eliminate it altogether.

3. Genetics

Science Daily has the following to say about genes and hair :

‘’The length of the hair is determined by the duration of the growth phase; for example, the growth phase for scalp hair can proceed for a number of years, while the growth phase for eyebrows lasts a few months. After the growth phase, hair formation ceases, and the follicle recedes and enters a period of rest. After a period of rest, a new growth period starts, and the old hair is ejected and lost from the body…Lhx2 gene is responsible for activating the growth phase. Hair follicles in which gene has been inactivated cannot produce hair. Thus, Lhx2 is a gene that is important for the regulation of hair growth.’’

In short, if you have the particular gene responsible for regulation of hair growth, your hair will probably grow longer and vice versa. So don’t sweat it because it is something you can’t control.

4. Medical Conditions

Some medical conditions cause inflammation of the scalp and hair follicles which inhibits or slows down the growth of hair or causes it to fall out. Such conditions include fungal and bacterial infections, psoriasis, traction alopecia among others. Get yourself checked if you think you may be suffering from any medical conditions that cause your hair not to grow.

5. Heat Styling

Heat styling when done in excess can lead to hair drying, thinning and stunted growth. There’s only so much your hair can take and if you push it to the limit it will push back…By not growing. So give the heat styling a rest, moisturize your hair and watch it blossom again!

6. Improper Diet

Poor hair growth due to poor nutrition is definitely a thing. The right nutrients promote hair growth. You can’t control things like genetics but you can control what you eat. Read about all the best foods for your hair here

7. Emotional Stress

WebMD suggests that:

‘’According to Hair Diseases.com, many dermatologists believe ongoing stress, low mood and abrupt bursts of anxiety can slowly (over a period of weeks or months) inhibit normal hair growth. When a person is under an inordinate amount of stress, it may upset the regular balance of hormones in the body. Since hormones play an important role in the production of hair, an overall lack of energy due to excessive strain and worry may interfere with hormone levels.’’

Hope this was a good read for you. Check out this Easy Way To Deep Condition Your Hair to see a difference!