Why Won’t My Hair Grow?

To many women, having a long healthy head of hair is a sign of attractiveness. While many still prefer shorter, more manageable hair, some females still envy those with luscious locks, and they often wonder how they were able to make it to that length, with much more take care of it.

Truly, being able to have long yet undamaged hair is a frustration for many, especially since some have never even experienced getting locks that reach past their shoulders, and even if it does, the battle to keep it looking good is a fight that they cannot win.

Unsatisfactory hair growth and poor hair health can be attributed to a lot of factors. However, there are a lot of things that you can do about them, and there are products that can help you get that long, shiny, and voluminous head of hair that you have always wanted.

How is Hair Formed?

The hair that we see is made up of a protein called keratin. However, there are other parts of the hair that you cannot see. This is called the hair follicle, and it is the component of the hair that attached the strand to your skin.

The hair bulb can be found within the hair follicle, and this is where the hair strand is formed. Nutrients are given to the hair bulb via blood vessels, and this helps nourish your hair as it grows. There is also an oil gland that can be found near the top of the skin. This gland helps lubricate the hair strand and gives hair its luster.

Hair has three main phases that define its life cycle. Anagen is considered the growth phase wherein hair grows at a steady pace. Catagen is when hair growth slows down, while Telogen is the stage wherein the old hair falls on its own and new hair will grow in its place as the former is pushed out.

Styling and Over Processing

Reasons for Poor Hair Health

Having hair that does not grow as long or as healthily as you would want it to can be caused by different factors. Some of these can be controlled or prevented, but others are a part of you and cannot be changed no matter what you do. Listed below are the main reasons why your hair is not as good as you would want it to be.

Genetics

The expert of Alpha Hair Clinic has determined just like the color of your eyes or your height, your hair’s capacity to grow is defined by your genes. Your hair can only grow for a certain period before it stops growing altogether. It will then eventually break off, shed, or be cut. Don’t worry, though, as this will eventually be replaced by new hair.

It is also known that hair, on average, grows about half an inch per month. Your genes, just like their maximum length, define how quickly your hair grows out. It can be below or above this average length, which means that your hair growth speed is simply based on the luck of the genetic draw.

Age

Just like your eyes and skin, your hair will degenerate and decrease in both quality and growth over time. As you age, you will find that your hair will not be replaced as often as you would like. This means that you are replacing less hair than what is being shed.

You may also find that your hair’s maximum length would be shorter when compared to when you were younger. Lastly, you may find that your hair appears coarser and thinner, which is why your hair would no longer appear as thick or as long as before.

While these facts may be a bit disconcerting, know that this is all part of the natural aging process. As such, everyone will go through this process as they age, albeit with varying effects. For this reason, special care must be taken so that you can keep your hair looking as long and young as possible especially as you get older.

Precaution must still be done even if you currently have a healthy head of hair as age will definitely catch up on you.

Stress

Stress wreaks havoc on many parts of the body, and your hair is no exception. There have been studies that link hair health with stress, and this is probably due to the hormones being released by the body when it is under undue stress. The result of regular stress on the body is hair that will not grow fast. This may also result in hair loss and poor hair quality.

As such, it is recommended that meditative exercises like yoga and breathing activities be done in order to reduce stress in the body and to prevent damage to your hair so that it may grow to its full potential.

Styling and Over Processing

Styling your hair can be detrimental to its health due to a variety of reasons. The use of hot irons and hot chemicals can damage your hair as well as make it brittle. If your hair is damaged and it needed to be cut before it reaches the end of its life cycle, then it would not be replaced immediately.

Going to the salon for these harsh procedures is not recommended especially if you want to grow your hair long, as looking good is not synonymous with good health when it comes to hair.

At home, you may be damaging your own hair without you knowing it, as well. Briskly brushing your hair, toweling your hair dry vigorously, blow-drying with a lot of heat, and even using uncovered elastics when tying them up can cause damage to your hair which would cause split ends which, in turn, may cause you to have it cut prematurely. Those who love to style their hair.

Reasons for Poor Hair Health

Diet

As hair requires nutrients in order for it to grow properly, a diet that does not contain vital vitamins and minerals will cause hair to be less nourished, and it would also negatively affect hair growth.

Vital nutrients that the hair requires include iron, zinc, ferritin, as well as Vitamins C, B-Complex, a. Each of these nutrients, and more, play important functions to promote overall hair health. As such, a proper and healthy diet is essential not only for good health but it does wonders for your hair as well.

Split Ends

Split ends are considered the mortal enemies of hair. Split hair forms due to damage to the already brittle tips of the hair. Trauma to hair can be caused by different reasons, although the effects are typically the same.

If not treated early, split ends will gradually work their way toward your scalp. This would mean that more damage will be done, and the longer hair would be cut off in order to save whatever hair is left.

Hair Care and Advice

While a lot of factors that cause your hair to not grow long cannot be prevented, there are a lot of things that you can do to lessen the damage to your hair as well as enhance its health. By using the strategies mentioned above, you can maximize your hair’s length as well as maintain its volume and luster without compromising its health and appearance.

Have Your Hair Trimmed Regularly

It may seem counterproductive, but having your hair cut regularly can be a good practice, as it helps prevent split ends from doing further damage. Some even say that having your hair cut will trigger a response that will cause your hair to grow longer.

Regardless of whether this is true or not, make it a point to have your hair cut regularly, but only minimally. As hair grows at least a quarter to half an inch in length each month, schedule a monthly cut where only half of that is removed. You can even do it at home where you can cut even less if you want to. What matters is that any split ends are removed so that only undamaged hair remains.

Reduce Stress on Your Hair

Avoid going to salons for treatments that will include chemicals or heat application. Get styled only when absolutely necessary, and choose all-natural or organic products whenever possible. This will allow you to prevent damage to your hair.

At home, on the other hand, make sure to brush your hair only when needed, and to do so gently and never when wet. Toweling hair dry can be done using a microfiber towel in order to reduce the stress that may lead to breakage.

Massaging your scalp regularly may also help stimulate growth. Just remember to massage gently in order to prevent unnecessary shedding or damage at the base of your hair strands.

Use Conditioner Regularly

Shampoo and Conditioner are actually recommended if you want to maintain your hair health and reduce split ends. This is because conditioners contain compounds that will make your hair more resistant to breakage as lipids and other nutrients are replaced.

On the other hand, shampoo use must be minimized as they tend to dry out hair and strip it of the natural oils that help protect it against damage. Experts also recommend doing cold water when rinsing as it causes less trauma to your hair.

Use Hair Care Products

There are numerous hair care products that help in promoting good hair health. Some help in providing nutrients to keep hair healthy, while others help in stimulating hair. These products can come in the form of shampoos, conditioners, oral supplements, and oils. Make sure, though, that you are purchasing products from reputable brands that have also been tested as some of them may do more harm than good.

There are several products on Amazon that are recommended by experts and are specially formulated to promote hair growth while also keeping your hair healthy. Some of them are included in the list below.

Eat a Healthy Diet

A diet rich in nutrients required by hair to grow healthily is required. Foods that are rich in the vitamins and minerals that promote good hair health include avocadoes, strawberries, dairy such as eggs and milk, and beans.

Those who eat healthy foods are no longer required to take supplements as their hair would have everything that it needs to grow longer and thicker and with enough protection and hair loss prevention to survive ordinary trauma such as brushing.

Hair Growth Products

Use a laser hair growth device

At-home laser hair growth devices use low-level laser therapy (LLLT), commonly known as cold or red light therapy, to stimulate weakened follicles and support new hair growth. This therapy is a kind of heat/light treatment researched for a range of health conditions. On top of that, it treats androgenetic alopecia, known as pattern baldness, a hereditary type of hair loss that affects both men and women. When you use an LLLT device, photons are irradiated into scalp tissues, and then the weak cells present in the head absorb these photons to promote hair growth. These laser devices are safe for home use, pain-free, and even cleared by the FDA to treat hair loss. 

You will find many hair growth products in stores as well as on-site such as at Amazon. Most of these products have been tested and verified to be effective in promoting good and healthy hair growth. It is recommended to read through customer reviews and seek a professional opinion before purchasing or trying out a product.

A medical professional or physician will be able to provide you with the best advice on whether a particular hair growth product is right for you.

Watermans GrowMe Shampoo

Watermans GrowMe Shampoo is a sulfate-free and paraben-free shampoo that you can use to clean your hair while still promoting hair growth. This product contains essential nutrients such as caffeine, biotin, rosemary, and argan oil which are all essential for good hair health.

Watermans GrowMe Shampoo also helps stop hair loss and prevents itchiness in your scalp as well as dandruff and other hair problems.

Aside from being full of vitamins and minerals, Watermans GrowMe Shampoo does not have chemicals that do not harm your hair and strip it dry like sulfates. It is recommended to apply Waterman’s GrowMe Shampoo and leave it for up to two minutes for your hair to absorb the nutrients. It can even be used for human hair weaves and hair extensions to help them maintain their quality.

Women’s Rogaine Regular Strength 2% Minoxidil

Rogaine is one of the best brands recommended by dermatologists worldwide. Not only is this product good for hair loss, but it is also one of the best products that you can buy if you are prone to hair loss due to genetics or any other cause. While a 5% solution is also available, Women’s Rogaine Regular Strength 2% Minoxidil is appropriate for general use.

Simply use Women Rogaine Regular Strength Strength 2% Minoxidil once a day for thicker and more voluminous hair. The product comes as a topical solution and has been proven effective to stimulate hair follicles to grow more hair. It also helps in preventing hair loss and thinning with continued use from 12 to 24 weeks.

Wild Growth Hair Oil

Wild Growth Hair Oil is a concentrated oil that contains lots of nutrients that benefits your hair. Aside from stimulating hair growth, Wild Growth Hair Oil can also help in removing tangles, soften hair, and reduce the time it takes to blow dry hair. It also helps prevent split ends by making it more resilient against damage.

Wild Growth Hair Oil contains essential components such as olive oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter, eucalyptus, lavender, and more. Not only will you have thicker, softer, and longer hair, but Wild Growth Hair Oil is also a plant-based formula that can serve as a massage oil for your hair and scalp.

In order to use the product, simply apply a few drops of Wild Growth Hair Oil on your fingers and massage gently onto your hair and scalp until all surfaces have been sufficiently covered.

Hairburst Chewable Hair Growth Vitamins

Hairburst Chewable Hair Growth Vitamins are a unique way to promote hair growth. These chewable come in either strawberry or blackcurrant flavors and must be taken twice a day for maximum effects. Hairburst Chewable Hair Growth Vitamins contain 26 essential vitamins and minerals that ensure increased hair production.

Not only that, but this product helps in preventing split ends, shedding, and hair loss by nourishing hair follicles with everything that it needs to create strong and elastic hair strands that are tough against damage but still soft to the touch.

Vital ingredients found in these all-natural chewable include Vitamins C, D, and E, as well as biotin, zinc, collagen, and many more. Hairburst Chewable Hair Growth Vitamins is an easy and delicious way to keep your hair healthy without spending too much time and effort.

Kerastase Nutritive Masquintense Fine Hair Treatment

The Kerastase Nutritive Masqueintense Fine Hair Treatment is designed for all types of hair types. However, those with fine and brittle hair are the ones that can greatly benefit from this product.

The reason for this is that the Kerastase Nutritive Masquintense Fine Hair Treatment is a hair mask that is both nourishing and hydrating, healing and improving hair from the inside out. The product contains compounds and anti-oxidants that prevent dehydration while also promoting hair growth by giving hair all the nutrients that it needs for optimal health.

Kerastase Nutritive Masquintense Fine Hair Treatment can be used daily to keep hair healthy and moisturized. Simply apply to towel-dried hair for 5 minutes for optimum results.

Reline Biotin Thickening Conditioner

Reline Biotin Thickening Conditioner is an all-natural conditioner that not only thickens hair, but it helps stimulate the hair follicles for sped-up hair growth. The product contains ingredients that include aloe vera, biotin, keratin, castor oil, and coconut oil.

These have all been proven to strengthen hair and optimize the nutrient absorption of each strand. Reline Biotin Thickening Conditioner works by blocking DHT, a hormone that is known to cause hair loss. It also contains B-complex vitamins for optimal hair health.

Reline Biotin Thickening Conditioner can be used by men and women, and it is recommended for those suffering from premature hair loss or for those who just want a fuller, longer, and healthier head of hair. It is also applicable to all hair types, even those with artificial colors. Use as a regular conditioner on a regular basis for the best results.

Conclusion

While hair will inevitably degenerate as time goes by, there’s no reason to stop you from taking care of it. There are many things that you can do to help your hair grow longer, but you should definitely not stop there as good hair health is absolutely essential as well.

By keeping your hair strands strong and maintaining good practices while also avoiding habits that damage your precious locks, you can have the long, lustrous hair that you have always wanted.


Nicolas Desjardins

Hello everyone, I am the main writer for SIND Canada. I've been writing articles for more than 12 years and I like sharing my knowledge. I'm currently writing for many websites and newspapers. I always keep myself very informed to give you the best information. All my years as a computer scientist made me become an incredible researcher. You can contact me on our forum or by email at [email protected].