Many people just want those long luscious locks that we see in the movies and on TV commercials.
That flowing hair makes you look like a Greek god or goddess. But sometimes, it can feel like you have been growing out your hair for the best part of a decade and you just never seem to get anywhere.
You might have tried the rice water trick, or bathed your hair in countless deep conditioning baths, and yet it still never grows past a certain point. What is worse is that sometimes hair can become damaged, broken, or dead and will need cutting off.
This obviously slows down the growing-out process even more. So, why is your hair not growing? That’s what we are here to find out!
Why is my hair not growing?
There can be a lot of reasons for your hair being so thin. I like the ‘kitchen sink’ approach here where we just start throwing everything at it and see what works. Since most of this means taking better care of your health overall, it can be hard to go wrong.
Your hair growth could be stunted for a number of reasons. Everyone’s hair grows at different paces, and some people are just blessed with fast-growing locks that never seem to get damaged. For the rest of us, our dreams of Rapunzel-style lengths just may never be a reality.
This is because some people have different hormones, or their age and genetics prevent the hair from growing quickly. In other cases, if you are under stress, suffer from anxiety, or are taking certain medication, your hair may not grow as quickly.
Diet also plays a huge role in the health of your body, skin and hair. Without a good diet, you will not be producing the minerals, nutrients and vitamins needed for your body and your hair to thrive.
Things like restrictive dieting and a lack of protein can affect your hair, and stop it from growing quickly.
The best vitamins and minerals for hair growth are iron, zinc, omega 3 and 6, vitamin E, vitamin D, vitamin C and biotin. With a healthy influx of these in your diet and lifestyle, you can help progress your hair growth journey. In addition to this, caffeine-infused products can also promote healthy hair growth and strength.
One of the main reasons that your hair is not growing quickly is probably if it is damaged, or if you use a lot of heat tools on them. This is the most common way that hair can become dry, broken and not very healthy, which decreases the rate of growth.
Can damaged hair still grow?
Yes, damaged hair can still grow, as most of the time the damage will be on the ends of the hair, and not at the root, where new growth begins.
You can keep growing out your hair with damaged ends, and just keep getting it trimmed until all of the damage is gone. However, the longer you leave damaged hair and split ends, it is more prone to split even more, and cause more damage.
This is why many hairdressers and professionals will suggest cutting off damaged hair in order to regrow and begin again, without causing further problems.
If you already have damaged hair, and you still want to grow it, it is probably a good idea to ditch the hot tools such as straighteners and curling irons, and start using a good hair care routine.
Does cutting damaged hair help it grow?
We know how hard it is to go for a haircut when you are trying to grow it out. You dread those appointments. It always seems that ‘just the ends off’ to a hairdresser translates roughly to ‘please cut 6 inches off my hair’.
I cannot tell you the number of times I have told a hairdresser to cut just a tiny bit off the ends and ended up with a bob haircut.
The truth of the matter is, when a hairdresser is cutting off the ends, it is usually because it has to go. Cutting off the dead ends and damaged hair is paramount to the overall health of the hair. It may seem counterproductive, but a good haircut will do wonders for your hair growth journey!
By cutting the hair regularly, you are actively getting rid of any split ends, broken hair, and damaged ends that are restricting the health and growth rate of your hair.
This does not mean going to the hairdresser or hairstylist every six to eight weeks, as it is not enough time for your hair to grow, and you will be in an endless cycle of growing and cutting.
However, you can go once every three months, as long as you look after your hair whilst it grows, do not use heat tools often, leave it to rest, replenish and thrive again. Then, you can just make an appointment to cut those broken pieces off, and leave your hair to grow by itself again.
Does damaged hair grow back healthy?
The bad news is that damaged hair can never truly be recovered once it reaches a certain point. No matter what conditioning concoction you use, if your hair is broken and dead, then it will never go back to full health.
What a conditioner can do is restore its strength and de-frizz those split ends if your hair looks fried and frazzled.
If you have hair that has been bleached or heat-styled to the point where it feels like straw or is falling out, then it is a little too late for your conditioner. If the hair is so damaged that it is dead, then it will not just replenish itself. You will have to cut it off and regrow it!
The good news is that the lengths of your hair can be damaged beyond repair, but the new hair that grows will be soft, healthy and untouched. This is why so many people shave their heads if they have had a bleaching disaster, or the hair is too damaged to repair, as it will grow back nicely.
When you regrow your hair, it is brand new and fresh, without any damage. It will grow back healthy and natural. However, if you then start using heat tools again, or dye the hair, it will start to break down over time and become damaged again.
I know it might sound a little odd but mayonnaise helps damaged hair. Plus, if you have any left, it goes great on a sandwich.
Does hair breakage grow back?
No, hair breakage does not grow back. Once the hair has become so damaged that it breaks off, then the hair is dead and cannot be repaired.
In addition, hair grows from the roots, in your scalp and so it will grow from this point, not from the point where it broke off. However, you can grow out your hair, and the broken part will eventually be cut off as you keep on top of trimming dead ends!
