Does no hair growth=internal problem?

[Belle Du Jour]

If your hair is not making progress despite YEARS of deep treatments, low manipulation, protective styling, doing everything right,etc, does that mean it's an internal issue ie needing more vitamins, less sugar, more protein, etc.

 

[Vintageglam]

maybe as your skin, hair and nails are often sacrificed to keep your body functioning, hence why they are early indicators of something being amiss. Have you had a blood test as a starting point?

 

[boundlessbeauty]

IMO, i believe so. I think in addition to doing all the right things "directly" to your hair, its important to do the "indirect" things that we may not think matter. Like a healthy diet, high water comsumption, exercise, rest, low stress, etc.

 

[AvaSpeaks]

If your hair is not making progress despite YEARS of deep treatments, low manipulation, protective styling, doing everything right,etc, does that mean it's an internal issue ie needing more vitamins, less sugar, more protein, etc.

Or Anemia!!!

for years my hair would not grow or break off. It was because I was anemic. So when I started taking my Iron tablets prescribed by my doctor and got my Iron level up, guess what, hair is growing and retaining length because it's stronger and it has one of the most important things it needs, Iron.

Remember, your hair reflects your hair. Despite the success stories here on LHCF in regards to growing longer hair, most sistas are still short-haired with badly damaged hair that won't grow long simply because they are sick inside.

Lots of Black women in this country are Anemic as well. So it's no surprise to me that this might contribute to our hair health and hair growth.

 

[I Am So Blessed]

dang, i eat unhealthy food, i dont take vitamins, i dont workout, yet my hair is thicker then a lions mane, and it grows like grass,

i bet if i inproved my healthy i would have faster hair growth......

 

[Vintageglam]

op just to check are you getting growth but not retaining or ar you just getting no growth at all???

 

[I Am So Blessed]

have you tried pepermint oil to stimulate growth? im going to try this myself

im bout to make a pepermint, mt, and mn mix. . . . one day

 

[pisceschica]

maybe as your skin, hair and nails are often sacrificed to keep your body functioning, hence why they are early indicators of something being amiss. Have you had a blood test as a starting point?

True. Your vital organs receive nutrients first and your hair, skin, nails are last to receive nutrients that is why you can usually spot someone who is in mature stages of bulimia or anorexia.

Unless your diet is piss poor your hair is always growing. Again the question is often times the rate and how much of it you are retaining.

 

[ms.blue]

I agree w/ everyone. There is a difference b/w not growing & retaining. Generally your hair is always growing but if it's not retain then it would look like it's not growing. Hair growth is also a matter of genetics also, some people have awful diets but their hair grows & some have have wonderful diets but their hair does not grow as fast. If your hair is not growing at all, maybe you should have a phyisical to have everything checked or in other cases, you could be going through a resting phase that might pick up in the summer.

 

[AvaSpeaks]

dang, i eat unhealthy food, i dont take vitamins, i dont workout, yet my hair is thicker then a lions mane, and it grows like grass,

i bet if i inproved my healthy i would have faster hair growth......

Not all ladies are the same. Some of us can really retain that hair length and you most likely are one of them.

But for others, anemia is a sneaky culprit in why some Black women hair doesn't grow long.

 

[AvaSpeaks]

I agree w/ everyone. There is a difference b/w not growing & retaining. Generally your hair is always growing but if it's not retain then it would look like it's not growing. Hair growth is also a matter of genetics also, some people have awful diets but their hair grows & some have have wonderful diets but their hair does not grow as fast. If your hair is not growing at all, maybe you should have a phyisical to have everything checked or in other cases, you could be going through a resting phase that might pick up in the summer.

Exactly!

 

[dyh080]

Or Anemia!!!

for years my hair would not grow or break off. It was because I was anemic. So when I started taking my Iron tablets prescribed by my doctor and got my Iron level up, guess what, hair is growing and retaining length because it's stronger and it has one of the most important things it needs, Iron.

Remember, your hair reflects your hair. Despite the success stories here on LHCF in regards to growing longer hair, most sistas are still short-haired with badly damaged hair that won't grow long simply because they are sick inside.

Lots of Black women in this country are Anemic as well. So it's no surprise to me that this might contribute to our hair health and hair growth.

I know that's right. In the past I had sisterlocs for 5 years and only reached shoulder length. Starting length was about 5 inches. I was anemic but also I rarely oiled or mosturized. But still, my hair was weak due to low iron.
After finally being prescibed an iron pill my stomach could take did I get over anemia but I wasn't paying much attention to hair then.

 

[BlkOnyx488]

I am currently exploring the possibility that I am a slow grower because I am mildly anemic and I wasn't taking my Vitamins. I have uped my VITS
I have noticed my hair seems to be growing faster, but I am not ready to say I have combatted the issue just yet. I only started taking my Vits regularly in Jan. I have read it takes 3 months for the stuff to properly build up in your system before you see any improvements

 

[Belle Du Jour]

op just to check are you getting growth but not retaining or ar you just getting no growth at all???

I know it grows but I must not be retaining. And I'm not sure why since my hair is in a protective style 100% of the time. I wash/deep condition weekly and wear wigs/falls in the interim so my hair is only manipulated once a week. I should be retaining more length. I am due for a physical so I need to see about anemia or other reasons.

 

[gymfreak336]

Poor internal environment will lead to poor quality hair which could contribute to the lack of progress. Iron levels and thyroid problems are the common direct culprits but some people do benefit from a general diet overall and different stress management techniques.

Another common factor in lack of progress is the frequency and consistency of what you are doing to it. Some people over do somethings despite them being the "Right things"...some people do the right things but never consistent enough to tell what to keep with and what to do away with.

 

[SerenavanderWoodsen]

The question would still be whether or not your hair is actually growing and breaking off at the ends or just not growing at all...If the hair is just not growing, I would think there is some internal problem. If you're unable to retain any length that's a whole other issue and you may have unusually weak hair. I'd have a full physical as well as a trip to the derm to make sure there aren't any scalp issues affecting growth or causing the hair to be weak.....

I know for me, the issue is not growth, its retaining. My hair grows very fast, sometimes possibly even faster than the 1/2 inch a month but my hair breaks so easily! I have fine, delicate, weightless hair that I frequently abuse so even when it does get quite long it's too thin for my liking and I cut it. Right now I'm past midback after trimming up above bra band maybe 3 months ago. Im counting on it growing in thicker this time.

 

[Snuckles]

I've lost a whole lot of hair due to low iron. I had no idea that my iron was low and that I've been mildly anemic for a long time! I've always had problems with my hair length but my hair has always been thick.

About 5 years ago I lost a patch of hair in my head. I didn't think too much about it (because I had a lot of hair) until almost 2 years later, my Mom asked me what was going on with my hair. I then realized that it's been 2 years and not much has grown back in that area. Still befuddled I chalked it up to normal hair issues.

Year before last my hair was thinning out like no bodies business! My hair was sooo thin it was ridiculous. When I wash my hair there would be so much in the tub. When I combed my hair I would just get globs of hair. I couldn't figure out why since I thought I was doing everything right.

Last year I went to get some blood work done because of my serious hair loss and found out my iron was REALLY, REALLY low. I immediately went into braids because my hair was hideous. I wore braids for ~9 months while faithfully taking iron pills.

It's been a year since I started taking iron pills but my hair still has a long way to go. My hair is slowly but surely thickening up. It's not coming out like it did before. Hopefully by this time next year this would've been a bad dream . . . talk about a major setback.

 

[MRJ1972]

Or Anemia!!!

for years my hair would not grow or break off. It was because I was anemic. So when I started taking my Iron tablets prescribed by my doctor and got my Iron level up, guess what, hair is growing and retaining length because it's stronger and it has one of the most important things it needs, Iron.

Remember, your hair reflects your hair. Despite the success stories here on LHCF in regards to growing longer hair, most sistas are still short-haired with badly damaged hair that won't grow long simply because they are sick inside.

Lots of Black women in this country are Anemic as well. So it's no surprise to me that this might contribute to our hair health and hair growth.

CO-SIGN!!!!!

This is sooo true. I have been suffering with anemia for a while, and my hair has suffered!!!! Thin, shedding, breakage, etc....

Thanks so much for this post ... I really need to take my iron pills, but they make me so sick. Might have to break down and get the blood transfusions.

 

[morehairplease]

I believe so. Although my lab tests come back normal, I still feel as if something is wrong.

 

[Jetblackhair]

Or Anemia!!!

for years my hair would not grow or break off. It was because I was anemic. So when I started taking my Iron tablets prescribed by my doctor and got my Iron level up, guess what, hair is growing and retaining length because it's stronger and it has one of the most important things it needs, Iron.

Remember, your hair reflects your hair. Despite the success stories here on LHCF in regards to growing longer hair, most sistas are still short-haired with badly damaged hair that won't grow long simply because they are sick inside.

Lots of Black women in this country are Anemic as well. So it's no surprise to me that this might contribute to our hair health and hair growth.

I believe being anemic is the culprit behind my hair woes. My hair is much thinner than it was last year and I should have more length too. I've probably been anemic for at least a year and just started taking iron supplements about a month ago.