My hair isn't growing?

[Eylwinn]

Hi all! I am new to this forum and this is my first post!
So.. My hair is fine and curly (2c/3a I think) and a little above waist length. I NEVER use heat tools, I air dry always (I use straightener only once a year with a heat protectant hehe) and I use silicone/mineral oil-free products. I oil my hair every time I wash it (1-2 times a week) and I cut it very rarely.. The problem is: it's the same length for over 2-3 years :( it won't grow.. I don't understand why.. Sometimes i also get some random split ends for no apparent reason.. It's too short to be terminal length I think (and hope :D ) Any advice/help?^^
Ps: I take vitamins, iron, msm etc

[ExpectoPatronum]

Do you wear your hair up or down mostly? If you wear it down, it might be normal wear and tear preventing it from growing longer.

[likelikepenny]

Protective styling may be what you need if you tend to always wear your hair down

[Eylwinn]

Yeah I wear it down mostly.. :o What are some protective styles? (I don't like wearing my hair in a bun or ponytail :( )

[turtlelover]

Maybe your hair NEED silicones. Not all hair responds well to cone free care. I know loads of people that needs them to avoid split ends at longer lengths.

[ExpectoPatronum]

Yeah I wear it down mostly.. :o What are some protective styles? (I don't like wearing my hair in a bun or ponytail :( )

Buns and braids are the main protective styles I can think of. It's worth trying to find a bun or braid you like if you really want to grow your hair out.

[Annalouise]

My first question is do you measure your hair? Do you know for a fact that its not gaining length?:)

[Eylwinn]

What kind of silicones do you advice? The ones used after washing hair just on the ends?

[Eylwinn]

Are regular braids or French braids good too? Because they leave the ends out :D

[Eylwinn]

I don't measure my hair but I have some photos from the last years and I can see that it's not gaining length :/

[Annalouise]

Curly hair doesn't show length gain as fast as straight hair. I have pictures of my hair from the same time last year and it looks almost identical.:bigeyes:

What I recommend is for you to keep a hair journal. There are hair measuring instructions somewhere on the forum. (anyone have the link?) You put the measuring tape at your hairline and measure it over the back of your head and down the back. For curly hair many people recommend measuring it wet after the shower so that you can get the most accurate measurement. You should pull the hair down taut through your two fingers, like stylists do when they are trimming the hair. You might need someone to do it for you while you hold the measuring tape.

I highly recommend you measure once a month and write it down in your journal. Also write down any trims you have and how much you trimmed. Then at the end of the year you will know exactly how much length you gained. (growth plus trims).:)

It can be really frustrating with curly hair to feel happy about gaining length since its hard to see length gain. At least this way you will know it is growing and you will be able to rest. :) Or, you will know for a fact if its not growing at all.

[mizukitty]

Hm.. Could be damaged hair breaking off? If it's fine AND curly it needs a lot of care, moisture, gentle handling. You're on the right track with lessening heat use. Though I doubt it would be evenly and routinely breaking off everywhere to the point you didn't notice any new growth. I think you should look into your scalp and internal health. Make sure you're not stressed, eat a balanced diet, sleep well. You can try nizoral shampoo (you can find it at stores like Walmart/Target) to kick start regrowth or something like Monistat if you don't want to use a harsh shampoo. They're both anti fungal and work on the yeast that's supposed to hinder hair growth. No harm in trying! Good luck.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

It might be worth trying protective updos as well. I'm sure my hair wouldn't have reached its current length without them. You might not be used to buns or braids, but you can do so many different styles and try such pretty hair toys. Just look through the Show us your bun thread - so much inspiration there.

[Eylwinn]

Alright, I will start a hair journal to see if there is any progress :) thank you! And yes - curly hair is so frustating since it never seems to grow :(

[Eylwinn]

Oh I live in Europe and that shampoo isn't available :( maybe an alternative would be a hair growth shampoo in pharmacy?

[Eylwinn]

Wow your length is goals! :D @sarahlabyrinth I think I will have to get some confidence and start wearing buns, the point is I don't like my face shape, that's why I always wear my hair down, to frame my face :D

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Wow your length is goals! :D @sarahlabyrinth I think I will have to get some confidence and start wearing buns, the point is I don't like my face shape, that's why I always wear my hair down, to frame my face :D

I don't like my face shape either, but, well, too bad :) We have what we have :)

[lapushka]

Oh I live in Europe and that shampoo isn't available :( maybe an alternative would be a hair growth shampoo in pharmacy?

I live in Europe too. Nizoral is sold in pharmacies here in Belgium. I don't know where you are?

[Eylwinn]

@sarahlabyrinth well I guess :D but what about braids? Regular ones are good too? Because they leave the ends out

[Eylwinn]

I live in Italy. I don't know, I must check at my pharmacy

[Sarahlabyrinth]

@sarahlabyrinth well I guess :D but what about braids? Regular ones are good too? Because they leave the ends out

I find that buns are more protective than braids, because braids do leave the ends out. But braids are still better than loose hair. I wear buns, nearly all the time. Remember that your ends will be the oldest and most fragile area of your hair.

[lapushka]

I live in Italy. I don't know, I must check at my pharmacy

Nizoral (or generic: ketoconazole) is pretty popular all over the world, so they must have it in Italy too.

[Eylwinn]

@sarahlabyrinth Alright, i must start wearing buns then :D thank you!
@lapushka mm ok I'll check it out, ty!

[Katia_k]

I don't have a lot of helpful tips to offer, but wanted to offer my solidarity. I've been here for a year, and have gotten little to no length. So you are not alone. I look at these half-inch a month people and sigh in envy. But I think it just takes some of us longer to really get where we want to go, but we'll get there in the end.

You're doing a lot of my strategies already, but I will third the buns and braids and stuff. I'm not sure if they're helping me out, but I in theory feel like I'm babying my hair more when I keep it up. And when you enter the world of hairsticks, it starts to get really fun, so constantly putting it up feels like accessorizing.

I also don't think you said, but do you use any protective hair coverings at night? That's one area I just upped my game in to try and retain some length, and if it's not helping with length, it is helping my hair feel so much better. I invested in a satin pillowcase, and use a satin hair wrap as well (maybe overkill, but my cat likes to step on/brush my hair with his paws in the morning, so the cap also protects him from me throwing him across the room in my morning-rage).

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Ah, yes, I also use a silk sleep cap, this eliminates sleep tangling for me and my hair loves it!

[Deborah]

You say that you use straightener once a year. Is this a heated tool? If so, it may cause damage that is not allowing your hair to show growth.

[pili]

Satin pillowcase, protective styles and stretching to measure are all really good advice for a curly. It can be hard to see growth when the humidity can shorten your hair by inches.

[Rosetta]

Yeah I wear it down mostly.. :o What are some protective styles? (I don't like wearing my hair in a bun or ponytail :( )
One way to do it, if you don't feel comfortable wearing your hair up in public or it doesn't feel like "being you", is to always wear it up when not in public, i.e. at home etc. :) (I usually do that, also as I like to have my hair out of the way when at home.) That way you can still get loads of the benefits of wearing it up.

[hannabiss]

Rosetta thats a good suggestion :)

[Adelain]

I agree with Rosetta! I usually wear my hair down when I go out but at home it's always up. You can also look for some soft braids with face framing layers, they are in fashion now and look good with every face shape. Oh I'm italian too so if you want you can ask me for products😊

[Eylwinn]

Silk sleep cap sounds interesting, I'll order it now :D
Btw when I'm at home my hair is always up, I wear it down only when I go out :)
@adelain oh yea tell me your suggestions for products, that would be great! :)

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I would say protective styling was the biggest thing for me.
Protective styles keep the hair from tangling, I get single strand knots A LOT and the strands tangle and cause damage, but when its up and out of the way I see less tangles which means less damage.

[lapushka]

I agree with Deborah. The hot tool might be too much, even "just" once a year. Have you got any white dots in your hair? I'd check, because they definitely lead to breakage, and are usually quite far up a strand, making it break off up high, rather than just the very ends. That might be the cause, right there.

[-ttebayo]

My hair is similar I think. Is it really beneficial to wear your hair up in a bun all the time? I've read mixed reviews on that. I did recently purchase hair ties though that don't cause any damage to hair. :) Mine is stuck at bra stap length and doesn't appear to have grown at all since July. Sorry to bring my own issues to your post -- I was just curious about that!

[Eylwinn]

Mm no I don't think I have any white dots in my hair, just a few split ends, but very few :(
What do you think of the invisibobble hair ties?

[lapushka]

They are nice for a low ponytail or for a pineapple (curly girl method), but for a regular high ponytail, I for one need a regular hairtie, as they just don't hold that well, but they don't harm the hair; that's a good thing!

[lapushka]

My hair is similar I think. Is it really beneficial to wear your hair up in a bun all the time? I've read mixed reviews on that. I did recently purchase hair ties though that don't cause any damage to hair. :) Mine is stuck at bra stap length and doesn't appear to have grown at all since July. Sorry to bring my own issues to your post -- I was just curious about that!

Welcome to the forum! :)

[-ttebayo]

Welcome to the forum! :)

Thank you! ❤

[littlestarface]

My hair is similar I think. Is it really beneficial to wear your hair up in a bun all the time? I've read mixed reviews on that. I did recently purchase hair ties though that don't cause any damage to hair. :) Mine is stuck at bra stap length and doesn't appear to have grown at all since July. Sorry to bring my own issues to your post -- I was just curious about that!

Welcome, I bet you love naruto lol I watch it too. Sorry for offtopic.

[-ttebayo]

Welcome, I bet you love naruto lol I watch it too. Sorry for offtopic.

Haha it's only my favorite show! Honestly didn't expect anyone on this forum to recognize where my username comes from. :p

[Adavidal]

I actually found a hair mask that always makes my hair grow faster and mitigates any damage that has been done to my hair. My split ends are practically gone and my hair has grown 4 inches in less than 3 months after I started doing this.

I work with dirty hair and do this the night before I plan on washing. I cut a leaf off of the aloe plant I have in the yard, cut the leave in half and rub the gel and massage it into my scalp.

Then I take a bowl, boil water in the microwave, and place a small glass with coconut and avocado oil inside until it warms through. I apply the oil to all my hair, making sure it is saturdated.

Then i take some lavender or peppermint essential oil and place small drops all over my scalp. I then massage my scalp again, throw it up and then go to sleep with a shower cap and scarf on my hair.

I know everyones hair grows and reacts to oils and treatments differently, but this has worked very well for me lately and it might for you as well.