Does hair grow steadily or have spurts?

[diddiedaisy]

Hi all, I have only recently decided to grow my hair. I just wondered if you long termers can tell me if hair grows steadily throughout the year, or does it have growth spurts. The reason I'm asking is that my hair has only grown 1cm in 6 or 7 weeks :(. As this seems unusually slow I was wondering or hoping that my growth was hibernating for the winter and will magically whizz into action in the spring. Seems when I'm not growing my hair it manages 6in a month lol I know patience is a virtue but gee I'll be dead before I reach bsl at this rate!!!

[Ambystoma]

Nah, don't worry, hair definitely grows in spurts depending on the season, nutrition, hormones, or just plain because it feels like it :laugh: It's possible that instead of a stall your ends might be breaking which makes it look as if it's growing slower but if they all seem healthy and you're healthy on the inside then it will probably pleasantly surprise you in a few months :)

[TheWhiteRabbit]

My hair goes from growing steadily to having a spurt than dying out in a stall. It depends on whats going on. Stress is what really gets my hair down. But I agree with Ambystoma, your ends might just be breaking off while the rest is still just chugging away.

[NoRush]

For me personally, spurts, right now I'm noticing no shed and in my case that means minimal growth, it happens every winter, it'll be over in a couple of months and then it'll grow like weed until august and I'll shed accordingly as well.

I know many around here notice a variation of the theme, growth and stall, increased and decreased shed in different times of the year, it's completely normal. Also stress, food, rest, enviromental changes (like moving to a differnt climate) influence hair growth rate, so just take note of the progress and changes and chart them, it will take you at least a few years to notice a trend however so unless you're shedding over 100 hairs a day year round or your hair doesn't get any onger under any circumstances for several months I wouldn't worry :)

[Madora]

Never experienced any growth spurts. Hair just grew..slower in the winter months, a trifle faster during summer.

To help the process along, you might want to consider daily scalp massaging with your fingerpads (in the bent at the waist position). Be sure to detangle your hair before and after the massage.

[Anje]

Seems like it depends hugely on the person. Mine grows hugely in spurts; I think I tend to come out with the average or just above average growth of about 6-8 inches/year, but I've seen it do that even when I've had 5 month stretches with no growth. I've seen my hair gain multiple inches in a month (well, once). Obviously, those are extremes and unusual for me and most anyone else.

Expect it to grow more in some months than others. You'll probably find you have seasonal highs and lows in growth speed. Take care of yourself and let it do whatever it's going to do.

[ravenreed]

I am having a huge spurt right now. I have cut about seven inches off over the last two and a half months just to go from FT to classic and stay there. I am guessing that my growth is close to an inch a month right now. However, there are parts of the year where I am lucky if I get a quarter inch of growth a month. My average is slightly over a half inch a month. It is always really noticeable to me because I dye my hair, so I know by how fast my roots show whether I am in a spurt or not.

[diddiedaisy]

Thanks for your answers, it gives me hope!! My hair is in quite good condition with no noticeable split ends and I don't seem to be shedding much at the moment either Norush, so maybe my hairs doing something similar to yours at the moment. I have been under a lot of stress this past six months as well which may not be helping. I also dye my hair and know exactly how much its grown due to roots, they have a use after all lol

I shall try and be positive and see my 1cm as growth gained rather than focus on what I haven't gained.

[patienceneeded]

I think for some growth is steady, others experiences growth in spurts. Mine is generally slow and steady, about .4" a month. Growth that is generally slow/steady is tricky to detect, as it seems to be making no progress AT ALL, but then all of a sudden you realize your hair is longer. I try to take length pics every month or two, rather than measure.

The trick to pictures is to wear the same shirt every time (preferably striped or patterned), stand in the same place with the camera in the same place (on a timer), and strike the same pose (as much as possible) every time. Decent pics really help to "see" that the hair really is growing, even though it feels like it's not.

[diddiedaisy]

I think for some growth is steady, others experiences growth in spurts. Mine is generally slow and steady, about .4" a month. Growth that is generally slow/steady is tricky to detect, as it seems to be making no progress AT ALL, but then all of a sudden you realize your hair is longer. I try to take length pics every month or two, rather than measure.

The trick to pictures is to wear the same shirt every time (preferably striped or patterned), stand in the same place with the camera in the same place (on a timer), and strike the same pose (as much as possible) every time. Decent pics really help to "see" that the hair really is growing, even though it feels like it's not.

I saw some pictures the other day of a woman who had a t-shirt she had put markers on and used that to gauge monthly growth. I think I'll make myself one, its a great idea.

[browneyedsusan]

Mine seems steady and average. It makes about 1/2" a month, but I don't watch it close.
I'd guess that stress or health troubles could bring on a stall or shed though.

[Lyv]

Mine grows a steady 3/4" a month every month, I've never had any growth spurts or stalls.