8 Reasons Your Natural Hair Isn't Growing

If you've been on social media for quite some time as a naturalista you are probably sick and tired of seeing everyone's hair growing and flourishing while yours seems to be at a stand still. I know I am! But the reality is that your hair is growing you just aren't retaining length. And there are very specific reasons that could be causing your hair to break off at the same spot over and over again.

8 Reasons Your Natural Hair Isn't Growing

1. Heat Damage: If you are consistently using heat on your hair with heat protectant or not you are stripping your natural hair of its proteins. This not only causes you to lose your natural curl pattern it also causes your hair to break off. Ease up on the frequent heat usage by using heatless alternatives to get a similar look.

2. Lacks Moisture: If your hair lacks moisture it will be stuck in a cycle of growth and breakage. Depending on your hair type (low porosity vs high porosity) you will have to take different methods/approaches as well as use different products to make sure the moisture you add to your hair is sealed in. Using the LOC method will also help you with the process of adding and sealing moisture into your strands.

3. Lacks Protein: If you notice your hair is limp or mushy this could be caused by a lack of protein. When your hair lacks protein it snaps and breaks off very easily thus making it extremely difficult to retain length. With your hair being made of 70 percent protein it is crucial/vital for your hair to survive. Here are 5 reasons your hair needs a protein treatment in order to help you retain the length you are achieving.

4. Not Trimming When Needed  When you don't trim your hair as needed (not necessarily on a particular schedule) the split and damaged ends will cause more harm than good. They will start to split up the shaft and cause your hair not only to look dull/ damaged/ dry and thin but it will also cause breakage and excessive shedding. Don't hold on to the raggedy ends, it is not worth it!

5. Poor Diet/Nutrition: If you are eating poorly, your hair will pay for it. Balanced diets with a good amount of water will help your hair grow in a healthy shiny manner. If you are lacking lean protein, vegetation and folate then your health and hair will suffer. Try balancing your healthy diet with multi vitamins to give your self an extra boost.

6. Improper Hair Care Routine/Regimen: As a naturalista it can be difficult sometime getting into the swing of a hair care routine/regimen that is easy to stick to and effective. When I was transitioning my hair was growing in so fast and so healthy. When I started to become more comfortable with my hair I started skipping steps and taking shortcuts. This caused my hair to reach a stand still because I wasn't being as thorough. Find a proper hair care routine that works for you and stick to it! Especially if your hair does well when that regimen is stuck to.

7. Hair is tangled : Detangling can be a headache but if done right and the correct products are used you can make detangling a breeze! You need to find the right tools and section your hair off. Those are the two major steps in detangling your hair and preventing breakage. Nothing can cause more damage than hair being stuck in one big giant ball of mess. Your hair can start to mat and dread if not properly detangled which will be a headache to undo if that is not the look you are going for. Take the time to research the proper detangling tools for your and make sure to detangle your hair at least once a week during wash day at the very least !

8. Too much manipulation: Sometimes I get caught up in wanting to change my look everyday without thinking that I could be putting my hair through the ringer! Over manipulation is a key player in hair loss and a lack of length retention. Be sure you give your hair some time to rest whether it be with a protective style or simply leaving your hair be for a few days.

Have you had issues with any of these 8 reasons? Change one or two or all of these steps and let us know if your hair begins to flourish!

If you loved what you read sign up for our mailing list here and never miss a post. Also get your hands on our free protective styling ebook: Protective Styling Like A Pro Maximum Growth & Length Retention.