Almost waist length/ hit a standstill.

[Synester]

Trying to get more active into this forum, so forgive me for my constant questions, So in 2013 I had just reached shoulder length hair. By 2015 it was at bra strap length, and now in 2017 i am ALMOST at waist but it has greatly slowed down..I am not TOO discouraged because it took my hair years to move once it got to shoulder length it felt. I wash twice a week. Trim only when needed on my ends (a light dusting nothing inch worthy)

Any helpful tips on how to get it going again?
Supplements?
Treatments?
Ect?

I am all ears.

[lapushka]

Every trim is one too many; meaning it might not be an inch, but when done often enough, you might just very well be stunting your growth that way and that way alone.

How often do you trim? Is it more than once a month? Because if so, then that's too much!

[PrincessAralin]

I personally would switch to S&D method rather than micro-trimming. Assess your diet, if you're short on protein that can stunt hair and nail growth. If it's been cold where you live, that'll be slowing growth down as well - hair grows faster in warm weather than it does in cold.

[Nique1202]

It may be time to sit down and examine your routine for sources of damage.


-If you're still using a blow-dryer on hot, or using a curling or straightening iron, or colouring your hair, consider whether you really need to be doing those things, or if there are damage-reducing alternatives that will work for you

-Wearing your hair loose is a big one, because if you don't sweep it out of the way it will rub against your back as it swings, as well as rubbing on any chairs you sit on, seatbelts, bag straps, etc. Anything your hair touches throughout the day is causing some damage to it, and if your hair is more prone to breakage than to split ends, it can seem to stop growing because of that damage.

-If you don't wear your hair loose, how do you fasten it? The classic elastic is very very damaging over time (just feel one one of these days, and how rough it is). I wore my hair with a no-metal elastic from shoulder length to waist length, and then I got dozens and dozens of split ends. As soon as I stopped using those thread-covered elastics, I stopped accumulating that extra friction damage, and the split ends didn't come back after I trimmed and S&Ded them out. Some people swear by other types of elastics (pantyhose rounds, silk or satin scrunchies, etc) but it might be better to start looking at buns you can fasten with spin pins, hair sticks, flexi-8s, or ficcares. If you wear braids, I'd switch to those small clear elastics (or the coloured versions of them) since they're very very cheap and easy to snap off if they get stuck. Better to sacrifice a fraction of a cent for an elastic than strands of hair.

-Your detangling method may also be causing more damage than you need. Brushing is more damaging than anything, especially if you brush right from the roots down when you start. Tangle Teezers and wide-toothed combs are less damaging for most people, and you should start from a few inches away from the ends, brush/comb downard, then move a few inches higher, comb downward, and so on until you go through the whole length and find no more tangles

[lapushka]

I personally would switch to S&D method rather than micro-trimming. Assess your diet, if you're short on protein that can stunt hair and nail growth. If it's been cold where you live, that'll be slowing growth down as well - hair grows faster in warm weather than it does in cold.

That really depends on the person. I've seen statements going in both directions. :)

[Anje]

You mentioned in another thread that you wear your hair loose and that it's really fine.

Honestly, for many people to grow past BSLish, they need to start wearing their hair in a style that protects the ends. Some of that is because it protects against tangling (and tangles lead to breakage), some of that is because somewhere around APL, your hair is at a length where it rubs on chairs, couches, etc. unless you take steps to prevent it. Chances are, if you look at your hair, you'll see breakage starting roughly at the point where your back touches chairs.

Good thing is that protecting your hair can be as easy as pulling it over your shoulder. I prefer that with a braid. Updos like buns or even just clipped up with a claw clip are even better. Now no one is good at those to begin with. I had to teach myself, but learned relatively young because having hair in my face drove me batty even as a kid. Learned to braid from a book and yarn and lots of practice. Start out by trying things on slow evenings before bed, when you don't have time pressure and it doesn't matter if it looks presentable. It probably won't be good at first, but you'll get better with practice. :)

Oh, and buns frequently aren't comfortable held with an elastic. Standard claw or octobus clip is usually a better choice. I prefer hair forks, Amish pins (which are these stiff U-shaped ones that are used just like they're hair forks), or hair sticks. If you're not ready to invest in those, a sharp smooth chopstick or a pencil (ideally in the 5-6 inch range for most of us) or short knitting needles (especially aluminum double-pointed ones bent into a U shape) are perfectly acceptable.

[Kellwise Gamgee]

I just had a major stall for 6+ months... I finally got past it by doing a few things- stopping the silicone bands on the end of my braid. I only use those flat fabric type ones now. I also wear it in buns more. I also ALWAYS have it up in the car- it catches on the zipper of my winter coat and breaks like crazy!! Just a quick twist around and claw clip takes 5 seconds!
I also started prenatal vitamins again even though I'm never having another baby!! I swear they made my hair grow before.
I've now gotten 1.5" growth since Jan!!
Happy growing!

[queenbee1]

Amazing advice by the people above. I'd suggest caffeine rinses, massages and the inversion method and maybe biotin (these are hit or miss methods) but may really jump start the growth.

[Synester]

I trim anywhere between 4-6 months depending on how my ends FEEL. I get dry dead ends very easily. And I try and keep them from traveling up the hair shaft but stopping them early.

[Synester]

I eat a lot of protein and I live in hot all year round miami florida so Im not so sure if its that, My diet is pretty well balanced, junk here and there but no one is perfect

[Synester]

Yes majorly fine hair about a inch past APL. I blow dry it not daily but fairly frequent. my blowdryer isnt as hot as most and I use heat protectant. and detangle with a widetooth comb and tangle teezer BOTH tug at my hair its ridiculous. Out of all the threads I post it comes back to I gotta learn protective styles so theres no ifs ands or buts about that because i always wear my hair loose. always. its never up unless its in a super lazy low ponytail on my day 2-3 no wash days.

[likelikepenny]

Yes majorly fine hair about a inch past APL. I blow dry it not daily but fairly frequent. my blowdryer isnt as hot as most and I use heat protectant. and detangle with a widetooth comb and tangle teezer BOTH tug at my hair its ridiculous. Out of all the threads I post it comes back to I gotta learn protective styles so theres no ifs ands or buts about that because i always wear my hair loose. always. its never up unless its in a super lazy low ponytail on my day 2-3 no wash days.

You may want to try finger detangling if brushing and combing is too much on your hair.

[Anje]

You may want to try finger detangling if brushing and combing is too much on your hair.

I agree, though finger-detangling took some experimentation for me. It didn't work when I tried to just use my fingers like the tines of a comb! (So don't just try that, OP.)

I found that what worked best for my hair was to sort of pinch a section of hair a few inches up from the ends, and smooth my fingers along it to smooth the tangles out the bottom. Repeat, over and over, until the tangled parts were all worked through, and then sort of organize all the hair with fingers. It's fantastically gentle and effective, once you sort out a method that works and get a feel for it.

[lapushka]

I trim anywhere between 4-6 months depending on how my ends FEEL. I get dry dead ends very easily. And I try and keep them from traveling up the hair shaft but stopping them early.

Then that's not the problem at all, if it's just a tiny dusting 2-4 times a year, provided it's not an inch every time because that can add up to 4 inches, and some people only grow 4-6 inches a year, so that might well be an explanation if you take too much hair.