Why does hair stay the same length?

[lveurslf]

I'm curious to know why sometimes it seems like our hair stays the same length even with protective styling? I've noticed some people's hair (classmates,family memebrs,friends) stays the exact same length for years be it long or short, no matter what they do to it. Does anybody know why that happens?

 

[moda]

I'm curious to know why sometimes it seems like our hair stays the same length even with protective styling? I've noticed some people's hair (classmates,family memebrs,friends) stays the exact same length for years be it long or short, no matter what they do to it. Does anybody know why that happens?

They are not taking care of their hair. Hair grows constantly (why else would women need a retouch for relaxers) it's just the retention of length where folks fall short. Just because it's in a protective style does not mean the hair is being taken care of, I have seen women flat iron their hair almost daily just to get a straight bun

 

[kristina]

if it's long it could be that the person's hair is at the end of it's growth cycle. more likely than not, it's because the hair is either breaking off and/or being trimmed at the same rate as the growth rate. nay's albums has the cutest growth timeline.

 

[deedabug]

They are not taking care of their hair. Hair grows constantly (why else would women need a retouch for relaxers) it's just the retention of length where folks fall short. Just because it's in a protective style does not mean the hair is being taken care of

ITA...esp. if u were a bun daily in the same position u will have some degree of breakage...

another thing that can explain why a person's hair never grows..they may trim it back to the same length often...i used to do that cuz of split ends when i had a relaxer...it grew...but before anyone could see it i trim it off...most times an inch or more at a time...cuz the ends sucked

 

[foxybronx]

if it's long it could be that the person's hair is at the end of it's growth cycle. more likely than not, it's because the hair is either breaking off and/or being trimmed at the same rate as the growth rate. nay's albums has the cutest growth timeline.

Cosigning!

 

[vaqtea]

another thing that can explain why a person's hair never grows..they may trim it back to the same length often...i used to do that cuz of split ends when i had a relaxer...it grew...but before anyone could see it i trim it off...most times an inch or more at a time...cuz the ends sucked

I agree! I am a recovering trimaholic and whenever I thought I saw a split end, whenever my hair was uneven (one side grows faster than the other) I was trimming. I also trimmed to prevent split ends. I'm surprised that I even have hair! but due to my excessive trimming my hair has been the same length for 2yrs! Thank goodness for Rehab a.k.a LHCF

 

[Dare~to~Dream]

I wonder the same thing. My hair only grows 1/4 inch of a month at best so that only equals to 3 inches a year...I think breakage can only be controlled or minimized...regardless of what you do you will have some breakage if only a small amount {I've been schooled by Cathy Howse so that's what I believe}...so if I have minimum breakage I will only retain 2 maybe 2/12 inches a year which makes it seems like my hair is the same length because when the two-inches grow in I think wow look at my growth only to see the same amount at the end of the year or the following year. More power to those on the forum who can grow and retain 6-8 inches a year...I've FINALLY stopped kidding myself and realize I can't {I knew this before joining the forum and I got caught up in the hype of at least "trying" to grow my hair} and its not that I'm not taking care of my hair either. I've adopted some of the best healthy hair routine practices and I've used quality products that are not cheap...the products work but I'm tired of trying so many vitamins, growth stimulants like Surge, MTG, moisturizers, protein treatments, etc..only to have the same length or just an inch or two longer...I guess I will just settle for healthy hair...and I know this is not a popular view on this forum {I've been told so many times}...my mother always told me that if you don't have the "hair gene" then your hair will not grow any longer than its predetermined state...{according to some of the "views" I've read everyone can grow bra clasp length hair well it would take me 6 years to do that from where I'm standing and frankly I won't even enjoy it by that time}.

P.S. Does this seeem "vent-ish"...wasn't trying to vent though.

 

[Diane71]

I agree with everyone, your hair is constantly growing (except during the resting phase of course), but even then its still growing. Breakage, excessive combing or not keeping your ends moisturized could be the reason it does'nt seem to grow. I found that one way you could find out if your hair has grown or not is to go to the salon and get a good blow out...you will see your true length then. Our hair shrinks up like a mutha but when you stretch our hair out to its fullest potential, you gain like 1-2 inches.

_______________________________
next relaxer touch-up: July 23rd, 2005
Currently in braids till touch-up time!
Current hair length: 1 1/2 inches past bra strap (when blown out)
Hair type and texture: 4b thick and course!
Ultimate hair goal: 5-6 inches past bra strap by Dec. 2005,
I might exceed that, yea!!
pics coming soon!!!

 

[candita]

I know how you feel - my hair has felt like it's stayed the same length for several years now, but i know that it grows, because every 2 months i have an inch or so of new growth. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong that causes so much breakage.

 

[curlilocs]

I posed a question on another message board that somewhat touches on this topic. I think part of it has to do with genetics and your hair's growth phases, like some of the other posters have mentioned.

 

[Lorraine]

I think it comes from changing your regimen or not caring for your hair. Whether you want long or short hair we all want healthy hair and it's important to keep up your regimen. As my hair grows and needs less work it's easy for me to go days without combing my hair and I just throw it into a ponytail. I pay for it later when it's tangled.

 

[vaqtea]

Can someone eplain this growing/resting phase thing to me? Or does anyone know of a good thread on this subject?

 

[lovechic]

I wonder the same thing. My hair only grows 1/4 inch of a month at best so that only equals to 3 inches a year...I think breakage can only be controlled or minimized...regardless of what you do you will have some breakage if only a small amount {I've been schooled by Cathy Howse so that's what I believe}...so if I have minimum breakage I will only retain 2 maybe 2/12 inches a year which makes it seems like my hair is the same length because when the two-inches grow in I think wow look at my growth only to see the same amount at the end of the year or the following year. More power to those on the forum who can grow and retain 6-8 inches a year...I've FINALLY stopped kidding myself and realize I can't {I knew this before joining the forum and I got caught up in the hype of at least "trying" to grow my hair} and its not that I'm not taking care of my hair either. I've adopted some of the best healthy hair routine practices and I've used quality products that are not cheap...the products work but I'm tired of trying so many vitamins, growth stimulants like Surge, MTG, moisturizers, protein treatments, etc..only to have the same length or just an inch or two longer...I guess I will just settle for healthy hair...and I know this is not a popular view on this forum {I've been told so many times}...my mother always told me that if you don't have the "hair gene" then your hair will not grow any longer than its predetermined state...{according to some of the "views" I've read everyone can grow bra clasp length hair well it would take me 6 years to do that from where I'm standing and frankly I won't even enjoy it by that time}.

P.S. Does this seeem "vent-ish"...wasn't trying to vent though.

AWWWWWWWW, Lanelle I'm sorry you feel that way. But watch out, THE BEST IS YET TO COME! YOUR HAIR IS GONNA SUPRISE YOU WITH LOTS OF LENGTH IN THE FUTURE! I felt the same way as you did before! ((HUGS))!!!

 

[Dare~to~Dream]

AWWWWWWWW, Lanelle I'm sorry you feel that way. But watch out, THE BEST IS YET TO COME! YOUR HAIR IS GONNA SUPRISE YOU WITH LOTS OF LENGTH IN THE FUTURE! I felt the same way as you did before! ((HUGS))!!!

Thanks for the hugs and pm , I feel a little optimistic now since I think the MTG is working!

 

[Sandy10]

My hair type is 4B. I believe in part it has to do with genetics, but remember that is only a part. Are you really doing everything you know to do to retain length? I would suggest keeping a hair journal and writing down exactly what you are doing each day for a month, I mean everything. Then post your results on the forum. I’m sure someone can point out a few changes that may help you. Our hair is constantly growing, no doubt about that. Maybe you should look at it another way. I think like this, the more hair I saved the more I keep, which results in longer, thicker hair on my head. Like I said, our hair is constantly growing, but we don’t take extra, extra care of our ends. The ends are the oldest part of your hair and in order to see results, you must protect your ends. I usually moisturize my ends each and every day and night .Always moisturize before letting a comb touch my hair, and always part sections with the end of a rattail comb and detangle before styling. Along with moistening my ends each night, I use the best products, take my vitamins, wear protective style & handle my hair very gently. I have started noticing great results. Each and everyone of us has a different hair type and each one must find a system that works for our particular hair type.

 

[lovechic]

Thanks for the hugs and pm , I feel a little optimistic now since I think the MTG is working!

You're Welcome! I'm here 4 ya!!!

 

[lovechic]

Also, Lanelle I'm glad you feel you are getting some progress with the MTG!

 

[hairmaster]

I think you ladys try too hard and over do the traetments, stop and smell the roses, EAT a good protein base diet, shampoo with gentle ph shampoos and conditioners.

 

[HairQueen]

Good thread! I was wondering the same thing myelf recently. I think it def has to do with too much heat causing weak ends therefore that means split ends, which means trim!

I have thought about how my hair, which grows around 1/2 inch per month. I have decided that once I have got rid of the last remaining split ends in the middle of my hair (I need about 2 more 1/2 inch trims) , I will aim to trim my hair every 16 weeks only and no more than 1/2 an inch, so that means I should gain 1 1/2 inches every 4 months.

 

[chellee]

I thought my hair wasn't growing when I started my hair journey. The problem was that it was in the process of getting healthier and the unhealthy ends were falling out or being removed by trimming. It took almost a year to gain a healthy head of pre-journey length hair. I am right back where I started, length-wise. That is sort of discouraging but I know I have lots to look forward to in the future.

 

[czyfaith77]

I wonder the same thing. My hair only grows 1/4 inch of a month at best so that only equals to 3 inches a year...I think breakage can only be controlled or minimized...regardless of what you do you will have some breakage if only a small amount {I've been schooled by Cathy Howse so that's what I believe}...so if I have minimum breakage I will only retain 2 maybe 2/12 inches a year which makes it seems like my hair is the same length because when the two-inches grow in I think wow look at my growth only to see the same amount at the end of the year or the following year. More power to those on the forum who can grow and retain 6-8 inches a year...I've FINALLY stopped kidding myself and realize I can't {I knew this before joining the forum and I got caught up in the hype of at least "trying" to grow my hair} and its not that I'm not taking care of my hair either. I've adopted some of the best healthy hair routine practices and I've used quality products that are not cheap...the products work but I'm tired of trying so many vitamins, growth stimulants like Surge, MTG, moisturizers, protein treatments, etc..only to have the same length or just an inch or two longer...I guess I will just settle for healthy hair...and I know this is not a popular view on this forum {I've been told so many times}...my mother always told me that if you don't have the "hair gene" then your hair will not grow any longer than its predetermined state...{according to some of the "views" I've read everyone can grow bra clasp length hair well it would take me 6 years to do that from where I'm standing and frankly I won't even enjoy it by that time}.

P.S. Does this seeem "vent-ish"...wasn't trying to vent though.

I beg to differ. It depends on the person. In Fall 2003, I buzz cut my whole head (aka. Demi Moore) and wore a wig (Boy, I could feel that cold air hit my scalp too!) for 12-18 months, my hair had grown about 5 inches during that year and that was before joining LHCF. I wasn't even on a regimen. I guess each person's growth cycle is just different.

 

[jetcitygirl]

I believe there are several factors that contribute to how long you can get your hair. Good care is essential to retaining length but even with the best care not everyone can grow hair to the the brastrap and beyond. Hair grows in cyles of 2 to 7 years based on genetics and and somewhere between 1/4in to 1in per month in most people. So somebody who has a higher growth rate coupled with a longer growth phase is going to be able to grow longer hair than somebody who grows 1/4" per month for 2 years before the hair is shed naturally. Most of us fall somewhere inbetween the extremes so it would seem reasonable that you could grow at least 12 inches of hair before natural shedding causes wispy ends.
Personally, my yearly growth rate has slowed down as my hair has gotten longer and I'm still not sure how much of that is from natural shedding and how much could be from breakage. But all my life my hair has grown like wildfire to a certain point then seemed to stop gaining length all of a sudden. Since my hair care regimen remains the same I can only assume that I've reached the end of my growth cycle and my hair is shedding. For me that is about 3 to 4 years.

 

[Dare~to~Dream]

I beg to differ. It depends on the person. In Fall 2003, I buzz cut my whole ehad (aka. Demi Moore) and wore a wig (Boy, I could feel that cold air hit my scalp too!) for 12-18 months, my hair had grown about 5 inches during that year and that was before joining LHCF. I wasn't even on a regimen. I guess each person's growth cycle is just different.

Right. I was talking about MY growth cycle and how much MY hair grows every month.

 

[Dare~to~Dream]

Hair grows in cyles of 2 to 7 years based on genetics and and somewhere between 1/4in to 1in per month in most people. So somebody who has a higher growth rate coupled with a longer growth phase is going to be able to grow longer hair than somebody who grows 1/4" per month for 2 years before the hair is shed naturally.

That's exactly what I was saying...not everyone can grow 1 inch a month. So with 1/4 inch or less it would take me at least 6 years to get hair flowing down my back like that...I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who takes the genetic and growth phase factor into consideration.

 

[lveurslf]

I believe there are several factors that contribute to how long you can get your hair. Good care is essential to retaining length but even with the best care not everyone can grow hair to the the brastrap and beyond. Hair grows in cyles of 2 to 7 years based on genetics and and somewhere between 1/4in to 1in per month in most people. So somebody who has a higher growth rate coupled with a longer growth phase is going to be able to grow longer hair than somebody who grows 1/4" per month for 2 years before the hair is shed naturally. Most of us fall somewhere in between the extremes so it would seem reasonable that you could grow at least 12 inches of hair before natural shedding causes wispy ends.
Personally, my yearly growth rate has slowed down as my hair has gotten longer and I'm still not sure how much of that is from natural shedding and how much could be from breakage. But all my life my hair has grown like wildfire to a certain point then seemed to stop gaining length all of a sudden. Since my hair care regimen remains the same I can only assume that I've reached the end of my growth cycle and my hair is shedding. For me that is about 3 to 4 years.

Interesting point of view. It sounds good but I'm a little confused. How can you tell which cycle your on? Whenever you have wispy ends that means you're at the end of your hair cycle?

 

[lveurslf]

Can someone eplain this growing/resting phase thing to me? Or does anyone know of a good thread on this subject?

I'd like to know also...

 

[ximenia]

If your hair is growing 1/4 an inch a month and 1/4 an inch a month is being trimmed off or breaking off, you will never acquire/retain length. It has nothing to do with genetics. Relaxers make the hair dry and brittle so no matter how moist you keep the ends, they are going break off.

 

[Belle Du Jour]

I think retaining length=the appearance of growth.

Your hair is growing even when it doesn't look like it's growing.

Now, length retention is related to many factors i.e. genetics (if your hair genes make you hair more resistant to damage), care (doing the things that protect your ends), diet and exercise. While I don't think genetics has anything to do with directly determining the length of your hair, genetics plays an important role. If you hair is fine, porous, etc, it will be harder for you (not impossible!) to figure out how to keep every bit of growth that you get.

 

[Dare~to~Dream]

If your hair is growing 1/4 an inch a month and 1/4 an inch a month is being trimmed off or breaking off, you will never acquire/retain length. It has nothing to do with genetics. Relaxers make the hair dry and brittle so no matter how moist you keep the ends, they are going break off.

I rarely trim my hair, so that's not the issue-I trim if its needed which isn't that often. As far as breakage, I have minimal breakage as I explained earlier. For me, breakage is controlled for the most part. I also said I have a healthy routine...I do the same thing most other people do on the forums, moisturize the hair shaft and ends, wash frequently, etc. Are you completely breakage free? Do you have no breakage whatsover? Just asking, more power to you if you don't. From my research and what I've heard before even joining this forum, genetics does play a part...it may be a small part or big part, I don't really know but anyway everyone has their own beliefs. By the way, I do not use relaxers or any other chemicals at this time.

 

[A_Christian]

My hair only stayed the same length for a few years when I was getting it trimmed after every relaxer. When I stopped the frequent trimming, it was always longer and longer every time I got it done. (Not wearing it down while wearing cotton and wool tops/ coats stopped a lot of breakage as well).

Don't be discouraged, if I can grow long hair anybody can . My hair grows a lot faster than I thought it's the retaining the length part which is the trick, like everyone has already said. Now I mix peppermint oil into some of my products and massage my scalp with the mixture twice per week, moisturize my ends every 2 or 3 days with Asha's Heavenly Hair Pudding, leave Aubrey Organics GPB on my ends without washing it out once every 2 weeks or so (along with eating healthfully) and my hair is growing very fast and retaining the length).

I also only trim once or twice a year now just to keep my ends in shape but any more than that and I would lose healthy length.