my hair hasnt grown that much in 3 years!

[angela123]

im really thinking about cutting it.. just to see if it will help it.. i think the lady who cut my hair last messed it up so bad that it just wont grow.. i dont know.. i got the same hair cut i did back in nov 07 (it was an a line bob) and by april 08 it was apl thats how fast my hair use to grow.. well in sept 2009 i got another a line bob and its just now a little below shoulders.. :( its pretty sad and depressing and i just wanna give up... no matter how much i baby my hair.. its not growing.. well it is because i have natural roots showing but its not moving any where down my body.. so that means its growing and just breaking off.. its soooo depressing.. i just wanna cry about it.

[Alaia]

It sounds like something you are doing is damaging your hair and, yes, causing it to break off (or fall out) almost as fast as it is growing. Also, 1.5 years probably equals about 9" of growth, depending on your growth rate. I don't know how much it's actually grown but it sounds like it could be anything between 4" and 8".

Are you blow-drying your hair? Using hair-dye and not compensating for it moisture-wise? Dying too often? Using harsh shampoo? Brushing with the wrong sort of brush?

Ultimately everyone is different, but there is certainly something in your routine that is stopping your hair from growing. It may not grow as fast as it did before and progress isn't always measured by length, but by the health of your hair.

:)

[starbucksaddict]

I agree with Alaia, maybe you should change something up in your routine? there must be something that isn't letting it grow.. good luck!

[Mesmerise]

If the problem is damage, then cutting it off is really the only way you can help it. If you have regrowth, then I'm assuming you've got dye or something in your hair? It's possible that it's just too damaged to get substantially longer while the dye is in there.

I would start by cutting a small amount off each month to see if that helps with your ends. If you cut at about half your growth rate, you should still see growth. When was the last time you had a trim? If it has been awhile, then it's probably a really good idea to get those ends off.

[einna]

What Mesmerise said =) Hope you work it out!

[jojo]

agree with Mesmerise

[Roscata]

well it is because i have natural roots showing but its not moving any where down my body.. so that means its growing and just breaking off.. its soooo depressing.. i just wanna cry about it.

*big hugs* I'm sorry your hair is making you upset. :(

If your hair is breaking off there are ways to help it out. If I were you I'd read these articles and change my routine accordingly: Damaged Hair: Understanding, Preventing & Rehabilitating (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79)
Keeping Split Ends At Bay: Secrets of Gently Handling Your Hair (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=8)

Good luck! :D

[silverjen]

I'd take a hard look at your routine, and figure out if anything you are doing is causing damage. Damage is generally caused by heat (blowdrying, straightening, curling), chemicals (dye, bleach), or mechanical stress (rough brushing, barettes with sharp edges, ponytail in the same place every day). If you can eliminate those from your routine, that will really benefit you in the long run.

Unfortunately, your hair may be breaking off from damage you did years ago, and there's not much you can do but grow it out and trim it off. I feel your frustration! :flower:

[growingpains]

Also, if you do have pre-existing damage, even if you treat your hair well now, you've gone a long time between cuts and a trim sure wouldn't hurt.

I personally am growing out damage and to retain length I need to get a micro trim AT LEAST every four months.

I think you should take others advice, but also consider getting a trim and nothing more. If it still doesn't grow then cut more.

Also, are you sure your hair is breaking? If your hair is breaking you will notice it. You will have white dots, splits and pieces that break when you comb hard.

One more thing, regarding how your hair is cut. If the individual hair strand is cut on an angle, as are many popular hair cuts and layers, then the integrity of the hair will be compromised in the long run and you will have damage. If you cut each hair at a blunt angle then you will have better luck growing probably. It's possible the last hairdresser cut you on an angle and you didn't even know cause how the individual hairs are cut is not the same as how the hemline is cut.

[spidermom]

The linked articles should help a lot. Most of us arrive with damage. I had been using curling irons and a flat iron and had 6 inches of dried out straw. I didn't see much progress until I cut that 6 inches off; first a 1-inch trim (which didn't help a lot), then a 5-inch whack. Following the 5-inch cut, my hair grew 1-1/4 inch in 3 weeks. Growth has been fair to good ever since then, although I gave up about 7 inches in March after a year of no trimming and a trip to the Caribbean. Those inches were beyond rehabilitation.

Don't be afraid to cut back when your hair really needs it, but try some treatments first.

[angela123]

i dont use heat anymore.. i wear my hair up all the time if i dont have gel in it to make my curls defined.. i know for a fact its breaking off.. i have roots showing but inches dont change... cwc. with tressemee moisture rich shampoo and condish.. i have to use cones.. sorry.and it really has put moisture back in my hair.. its what i used back in the day.. so im hoping the poo and condish helps some..i dont really wanna chop cause ill prolly be freaked out and regret it as soon as they cut.. i was thinking about doing a bob.. atleast all my hair will be in the same length... my hair was sooo short in 09 i could spike it in the back! haha

[bahoban]

gel = alcohol

[angela123]

thats not hurting my hair.. i used the same stuff when i had long hair and it was fine.. everyone at my school was jealous of my hair and curls..

[angela123]

ugh this is so depressing!!!!

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/18338_414304240607_508355607_10596681_4215284_n.jp g

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/40125_10150323202950608_508355607_15831996_1775702 _n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/18338_414304320607_508355607_10596693_1661980_n.jp g

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/18338_414304295607_508355607_10596689_3802880_n.jp g

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.414282000607.370461.508355607#!/photo.php?fbid=414304270607&set=a.414282000607.370461.508355607&type=1&theater

[MrsGuther]

im really thinking about cutting it.. just to see if it will help it.. i think the lady who cut my hair last messed it up so bad that it just wont grow.. i dont know.. i got the same hair cut i did back in nov 07 (it was an a line bob) and by april 08 it was apl thats how fast my hair use to grow.. well in sept 2009 i got another a line bob and its just now a little below shoulders.. :( its pretty sad and depressing and i just wanna give up... no matter how much i baby my hair.. its not growing.. well it is because i have natural roots showing but its not moving any where down my body.. so that means its growing and just breaking off.. its soooo depressing.. i just wanna cry about it.

Sorry you're feeling depressed about your hair. Hang in there! Evaluate your hair care routine, and try changing one thing at a time to see what helps. Do you heat style? A flat iron/curling iron/blow dryer or a combo of the three are the worst culprits for causing damage, along with chemical hair dye.
Sending well wishes and hugs your way!

[angela123]

thanks girl.. no i gave up heat and dye!

[gthlvrmx]

I wish i could really help! I know it is extremely frustrating when it just does not seem to grow and you are trying your best. But if the hair isn't showing it, maybe it is the routine. Try using a new conditioner. I know for a fact my hair grows faster with the right amount of moisture. Too much protein and cone causes shedding and breakage on me.
Just know it IS growing. It has to, that's how hair is unless you're balding like a man i think..:p It'll be ok :)
Your body and hair changes over time and you can't always use the same stuff forever. Garnier was fine for me before, but now it really isn't. I changed it and voila! My hair looks and feels like when i first started Garnier but even softer and with a more natural feel.
Could be that?

[gthlvrmx]

i dont use heat anymore.. i wear my hair up all the time if i dont have gel in it to make my curls defined.. i know for a fact its breaking off.. i have roots showing but inches dont change... cwc. with tressemee moisture rich shampoo and condish.. i have to use cones.. sorry.and it really has put moisture back in my hair.. its what i used back in the day.. so im hoping the poo and condish helps some..i dont really wanna chop cause ill prolly be freaked out and regret it as soon as they cut.. i was thinking about doing a bob.. atleast all my hair will be in the same length... my hair was sooo short in 09 i could spike it in the back! haha
If the cones work, then they work for you. But i've read that cones are synthetic oils, and like them, can build up and block moisture from entering the hair. So it'll feel smooth and all, but can also be breaking off at the same time. Moisture in hair i think can only be found as water, natural need for our body. Maybe trying a good cone free conditioner might help?

[Elenna]

If you are not using heat appliances then how about changing your shampoo and conditioner?

Are these the ingredients in your shampoo: Water (aqua), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Polyquaternium 39, Quaternium 22, Polyquaternium 10, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract (Sweet Almond), Corylus Avellana Leaf Extract (Hazel), Helianthus Annuus Extract (Sunflower), Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Foeniculum Vulgare Fruit Extract (Fennel), Citric Acid, DMDM Hydantoin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ammonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Fragrance (parfum).

SLS is a very harsh cleanser. Several of the ingredients listed are preservatives.

You didn't say that you used any kind of deep moisture treatment or pre-shampoo treatment either.

[templeofvenus]

I am going to suggest that maybe it isn't your routine etc maybe its lack of vitamins? thyroid issue? sometimes its best to look at the bigger picture as internal things can have an impact on hair ....... have you changed your diet? gone on contraceptive pill? started smoking? swimming (chlorine in pools can dry hair out badly) all of these things can alter hair thickness, growth rates etc

just a suggestion? :confused:

[alwayssmiling]

Little tiny trims that are less than 1/4". Moistuirize like crazy, lots of leave in conditioner. Definitely consider loosing sls shampoo (bodyshop do a lovely natural one). I see you are quite curly have you tried CO - could you try it again?

My hair has taken a year to start growing again after I bleached and flat ironed, even though I can see rapid growth at my roots. Frustrating I know. BTW your hair looks very nice in your avatar.

[angela123]

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=7571&pictureid=102591

this is my mini goal length by the way!

[cowgirllong]

Breakage is annoying! And frustrating. A few months ago, I broke down and went and got a trim. Now I no longer have a sink full of little bits of hair breaking off every morning. I trimmed because I finally realized it was the only way my hair was ever going to gain any length. In my opinion, that is probably what is happening to your hair. Damage will go right up the hair shaft into the new hair that hasn't been mistreated. If you have a ton of split ends or you can see the broken bits when you comb or brush, get a trim.

Hope you figure it out and start gaining some length!

[GuardGirl]

I'm sorry to hear about your misfortune. Not sure how your problem can be solved but I hoe you find a workable solution soon. Good luck!

Oh, and since I am notoriously the "Protein Pusher"~ I had a huge postpartum shed last year and after I started adding two protein shakes a day to my otherwise healthy diet, my hair has not only regained the shed hairs but increased to thicker than it was before. It also grows MUCH faster now. Maybe a protein boost in your diet would be enough to help you grow faster than its breaking. :)

[celebriangel]

thats not hurting my hair.. i used the same stuff when i had long hair and it was fine.. everyone at my school was jealous of my hair and curls..

How do you know? It's a good suggestion. There are plenty of LHCers who use Aloe Vera gel to the same effect, and a lot of them say it works even better than gel ever did. Do you brush or wash it out? If the gel causes "sticking" like hairspray, then brushing it out will do horrible things to the cuticles of your hair, I think. See Nightshade's article on damaged hair.

Also, just because something worked well in the past doesn't mean it still will. I've heard lots of people say that their damaged hair required totally different treatment and products to stay looking okay.

Even if you don't intend to give up cones, I would do a clarifying wash followed by a coneless conditioner just once, so you can assess the real quality of your hair underneath the smoothing, protective layer of cones. Cones are great, but you may not get an accurate read on how your hair looks if you never see it without (and the difference is striking!) so at least, if you see damage for that wash, you will know why your hair is breaking.

Then you could do the stretch/snap test with a few shed hairs. I often think that deep moisture and protein treatments do my hair much more good when there's not a layer of cones on the top (which seal moisture and other goodies out as well as in), so you could clarify, do a cassia treatment, rinse with a conefree condish, then do an SMT directly aterwards (more conefree condish in that), then take another look at your hair.

If *that* treatment doesn't save it, then it was beyond repair and needs cut off. Sorry to be brutal. However, most likely you can save your hair. Once you've done this regimen - it's a bit hardcore, I know, and will likely take up half your day, but I think almost anyone's hair can show marked improvement with this sort of angle.

I'm not trying to get at you for your decision to use cones - lots of people love them - but even coney people mostly keep some conefree in their cupboard, either for rinsing out cassia/henna or for getting out deep oiling treatments or for SMTs or for their first C in CWC to help prevent buildup, etc.

Then perhaps you can tackle the cause of your damage. The gel is suspect, but it may be that your hair just couldn't handle any more dye. Maybe the last dye you used was a formulation that just didn't agree with your hair, or something. How is your virgin hair looking?

I wish you the best of luck, and I'm so sorry to hear this is getting to you. In your position, I would likely get a cut, so don't feel like you've "failed" or "given up" or anything if that's what you decide; a fresh start can often be a great thing for your hair. However, to feel best about that decision, you might want to pursue every option you can to save your hair before you do that.

[SpeakingEZ]

Do you use oils at all in your routine? This is why I'd also suggest dropping the cones for a little bit as a few people have already said. You hair might really benefit from a few deep oilings, which won't be nearly as effective if cones are coating your hair.

I also have to agree with celebriangel about the gel. How things affect hair can change over the years, especially if the hair is damaged or is weaker for some internal reason, etc. I used to spray perfume into my hair on a daily basis when I was in high school and had hip-length hair. Now, if I did that, it would snap off in my fingers.

I think as we get older our hair can become weaker just because of biological and lifestyle changes at each stage of life. I'm about the same age you are and my hair is drastically different from what it was just 5-7 years ago. My metabolism has already slowed down and my diet has changed, both of which make my hair grow much more slowly.

What you have the remember is that as far as your ends are concerned, it doesn't matter what you're doing internally RIGHT NOW, it matters what you did when that section of hair was coming out of your head. So, I have to look at about 2 years ago and ask myself how was I honestly treating my body at that point? And I'll have a good answer as to why my ends aren't as strong as my more recent growth.

[lesbia]

I think you should cut off all the breakage, then start to deal with your hair as silk. I mean you should avoid EVERY-EVERY bad things in your routin, you should just take care of them patiently and in EVERY moment. If you haven't any brekage your hair have to grow, even if very slowly, they will grow! You just need sooo many patience, also my hair grow very slowly (about 10 cm at years :( ). Remenber that if you cut yor hair, if you change idea and if you want they long again, you have to start from the beginning! Be patient! :)