LaToya Jones

Have you ever wondered why your hair seems to grow really good at a certain time of the year, like in the summer or fall?  Does it seem to shed just as much as it grows in other seasons? Does it also seem to grow to a certain length then just stop?  Or maybe one side grows faster than the other? Well if you answered yes to any (or all) of these questions, then I have the explanations for you! The good news is that all of the situations mentioned are common. Everyone's hair goes through growth cycles or phases and today we'll be exploring all of them. Understanding they cycles and phases that hair goes through will help you to understand why your hair grows (or doesn't grow) the way it does. There are three growth phases of hair, which are the anagen, catagen, and telogen phase.  These cycles explain everything about the way our hair grows. Let's get started...

Your hair grows in cycles, but it can still have length

Maximizing your length is dependent upon your hair care routine

The catagen phase- This phase is also called the transition phase. During this phase, the hair is transitioning between the anagen phase and the last phase which is called telogen. At this phase, the hair stops growing and begins to detach itself from the scalp.

A consistent hair schedule with great hair products is key!

The telogen phase- This is the stage in hair growth where the hair rests. We all dread this part but it is part of the process. During this phase, the hair remains dormant anywhere from 1-4 months. While the hair is in the telogen phase, it is becoming prepared to go back into the anagen phase. Once the anagen phase occurs again, the new hair begins to push the hairs out that have been resting and the growth process starts all over again. When this happens, shedding occurs.

Your hair is constantly growing!

Remember, every hair on the head does not experience each phase at the same time. Fortunately, most of the time the hair is in the anagen, or growing, phase 85% of the time. This means that most of your hair is growing most of the time. When you see your hair shedding, that signals that the anagen phase is beginning again for those hair follicles. This is why your hair sheds daily! Normal hair shedding is about 120-200 hairs per day. That may sound like a lot but the average person has approximately one hundred THOUSAND hairs on their head. So, when you look at it from that perspective, two hundred hairs out of one hundred thousand doesn't seem so bad.

Enjoy your hair no matter the length it is!

The best thing you can do for your hair is to keep it healthy without sacrificing length. In other words, continue to get your regular trims instead of risking having split ends just so your hair can look long.  There is nothing cute about long pretty hair with ends that look like someone has been chewing on them. Your hair length is determined by your active (anagen) growth phase. Even if you have a short growth (anagen) phase, you can still have a pretty good length of hair. You can maximize retaining all of the length that you get from this phase by giving your hair all of the tlc that it needs. Minimal heat, wrap it up nightly (get a great satin scarf here), get trims regularly, shampoo as often as needed with great products (like these),  and deep condition when necessary (preferably with this or this). When you start doing these things and keep doing them consistently, you'll see more growth. You can also use a great growth oil (like this one) to help your hair grow a little faster than it normally would.

Check out the video here and see how much my hair has grown since I first cut it:

1. Getting touch ups to soon- Since relaxers are permanent, there is no reason to relax hair that has already been relaxed. That is why when getting touch ups, you only have to relax the new growth, or the hair that does not have relaxer on it. Getting relaxer touch ups too soon leads to overlapping (getting relaxer on previously relaxed hair), which leads to over-processing a.k.a. damaged hair. I recommend having a least two inches of new growth between touch ups or 14-16 weeks.  Relaxing before 14 weeks increases your chances of having overlapping on your hair.
2. Too much heat- Heat should only be applied to relaxed hair once per week or less. The less heat that is applied, the better. Whenever possible, opt for roller sets or wraps to avoid the heat. If heat is preferred, stick to once per week and wrap or roll the hair for the remainder of the week until the hair is shampooed again.
3. Heat tool is up too high- When you do apply heat, the heat tool should not be over 400 for freshly relaxed hair. Relaxed hair is already straight, so the heating tool will not require a lot of extra effort to get the smooth and polished look. It should not be up over 400 degrees or it could lead to heat damage.
4. Adding permanent color- When you have a relaxer, you already have one chemical in your hair. Adding another chemical by getting permanent color is not recommended, especially if you are trying to color your hair more than three shades lighter than your original hair color.  You can however, safely get color if you are only going 1-2 shades lighter than your original color if you also are willing to stretch your relaxer touch ups out to a minimum of 16 weeks each or longer.
5. Not wrapping your hair- Wrapping is very important for relaxed hair. Not only does it lay the edges and roots down flat, it also protects the ends from splitting as fast as they would if you did not wrap. I know a LOT of you women would rather have your teeth pulled than get your ends trimmed, so wrap your hair to make the trims last longer. Wrapping also helps protect your hair from directly rubbing against whatever fabric you are laying on at night. That friction is what causes the ends to split sooner. Lastly, wrapping helps preserve your hairstyle. No one likes to only look like they got their hair done the day you leave the salon.  You can help your hair look good in between your salon visits by wrapping. Rolling it and/or tying the hair down is also acceptable. Be sure to grab you 100% satin scarf here.
6. Not drinking enough water- Relaxers can sometimes dry the hair out, so it is essential that we properly moisturize our hair.  The number one way to do that is to drink at least half of your body weight in water.  So, if you weigh 120 pounds, you should drink at least 60 oz of water DAILY.  I know its hard, but trust me when I say you will definitely not only see a difference in your hair and scalp but also in your skin as well. In addition to that, use high quality moisturizing shampoos and conditioners (like these) that constantly add moisture to the hair.



7. 
   Letting a NON-professional do your touch-ups- I could do a whole blog post on this topic alone but for now I will keep it short. Please, please, PLEASE stop letting your sister, friend, cousin, mom, roommate, etc do your relaxers when they have not stepped foot in a cosmetology school and do not have a license! Remember that relaxers are serious chemicals that can be very harmful if not handled properly! Relaxers should never touch the scalp, and they should not burn, and only trained professionals know how to properly do this correctly Not to mention that there is also a time frame in which they should be applied and rinsed out. Leave the chemicals to the professionals.
8. Skipping trims- As I said before, I know many of you absolutely do not like getting trims, but they are very good for the hair. Not getting trims only allows the ends that have split to continue to split up the hair shaft resulting in even more hair having to be cut in the long run.  If you wrap your hair nightly, you can get trims every three months to keep your hair healthy.
9. Trying to get hair bone straight- Trying to have your hair relaxed until it is bone straight is a big no no. When the hair is too straight it is more prone to becoming brittle, which then makes it break easier.  There should be at least 20% elasticity still in the hair to allow it to move and give the hair body. Never, ever aim for 100% straightness when relaxing.
10. Not keeping hair balanced- By this I mean that healthy hair has an equal balance of protein and moisture. Anytime the hair is lacking in either area, you will notice a change in your hair. Not enough protein leads to breakage while not enough moisture leads to the hair becoming overly dry and also resulting in breakage. Reconstructive treatments (like this one) can help get the hair back on track.