Can hair growth rate change with age?

[goldcopperbrown]

Allow me to share some frustration! When I was 11, I had shoulder-length hair. By the time I was 13, it was down to my waist. I cut it back to shoulder at 14, and it grew steadily after that, but I started dying it just a few months later, so the damage meant it grew very slowly (or it grew at the same rate but it just broke off). I continued dying it (sometimes twice in a weekend) until I was 22.

Now, I'm 24 and have not dyed my hair in almost 2 years. Most of my length is natural, or barely dyed (before I stopped dying it, I was dying it very sporadically). It feels and looks quite healthy. Can I safely expect the same hair growth rate I enjoyed as a kid, or has my hair growth rate permanently changed and now it will grow slower?

Assuming menopause is not a factor, can hair growth rate change between the ages of 13-24?

[furnival]

If you stopped dyeing your hair two years ago, your length is 25", and hair grows approximately 6" per year, it's safe to assume that the lower half of your length is previously dyed. (Two years= 12" of virgin hair, approx.) Since your hair is fine, it's probably more susceptible to damage, so I'd hazard a guess that the previously dyed part of your hair isn't in as good a condition as it could be, and might break more easily, meaning slower growth.

As for changes in growth rate, it changes all the time depending on hormones, diet, stress, environmental factors, or sometimes for no reason at all! Stalls and growth spurts, often without any discernible cause, are very common. It's impossible to say whether you'll attain the same growth rate you had before, but you can do the best you can by wearing protective styles, manipulating your hair as little as possible, washing less frequently and avoiding damage. Just be patient and enjoy the journey! :)

[goldcopperbrown]

If you stopped dyeing your hair two years ago, your length is 25", and hair grows approximately 6" per year, it's safe to assume that the lower half of your length is previously dyed. (Two years= 12" of virgin hair, approx.) Since your hair is fine, it's probably more susceptible to damage, so I'd hazard a guess that the previously dyed part of your hair isn't in as good a condition as it could be, and might break more easily, meaning slower growth.

As for changes in growth rate, it changes all the time depending on hormones, diet, stress, environmental factors, or sometimes for no reason at all! Stalls and growth spurts, often without any discernible cause, are very common. It's impossible to say whether you'll attain the same growth rate you had before, but you can do the best you can by wearing protective styles, manipulating your hair as little as possible, washing less frequently and avoiding damage. Just be patient and enjoy the journey! :)


haha thanks! The journey is fun :) I was just hoping that 25" isn't my terminal length haha

[furnival]

I was just hoping that 25" isn't my terminal length haha

That would be extremely unlikely. :p

[jacqueline101]

It's not your terminal length.

[irisheyes]

My hair grew from pixie to tbl from age 14 to age 18. I started to grow again 3 years ago from apl and I'm at tbl again at age 60. I would say my growth rate has remained the same throughout my lifetime and shows no sign of slowing down.

[vindo]

It can change due to various factors like health, hormones, lack of certain nutrients...(or malabsorption of nutrients)

But it could also just be that you pay much more close attention to your growth? Plus as a kid you are shorter, therefore it is easier to grow long ;)

Have you ever measured your monthly growth? You could monitor it. You can also do the math using the dye that has grown out as an indicator.

[goldcopperbrown]

It can change due to various factors like health, hormones, lack of certain nutrients...(or malabsorption of nutrients)

But it could also just be that you pay much more close attention to your growth? Plus as a kid you are shorter, therefore it is easier to grow long ;)

Have you ever measured your monthly growth? You could monitor it. You can also do the math using the dye that has grown out as an indicator.

This year I tried measuring my hair growth from the root (it was easier when I had just dyed it, so the mark of new hair was really obvious!) The growth rate seemed pretty average- the standard 1/2 inch per month. And yet, it broke off so it felt like it wasn't growing at all!

[Silverbrumby]

It is extremely unlikely be your terminal. My terminal appears to be 28" after three years of growing it from 25 to 28, cutting out the thin ends in the hope of thickening up the hem line. Never got thicker, Just healthier.

You can see in my signature picture I have a natural thinning at apl. I believe in normal well cared for hair the area it thins is an indication of approaching terminal.

[Nae]

Another thing to consider is that between 11 and 13 you were probably a bit shorter than your adult height. So, longer for the hair to grow.

Unless you were lucky like me and hit your full growth by 13. And by "lucky" I mean a complete almost six foot high klutz of a 6th grader lol.

[goldcopperbrown]

Another thing to consider is that between 11 and 13 you were probably a bit shorter than your adult height. So, longer for the hair to grow.

Unless you were lucky like me and hit your full growth by 13. And by "lucky" I mean a complete almost six foot high klutz of a 6th grader lol.

I was about 5'2" then, now I'm 5'6". So yes somewhat of a difference! Lol

[dulce]

I am 61,my hair growth is still good[my v is at tailbone]I think overall good health and good hair care make the difference.
When I was dyeing my shorter hair,it was thinner and breaking,that stopped once I stopped my damaging
practises and it then thickened up with no dye and no heat.

[chen bao jun]

My mom is almost 83. She stopped some practices that were breaking off her hair (and applied some Jamaican black castor oil to bald spots) and found her hair is actually growing very fast.
I'm 56 and got 10 inches growth in the last 14 months since joining LHC. (Never tracked my growth before).
You cannot possibly be having hair growth slowing due to 'age' in your 20's.
Though there are people whose hair growth slows due to age because they are genetically programmed that way or who get thinning hair, etc, its after menopause.
And a certain amount of people who think this is happening are actually on medication that is causing issues for them, have health issues that can be fixed--or simply have damaging hair practices catching up with them. Not to minimize the pain of those who actually do have age related issues, it can be real and its devastating.
But not something that you should be worrying about.

[BlazingHeart]

It's totally possible to have a hair growth speed change in that age range. Mine did. I asked my doctor if it was because I have needed thyroid meds since I turned 20. He said no, my meds make my thyroid normal and it is not uncommon for adolescents to have faster hair growth than adults. Mine grows a little more than 3/4 as fast as it did at 14. I happen to know that year in particular because I cut my hair to a bob and then let it grow back out.

[Panth]

Though there are people whose hair growth slows due to age because they are genetically programmed that way or who get thinning hair, etc, its after menopause.
And a certain amount of people who think this is happening are actually on medication that is causing issues for them, have health issues that can be fixed--or simply have damaging hair practices catching up with them. Not to minimize the pain of those who actually do have age related issues, it can be real and its devastating.
But not something that you should be worrying about.

This!

If your hair has been obviously growing in at the top (as evidenced by the dye growing out) then your problem is simply length retention. If you have approximately 1/2" growth per month and you have not dyed for 2 years, then 1/2 x 12 x 2 = 12". Your profile says your hair is 25", so the bottom HALF of your hair is still stuff that has old damage from the dye. There is no way you can even begin to contemplate whether you are terminal until you grow out that old damaged hair, as it will always be more fragile and thus restrict your length-retention.

Also, you don't mention what sort of dye you used (demi-permanent or permanent? those have developer (aka bleach) in, which will be even more damaging than just dye). You also don't say what your general routine is and what it used to be. If you regularly use (or used) straighteners or hair dryers on hot you could well have a lot of damage from that. Other sources of damage are your hair styles (have you backcombed/teased? how about solely worn your hair loose or in a ponytail?), washing (do you pile your hair on the top of your hair when you wash it? shampoo twice? skip conditioner or other slip/condition/anti-static/etc.-adding stage?) and brushing/combing (do you brush wet hair? rip through knots? detangle from the top down? brush "angrily"? use a BBB before detangling? or, in fact, for some people simply brushing instead of using a wide-toothed comb or finger combing is very damaging).

As an example: for about 5 years I was stalled at TBL. I also thought I had fine, thin hair. Came here, swapped my brush for a wide-toothed comb, my "angry" brushing for gentle, patient detangling and my daily loose hair for daily buns (the latter partly because I now work in a lab and can't have loose hair - but the LHC helped because I used to be incapable of bunning my hair). My hair is now past fingertip, still growing and if I hadn't had two fits of rage at my "thin" ends (an inevitable consequence of classic+ hair in most people) I would be past knee. Oh, and I'm actually a solid ii, sometimes a ii/iii when I'm really de-stressed and well nourished - I don't have thin hair, I just was shredding it to pieces before.


You can see in my signature picture I have a natural thinning at apl. I believe in normal well cared for hair the area it thins is an indication of approaching terminal.

(Just to say, Silverbrumby, as my story shows, you cannot claim terminal unless you at least try daily protective updos for a while. You don't say if you do this, but if not perhaps you could try it? Also, from your sig pic, I think you've got at least a good 6" before you really hit terminal. Of course, you may prefer to maintain blunter ends than that. One thing to consider is whether you wear your hair loose and sit a lot - if so, you're probably losing your ends to rubbing between your back and the back of the chair. APL/BSL really suffers from that, IMO.)

[vindo]

This year I tried measuring my hair growth from the root (it was easier when I had just dyed it, so the mark of new hair was really obvious!) The growth rate seemed pretty average- the standard 1/2 inch per month. And yet, it broke off so it felt like it wasn't growing at all!

1/2 inch is even a bit more than the average 0.4" a month (people falsely converted 1 cm into 1/2 inch)! So you should be fine growth wise.
Is your breakage problem fixed now?

[AmyBeth]

With proper care, my hair is growing much, much faster on the far side of 50 than it ever, ever has. Good health and good care will maximize your genetic potential.