Feel like my hair has stalled

[Louise148]

Hi all,

Not sure what kind of post I'd call this one, a rant (not really), a moan (a bit more accurate) or maybe just a 'woo is me' kinda vibe. :confused:

I feel like my hair has stalled and stopped growing. I know growing out a pixie is labourious and I always knew I'd need paitience but I it just feels like it hasn't moved for weeks. The back is now at shoulder length but the sides are only slightly below chin length. I wear it up most of the week to try and stop me obsessing (I stil do though) about it but I do lightly blow dry it on a cool setting when I go out on a saturday night. While it styles OK and I am past anything resembling a mullet I just feel really down about it at the moment.

I know it is more than likely still growing or maybe it is having a bit of a rest and will pick up again at some point but I so want it to get to at least APL so I can do some more interesting updos but it feels like it's taking forever.

It seemed to be growing really well through most of last year but now it just feels like it's slowed but I'm not sure if I am just expecting too much or if it is now at a length where it not as noticible as when it was shorter. Does hair have resting phases?

Thanks to anyone who reads this rather self indulgent whine. It's just i know you guys understand the ups and downs of hair growing.

[Andrea H]

I've heard that hair does have resting phases(someone correct me if I'm wrong), and at least for me, my hair usually slows down during the winter. Except for this month apparently, since my hair grew a whole inch. o.o

Also, just thought of something and maybe this has NO truth to it, but I've been wearing my hair down a lot the past month(was seeing some breakage at the nape of my neck from constant ponytails) and I wonder if that had to do with my hair grown more. Maybe give it a go? Again, not even sure if that's actually a possibility or not. Either way, I love your hair!

[NoRush]

I feel you, my hair hasn't moved a lot in the past three months either. Not having tracked it for long (only a year or so, since I started LHC) I can't say for sure if it's normal for me but I take other things into consideartion, like the fact that I've hardly shed anything in the past 6 weeks or so, it tells me that my hair is going through a bit of a rest I guess, maybe something similar is happening to you :) It'll pick up soon and you can forget it ever happened ;)

[Louise148]

Thanks Andrea for replying to my whiney moan :)

I don't wear it in a ponytail I twist braid the front and bobby pin it and tails up the back held with a small flexi-8 and I can't see any damage or slipt ends so I think all is well in that respect. Perhaps it's just having a resting phase and will pick up again soon - fingers crossed.

[Andrea H]

I'm sure it will. I bet you during the summer your hair will grow like weeds! <3

[Louise148]

Deleted double post...not sure what happed there :confused:

[Louise148]

I feel you, my hair hasn't moved a lot in the past three months either. Not having tracked it for long (only a year or so, since I started LHC) I can't say for sure if it's normal for me but I take other things into consideartion, like the fact that I've hardly shed anything in the past 6 weeks or so, it tells me that my hair is going through a bit of a rest I guess, maybe something similar is happening to you :) It'll pick up soon and you can forget it ever happened ;)

Let hope we are just in a resting phase and Andrea is right and we'll have weed hair in the summer. :D

[jacqueline101]

Mine seems to take a break from growing and has thinned at my v but I'm hoping it grows again and maybe a micro trim is in order. Monistat works.

[HadessThera]

I've grown my hair out from several pixie cuts over the years and I've noticed that my hair always "sticks" or slows down at shoulder length, no clue why but it seems my hair loves being shoulder length and likes to stay there as long as possible, however after it creeps past my collarbone again, it seems to grow like weeds, like 2" a month, in an effort to catch up on lost time, I don't know if other people experience this but maybe after this little bit of slow growth you will get a ridiculously fast growth spurt :)

[cranberrymoonz]

The shoulder to collarbone phase is one of the hardest. I know, I've been there. Maybe try some new styles to shift your focus a bit. At that lenth you might be able to do a french twist or a french braid with the ends tucked under. Half ups may also work. Good luck!

[Louise148]

Ideas for new hairstyles are more than welcome as while I can now do a french twist and almost a braid. But the sides are not quite long enough yet as they are sitting just a whisper below chin level and my bangs are just below my cheek bones so bobby pins are my friend at the moment and why I just twist and pin them.

[SerinaDaith]

At that length I did what my husband called piggy tail french braids, a lot. It caught up all of my hair and looked fine. Now I lace braid both sides then tuck tails right tail under left braid left tail under right braid. Horse shoe braid I think it is called. Lillith Moon on you tube has a lot if styles for short, medium and long hair she uses extensions. Aside from that most of her styles are pretty LHC friendly.

[Long_hair_bear]

Be of good cheer. I feel like this all the time. Just have patience.... it'll grow at your length. I'm maybe an inch from waist and am terrified that I'll hit term before knee length. :(

[spidermom]

Hair does have resting phases, but it is on an individual hair basis (not all the hair on your head at once). At any time, most of the hairs on your head will be growing, some will be resting, and some will be shedding out. It goes in that order, too: growing, resting, shedding. A resting hair does not start growing again.

I was really discouraged while growing from shoulder to APL. APL was where I felt that I had "long" hair, and it took about 100,000 years to get there from pixie. Funny; APL seems so short now, the shortest I feel I would ever willingly go.

[Zindell]

Shoulder length was hard for me too... isn't it something about the wear and tear of the hairs against the shoulders? Once it's past the shoulders it doesn't get destroyed and halted by the "shoulder rubbing" anymore.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

If it is any help it seems as if mine has stopped as well. More patience needed here I think. It's so frustrating!

I guess it will start again when it is good and ready. I just have to keep putting it up and forgetting about it.

[arcane]

I had an inch of growth from August through December, then grew an inch in January and grew nothing till about 2 weeks ago and I seem to have gained another inch. Sometimes hair just stalls. Have you been more stressed than normal lately? How's your rest/eating/exercise? If nothing has really changed I wouldn't worry but if you can think if say you've been more stressed than taking some time to relax may help. For me stress does play a major roll in whether or not my hair stalls/sheds, as does exercise.

I try to just forget about it, begin neglect, and instead of focusing on my hair focus on other aspects of my body and whatever is affecting it. I think my hair has started growing again because I have been taking the time to properly unwind and trying new kinds of exercise that I find fun (which is great for helping me relax). It could also be that it's finally springtime here and I may be getting a seasonal growth spurt but either way I definetly am less stressed.

[Louise148]

Thanks for all the replies, they are very much appreciated.

I suspect it is still growing but as I have baby fine hair that is also quite thin (not scalp showing thin but thin non the less) I think it can appear to take ages to grow while others with more or thicker hair appear to have a lot more growth. I was measuring it during the early months of growing it out and it was pretty much growing at an average of 1/2 and inch a month it just didn't look like it.

I am keeping it in updos and moisturied for most of the week so I am hoping that is protecting my ends and generally helping it grow unhindered. I can't see any splits or damage so I think all is well. I have also just started running so perhaps the extra exercise will give it a boost...fingers crossed.

[leilasahhar]

Mine did this too especially in the winter. But I use a mist called redwood roots..im sure you could make your own if you wanted but its really made a difference and has boosted my hair growth. It keeps your scalp moist but not greasy or anything. Its supposed to mimic the fog that comes over the Redwood Trees, the point is to keep your roots hydrated :)

[heidi w.]

Remember where your hair used to be, and it will in part, undo the feeling of stalling.
Deal with the facts, not imagination.
heidi w.

[Louise148]

Remember where your hair used to be, and it will in part, undo the feeling of stalling.
Deal with the facts, not imagination.
heidi w.

You are right I am obsessing a little too much and not focusing on the fact that it is getting there. It's hard though as I want long hair NOW! :justy: Perhaps I should start measuring it monthly again like I used to then I would have some hard facts to reassure myself with. It's the sides that drive me mad the most. While the back is now happily sitting on the top of my shoulders the sides are just a whisper below chin and have another 2-3 inches before they get to collar bone. Oh well...onwards and upwards...or downwards, as hair does not grow up. ;)