Understanding Why Your Hair Won't Grow

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

The anagaen phase- This phase is by far our favorite one!  It is the phase where the hair grows.  During this phase hair grows approximately one centimeter every 28 days. The anagen phase can stay active for as long as 2-6 years. The reason why some people's hair grows to a certain length and then stops is because their anagen phase may not last very long. On the other hand, when you see women who have very long hair, it is because their anagen phase stays active much longer. So the next time your hair grows to a certain length and then stops, don't necessarily question if you are doing something wrong to your hair. There is nothing you can do or not do to determine how long your growth cycle will last.  When you notice that your hair is not growing any longer, my recommendation would be to continue to take great care of your hair until your anagen phase becomes active again. If you simply continue to cut it hoping that will make it grow faster, you are only hindering it from growing past that length that you are stuck at.

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: