It is actually a pretty common feeling among women dreaming of longer hair. Across the world at all times of the day women are looking in the mirror with a scrunched brow wondering “Has my hair just given up on me and decided its not gonna grow anymore?” The answer is definitely, no. “It just refuses to pass this point!” you say as you pull on it hoping it may stretch a bit. As long as you have not unknowingly become a zombie like creature your hair should still be growing quite consistently.

Hair growth is part of your ongoing growth cycle. Just like the skin it grows, wears, and replenishes. The way the cycle works, as far as cell reproduction in the follicle, a healthy body should maintain consistent growth. Because the growth(anagen), transitional(catagen), and rest(telogen) phases of cell reproduction do not occur in mass stages across the hair there should not be a perceptible slowing of the growth cycle. With age, hereditary inheritance, or most commonly with stress and poor nutritional health some people may experience a thinning in the hair. Thinning hair just means you are growing less, but it is still growing.

One reason it may seem like your hair is not growing may be due to the shape of your hair style. Bulkier hair, in certain styles or when lacking any proper shaping, tends to have an effect of growing outward from the head and not expressing much in length. Its growing but the shape is not influencing the appearance of length or even allowing for length in all of its bulkiness. Poorly shaped hair is one possibility but the most common reason it appears like the hair is not growing and it wont get past your shoulders is because of perpetual damage.

Dry brittle hair will break off on the ends just as much if not more than it grows. A state of perpetual damage will outdo any consistent growth. Reaching that state of perpetual damage comes from many factors, bad products/shampoo, overuse of hot tools(especially without a thermal protector!), chemical over processing and bad razor cuts are just a few. Check out this article to find out more ways you can avoid your hair falling into a state of perpetual damage.

So your hair doesn’t stop growing. But it is possible to lose it off the ends as quickly as it comes in at the root. Remember that as long as you keep your body healthy your growth cycle should remain strong. Balanced nutrition + balanced lifestyle = balanced body. Chase health and beauty will chase you!