Hair Growth Rate & Age

[Gwen]

Hello,

This has probably been posted before, but I can't seem to find it anywhere.

I was going through some old photo's the other day and found some of me when I was graduating Grade 12. I had just chopped my hair to my ears! Don't know what I was thinking. Then I found another photo which was taken roughly 2.5 years later in college, and my hair was at waist length! I couldn't believe that I had hair that nice and long. I was probably about 21 or 22 at the time. Mind you, back then I never dyed my hair. I straightened it all the time though, and I really don't remember taking care of it that well: Shampoo & condition, throw in some anti-frizz gel\mousse, and either tied it up or blow-dried and straightened. I had no clue about hair care at the time, never took vitamins or ate my veggies, lol, but somehow I still managed to grow out a bob cut and get waist length hair in 2.5 years.

Does your age affect your growth rate? Just curious if I can still grow my hair to my waist in two years (that's if I don't colour it after I get rid of this bleach). I'll be 31 in August, btw.

Gwen

[hs_atreides]

I think my growth rate is still pretty decent, I have gained an inch average in 6 weeks. My only issue is a slightly thinned hairline--I'm 34. But, that could be due to poor scalp/haircare over the past year and now it's growing in.
I have a SIL with the most amazing thick hair that has ranged from BSL to waist. She has noticed slower growth and she is in her mid-30's.
It seems that as we age we may lose some hair vitality but we gain scalp/haircare knowledge. Lol, maybe it balances out.

[Xandergrammy]

I don't really think age has much to do with hair growth. I think it's more genetics. I'm 55 and my hair is still growing (knock wood)

[Misti]

I don't think it's age, per se. I still have a decent growth rate.

I do think it may be a combination of genetics and overall health.

As we age to and past 30, the bad health habits (lack of sleep, too many recreational substances, lack of exercise, and poor nutritional choices) that we develop as young adults seemingly without penalty, start to show in our overall health, in our skin, and in our hair.

I know when my health is poor, my hair sheds a lot more and looks dull and lifeless, but when I am healthy my hair stops shedding and looks shiny.

[BLove]

Well I take better care of myself and eat better and it has slowed in the past couple of years. I have been blaming it on my age even though I am not that old. When I was a teen I could grow a foot a year. Now I am to about half of that. Still good growth but not near what it was.

[dulce]

I'm 59 and my rate of growth is still the same as when younger,the longest I had my hair was near my tailbone in my 20's.I am getting close to waist and I'm hoping to be able to reach my previous long length.So far so good,except for some gray and minor thinning it isn't that different from my younger days.

[emeraldshade]

I'm 49 and my hair still grows at a rate of 1/2" a month.

[Gwen]

Thank you for all the replies! They reassure me that I have a good chance of acheiving my waist-length goal in a decent amount of time if I just stop colouring my hair and take care of it :)

Gwen

[Elenna]

I'm finding it harder to grow because of the growth-rate per month. The poor quality of hair was due to hair dye, blow drying and harsh products. The quality of hair has improved substantially since stopping all that. Just wish that my growth-rate was faster.

[Firefly]

Agreeing with others-- my growth rate is very good and hasn't changed over the years.

[annieangel149]

these replies are encouraging! im 39 and growing my hair! Im at shoulder length so i still have a way to go :D

[cowgirllong]

My growth rate is not what it was when I was a teenager, that's for sure. Mine may have slowed from stress and not really taking good care of myself in general. I think our growth rate probably does slow after we leave our childhood years behind.

[cowgirllong]

these replies are encouraging! im 39 and growing my hair! Im at shoulder length so i still have a way to go :D

I think if we take care of ourselves and our hair we can grow it at any age:cheer:

[annieangel149]

I think if we take care of ourselves and our hair we can grow it at any age:cheer:


i agree :D:cheese:

[Panth]

Does your age affect your growth rate? Just curious if I can still grow my hair to my waist in two years (that's if I don't colour it after I get rid of this bleach). I'll be 31 in August, btw.

Gwen

I would say potentially, yes, although you wouldn't be old enough for serious detrimental effects.

That's based on my mum who is at terminal and has worn her hair in two english plaits, pinned into loops, for the better part of 35 years... She's in her early 60s now. Her hair was apparently classic / just past classic at its longest (in her mid 20s). She hasn't cut back or changed her routine or her hairstyling. She stretches washes (for weeks), doesn't dye or heat-style, doesn't use damaging hairtoys... And yet her hair is now just past waist.

I blame two things for that. Firstly, generalised ageing - her body will absorb nutrients less efficiently, the blood flow to her scalp may not be so good, etc. Secondly, menopause. Loss of all those hormones is going to have a big effect on all processes in a female body. Hair growth (as observed by the male/female differences in hair) is strongly influenced by hormones.

Anywho, that's why I think that yes it is true but no you're not likely old enough to be affected.

[Misti]

Well I take better care of myself and eat better and it has slowed in the past couple of years. I have been blaming it on my age even though I am not that old. When I was a teen I could grow a foot a year. Now I am to about half of that. Still good growth but not near what it was.

Keep in mind that the damage we do to ourselves with poor nutrition and stress is cumulative, and that what we appeared to "get away with" becomes painfully obvious in our skin and hair as we pass forty. It can take several years of taking excellent care of ourselves to start to see the results in those "seconf and third tier" areas as skin and hair.

Also, I saw a serious slowing of hair growth a number of years ago, only to find out that I have become sensitive to grains (yep, all of them, near as I can tell). A couple of years after I cut grains out of my diet, I started to see much faster growth and much healthier hair again. "Taking good care" can mean different things at different ages.



I blame two things for that. Firstly, generalised ageing - her body will absorb nutrients less efficiently, the blood flow to her scalp may not be so good, etc. Secondly, menopause. Loss of all those hormones is going to have a big effect on all processes in a female body. Hair growth (as observed by the male/female differences in hair) is strongly influenced by hormones.

Hmm. I didn't find that menopause made a big difference in how fast my hair grew. It made a difference in how sturdy it is(n't) but these days, having figured out some of its new needs, I have pretty much the same growth rate as I've had all my life except for when I was pregnant. When I was pregnant, I once went from jaw length to hip length over the course of eight months.

Since the jaw length cut was a betryal by an acquaintance who talked me into letting her "trim" my waist length hair, I was so happy to get that growth! But I am glad it doesn't always grow that fast. ;)

[Xandergrammy]

these replies are encouraging! im 39 and growing my hair! Im at shoulder length so i still have a way to go :D


I started growing my hair out from a super pixie when I was 40!

[jojo]

I dont think growth has anything to do with age. When I was 15 many moons ago, my hair was so abused with bleach and hair driers I am surprised it grew at all. The only thing that sped up my growth was being pregnant. I think too those like on LHC are so dedicated to having healthy long hair that they tend to be treat it better and in all honestly some of the fastest growers are at the mature end of the spectrum. Of course genetics play a huge part too.

[HairFaerie]

Actually, my hair grows a lot faster now (I'm 42) than it did when I was younger. It's a lot thicker. I think it's because I eat a lot better now than in my earlier years. Also, my hormones have probably changed too and that has worked for me, instead of against me in the hair department. Mood swings are another story...:evil:

So, in my experience, hair growth (and thickness) has increased with age. :cheer:

[Annibelle]

My growth rate HAS changed over the years, it seemed... I cut my hair very short through 10th grade, and by graduation it was midback... and, four years later, and without a cut, my hair was only one inch past waist yesterday. So either my length or my age is affecting my growth. I'm much healthier than I was in high school.

[Barbie Diamond]

Mine has always grown very fast (about 9 inches a year) and age does not seem to have affected the growth!