7 Reasons Why Your Natural Hair Isn’t Growing
Introduction
Are you struggling to grow your natural hair? Tried everything you could, but your natural mane has been at a certain length for a long ass time? I get it.
Natural hair is beautiful, but growing it can be a challenge for many.
You’re tired because you feel like you’ve got a huge assignment ahead of you. You’re green with envy because everybody can grow their natural hair to great lengths. Everybody but you.
But don’t worry, that all ends right here, right now. In this post, we’ll go over the 7 reasons why your natural hair isn’t growing.
Let’s go!
Reason 1: Your Scalp is Dry
While the Sahara desert is a natural beauty, it doesn’t mean you have to recreate one on your head.
A dry scalp leads to dry hair; dry hair leads to breakage; breakage leads to stunted hair growth. See where I’m going with this? Yep, it’s a chain reaction. Natural hair is already dry, so you’ve got to up your moisture game.
Do you wash your hair once a month? Try once a week. Do you have a spray bottle? Fill that thing up with water and spray it onto your scalp. If your hair is in braids or twists, you must do this to your scalp since your ends are being protected.
Also, before you go to bed, part your hair into sections (as big or small as you like). Get your spray bottle, fill it up with water, and spray your scalp and hair. Apply a hair butter/moisturizer to each section. Then follow-up with oil (grapeseed oil is my personal favourite), and braid/twist your hair up. You could apply the oil before your moisturizer/butter if you’d like.
Reason 2: You’re Not Deep Conditioning
Deep conditioning is coating your hair with a deep conditioner or hair mask. For great results, keep the deep conditioner in your hair anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour. But, it’s not unusual for some to leave it in for hours. Some naturalistas are guilty of deep conditioning overnight.
Why is this important? Because the molecules in a deep conditioner are smaller compared to rinse-out conditioners. This makes it easier to penetrate the hair shaft. As a result, your natural hair receives the nourishment it needs.
Compared to regular rinse-out conditioners, deep conditioners are thicker. They also usually contain moisturizing ingredients for hair like honey and avocado. For great results, add heat to your deep conditioning routine via a heat cap or steamer.
For the best results, it’s best to deep condition either once a week or once every two weeks.
Reason 3: You’re Not Trimming Your Hair
Fantasia Barrino once sang, “Sometimes you gotta lose to win again.” And I have to admit, she was onto something. While this one may seem counterintuitive, it makes a lot of sense.
The ends of your hair are the oldest part of your hair and thus need more attention. But, certain things are bound to happen regardless of how diligent you are with your routine. Split ends are an example.
While there are many causes for these nuances, split ends cause more harm than good. When you refuse to trim your hair, your hair will start to split at the end. This split will travel up the hair shaft breaking your single hair strand in two (or more).
This will cause your hair to become damaged. This damage leads to breakage, which leads to stunted hair growth.
Trimming your hair regularly will prevent this damage from occurring.
How often should you trim your hair? Some professionals recommend every 3 months, while others recommend every 6 months. Some naturals can get away with trimming once a year.
Reason 4: You’re Adding Too Much Heat
Cooked food is good. Cooked hair is not.
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As a naturalista myself, I get it. When you flat iron your natural hair, you feel different, and it’s usually a good feeling. Some argue that flat ironing their natural hair makes it more “manageable”. And for some naturals, the straight look is an addiction.
But unfortunately, heat is more of a “treat” for natural hair, and you must know your hair’s limits.
Adding too much heat to your strands breaks the bonds in your hair. This causes your hair to be weaker, brittle, lose its natural curl pattern, and much more prone to breakage.
Are you a naturalista that regularly uses heat? Have you noticed that your curls have turned into waves when wet? It’s time to retire all heat tools and start afresh, because girl, you’re a victim of heat damage.
Can you recover from heat damage? This is an interesting question in the natural hair community. Some argue that protein treatments do the trick to restore the broken bonds. Other naturalistas prefer to cut all the damaged ends off and let the new growth flourish.
Reason 5: Your Diet is Poor
You are what you eat. Sorry, but it’s true. You (including your hair) are a living reflection of your diet.
Want healthy hair that grows long? Nutrients and vitamins always help. Especially Omega-3 fatty acids, lean proteins, iron, and vitamins A, D and E. The following foods contain these nutrients and vitamins:
- Salmon
- Eggs
- Spinach
I love salmon. And the moment I started incorporating it more into my diet, I noticed a difference in my hair. It had more body, and I achieved waist-length hair.
Another recommendation is to increase your water intake. It keeps you healthy and hydrates your scalp (and skin).
Reason 6: You’re Manipulating Your Hair Too Much
Did your mother ever tell you to keep your hands to yourself? Well, she was right.
Keeping your hands to yourself benefits your hair a lot more than you think. When you comb or brush your hair, you are increasing your chances of breakage. Natural hair, contrary to popular belief, is very delicate.
Therefore, it’s best to limit the number of times you do tight buns and ponytails .
To reduce breakage from combing or brushing, spray your hair with water first. Start combing/brush your hair at the ends first, and then work your way up to the roots. You could also start finger combing your hair before doing this. One of the worst things to do to natural hair is to manipulate it when it’s dry.
Reason 7: You have a Health Issue
Out of all the seven reasons, this one is the most difficult to face. One powerful thing about hair is that it can reflect your current health status.
Excessive shedding and hair thinning are a few symptoms of a possible health issue. Some health issues that have a major impact on your hair are Alopecia Areata and Lupus.
Sometimes, it can be something treatable such as stress.
Contact your doctor if you suspect you may have a health issue and are experiencing changes in your hair.
Conclusion
And there you have it. My top seven reasons why your natural hair isn’t growing. Natural hair growth is a remarkable journey with many ups and downs, but it’s all worth it. It’s important to keep your scalp and hair moisturized. Try your best to have a healthy diet. Regular deep conditioning and trims are a must. And for the love of castor oil, limit heat and manipulation. With these tips, your natural hair will flourish in length. And if you suspect a health issue, contact your doctor. Have you tried any of these tips? Did they help? Let me know in the comments!
