My hair has stopped growing!

[adrowningfish]

Alright, so I'm getting really bummed about this. Can hair stop growing? :confused:

Right now, my hair comes a little over my boobs. It's almost waist length. But it hasn't grown at all (MAYBE an inch or two) in the past 3 years! Not even kidding! :mad:

The thing is, though, if I were to get it cut off, it grows super fast. (Well, not fast, but normal.) But as soon as it gets to the length it is now, it stops! It's so frusterating. My hair is relitively healthy, my hairdresser told me so, so I don't think damage is the problem.

Is this the longest my hair can ever be? What can I do to make it KEEP GROWING? Thank you!!! :o

[mckenzie]

Hi, maybe if you posted a picture of your hair from the back-including the ends, it would be easier to assess? :)

[catamonica]

I tried Original Mane & Tail horse shampoo. In 2010 my hair grew from just past midback to waist. At age 54. It had not grown since high school. I heard about it & tried it. I still use it.
I added two capfuls of olive oil to the shampoo. I read it helps growth, but I'm not sure. But your hair will be softer. I wear it up most of the time. It's grown to hip. And still growing. You can buy it at wall mart, or certain grocery stores, or beauty supply, or order it on line. I hope this helps. I hope you get a little miracle like I did. I hope it helps. And welcome to TLHC!

[Allychan]

Maybe you need to shake things up. Throw in some multivitamins, eat more protein and do some scalp massages?
Also, do you blow dry or straighten?

[red-again]

I'd get some blood work done before any change to your routine - if you start on multis etc and get growth started again, you'll never know why. Thyroid and vit d are two levels to partic request but just general bloods, full range too.
After that, yes maybe try more protein perhaps in the form of whey protein, a prenatal or specific hair, skin and nail vit formula.
One other thing, are you sure you aren't just losing damaged ends? They could keep snapping off giving the illusion your hair isn't getting any longer? Or do you have no regrowth at the roots?

[furnival]

Do you usually wear your hair up to keep it out of the way?

[akilina]

I tried Original Mane & Tail horse shampoo. In 2010 my hair grew from just past midback to waist. At age 54. It had not grown since high school. I heard about it & tried it. I still use it.
I added two capfuls of olive oil to the shampoo. I read it helps growth, but I'm not sure. But your hair will be softer. I wear it up most of the time. It's grown to hip. And still growing. You can buy it at wall mart, or certain grocery stores, or beauty supply, or order it on line. I hope this helps. I hope you get a little miracle like I did. I hope it helps. And welcome to TLHC!
That is such a bummer D: Did you ever find out why it didn't grow at all? I always get afraid that my hair will just stop growing. It is hardly below APL by a few inches.

[adrowningfish]

I rarely straighten or blowdry, maybe once a week? Also, I almost always wear my hair down.

[Bagginslover]

I rarely straighten or blowdry, maybe once a week? Also, I almost always wear my hair down.

Those are quite likely to be your problems, right there. Once a week is pretty regular, and very damaging when using heat tools. I'm not going to tell you have to stop straightening your hair, but it will be causing damage, and so you will be losing ends. Blow drying is the same, though to a lesser degree, also if you brush and pull while drying, this will cause even more damage. Add to that the wear and tear your hair gets by being worn down all the time, and you won't see and increase in length. The fact you aren't seeing any reduction though, is a good sign-your hair IS growing ;)

So, what is your hair like without straightening? Could you cut back on using the irons? Could you stand to let your hair air dry? Or blow dry on cool? wearing your hair up, at least some of the time will also help immensely. There are lots of pretty styles you can try, some complicated, others very simple. These are all things you can do, that will cost nothing, and I'd be willing to bet that if you did, you'd see increased length very quickly ;)

[Kiwiwi]

I wouldn't say once a week is rarely :) To me rarely is once a year ^_^

Well, here are two things that might stop your hair from getting longer. Heat damage and mechanical damage. Try to stop using heat and put your hair up more often to protect your ends.

[jeanniet]

How often are you getting your hair trimmed? You said you have a hairstylist--if you're getting regular trims, you may just be cutting the growth off.

[Alvrodul]

Since you blowdry and straighten your hair, I would guess that your hair hasn't really stopped growing - it is more likely that the damaged ends are breaking off. This is even more likely if you have chemically treated hair (dyed or bleached hair). Or, as jeanniet suggested, all your growth may get trimmed when you go to the stylist.
If you want longer hair, you will need to trim less than you avoid, as much as you can, further damage.

[spirals]

My hair seemed to be stalled at this length when I was younger. I was straightening and brushing. I would see the broken ends in the sink. I never thought about it, but whoever said it's a good sign it's not getting shorter is probably right. Your growth is probably just keeping up with any damage. I wear my hair down all day, every day, but I've seen just over 2 inches growth since I last cut it in the middle of April. It's because I heat-style maybe once every 6 months. And I don't generally brush. I'm convinced brushing causes damage. There are many who would disagree with that, but the heat thing is well agreed-upon. Learn to embrace your natural texture and a whole new world will open up.

[adrowningfish]

Thanks for the tips! I will try to limit hair damage. Is there any way to promote hair growth, besides avoiding damage? And treatments, or products (like the shampoo someone suggested) I could use, as well? :D

[Alvrodul]

I'd suggest that you start with small, simple changes to your routine, and see how your hair likes these. I assume that you feel that apart from not gaining length, your hair is fairly happy?
First of all - your tools. I would strongly recommend that you avoid using heat on your hair altogether, especially that straightener! I would also suggest that you buy some seamless combs for detangling and styling. That is also something that should help with reducing damage.
Also, don't brush or comb your hair while it is drying - detangle before washing, and then wait until it is completely dry before combing or brushing it again, since hair is more fragile when wet.
Always use conditioner! And if you want to try CO-washing, make sure to use a non-coney conditioner.
Be aware of your hair's needs! Healthy hair need a balance between protein and moisture, so you need to be able to recognize what sort of pampering your hair needs.
There is loads of advice to be found here, and a lot of it is quite contradictory, and not all of it will work for your hair. When you want to try something new, pick ONE change, and give your hair 2 weeks. If your hair likes this change, you can incorporate it in your routine, and then go on to try ONE new thing again.

[jojo]

How do your ends look? It sounds to me as if you are loosing length through breakage giving the impression of a false terminal. Try a small trim and then try to keep it up as much as possible, I've had this too in the past, I find a monthly oiling with extra virgin olive oil ( EVOO) or you could try coconut oil, see which your hair likes, helps keep my hair strong, I also started using baby oil just 2 drops on damp hair after washing about 5 months ago, has really saved my ends and allowed me to gain length. Maybe this can help you too?

[Gillian]

I'd say take biotin and get rid of the flat iron. and maybe try keeping your hair up more..in braids and buns, especially at night.

[CurlyCurves]

Welcome to the LHC!

The ladies here have given you great advice. It would also be beneficial if you could post a picture of your ends so we can assess whether or not it looks like terminal or not :-)

[catamonica]

I never did find out why its stopped growing. I think its in the genes. My sister couldn't grow past bsl. But I wish I would have known about the shampoo & putting your hair up when I was younger. It might have been a lot longer. But at least it finally got longer. Your young so You will propably get it real long.

[torrilin]

I rarely straighten or blowdry, maybe once a week? Also, I almost always wear my hair down.

If I did that, my hair wouldn't grow either!

My hair is pretty sensitive to heat damage and mechanical damage, so the last time I used heat on it was um... 2002? 2003? something like that. Before that, maybe around 1998?

No, I'm not kidding. Even once a year is too much for my hair.

The mechanical damage thing also means that if my hair gets tangled, it will break easily as I detangle. So that means wearing my hair up helps a lot. I can't afford to get the huge protodreadlock tangles that my hair is prone to when worn loose. So about 90% of the time, my hair is braided or in an updo. If I wear my hair loose, it can fairly easily turn into a multiple hour detangling job.

Something as simple as wearing your hair in a bun or a braid one or two days a week could probably help your hair grow a good bit. That'd be one or two days extra where you didn't feel the need to heat style :).

[Amber_Maiden]

I tried Original Mane & Tail horse shampoo. In 2010 my hair grew from just past midback to waist. At age 54. It had not grown since high school. I heard about it & tried it. I still use it.
I added two capfuls of olive oil to the shampoo. I read it helps growth, but I'm not sure. But your hair will be softer. I wear it up most of the time. It's grown to hip. And still growing. You can buy it at wall mart, or certain grocery stores, or beauty supply, or order it on line. I hope this helps. I hope you get a little miracle like I did. I hope it helps. And welcome to TLHC!

I don't think hair can stop growing.

[catamonica]

I'm telling the honest truth. My hair was stuck just at past midback until 2009. When I used the horse shampoo, it grew to waist in 2010 at age 54. Now it's at hip.
It has to do with your family's genes.

[spidermom]

I don't think hair can stop growing.

But hair does stop growing; it's a scientifically proven fact. Each hair on your head will reach the end of its growth cycle, stop growing, the root will shrink, and it will shed out.

[catamonica]

Thank you Spidermom for giving that information. I didn't even know that. Where did you find this information?

[pepperminttea]

If I did that, my hair wouldn't grow either!

My hair is pretty sensitive to heat damage and mechanical damage, so the last time I used heat on it was um... 2002? 2003? something like that. Before that, maybe around 1998?

No, I'm not kidding. Even once a year is too much for my hair.

The mechanical damage thing also means that if my hair gets tangled, it will break easily as I detangle. So that means wearing my hair up helps a lot. I can't afford to get the huge protodreadlock tangles that my hair is prone to when worn loose. So about 90% of the time, my hair is braided or in an updo. If I wear my hair loose, it can fairly easily turn into a multiple hour detangling job.

Something as simple as wearing your hair in a bun or a braid one or two days a week could probably help your hair grow a good bit. That'd be one or two days extra where you didn't feel the need to heat style :).

Agreed, my hair was wrecked by mid-back length when I wore mine down and in ponytails everyday, and I wasn't even heat-styling on top.

adrowningfish: It might end up being a bit of a trade-off for you. Which do you want more - 40" long hair, or the length you have now with heat styling once a week and wearing it down all the time? Which would you enjoy more? :)

[adrowningfish]

Thanks! I didn't realize that it could damage my hair so much! I will try to cut out the straightener all together, and wear it up more! :)

Also, some people have asked me what my hair/ends look like, but I don't have many pictures of myself on this computer, so I hope a description will do? It's super, super, super soft. Not necessarily silky, but incredibly soft to the touch. My ends are kind of whispy throughout the last inch, but I have very little split ends (when I'm bored I cut out individual split ends with scissors, lol). Overall, my hair is fairly thick. The underside of my hair can get matted though, if I wear it down for a long period of time.

[spidermom]

For catamonica:
dermatology.about.com/cs/hairanatomy/a/hairbiology

Oh. I don't think that came across as a link; it was supposed to to. Google "the biology of hair".

[gonzobird]

I always wear my hair down ans its in pretty tip too shape. But i am super careful with it and never ever use heat.

[jacqueline101]

Have you tried monistat? Wear your hair up and the mane n tail is good shampoo and conditioner.

[lunalocks]

I was stuck at APL for years. The ends were constantly getting damaged and I would have to trim off what hadn't broken off. I honestly thought I would never be able to get longer than that. I gave up on the wish to have waist length hair. Here are the following things I did to make it to (so far) 2-3 inches past waist with a pretty good hem line, few splits and healthier hair than I have ever had:
No more blow drying. OK, maybe twice a year, on cool.
Mineral oil 2 drops on damp hair, then 1 drop every night mostly on ends. I can SEE how strong this has been making my individual hairs. it also has made my hair tangle free. No longer need to use detangler after washing.
CWC
Wash and rinse hair in WARM water, not hot.
No longer wring dry. I gently squeeze or plop.
No brushing when wet.
Strenuous aerobic dance 3 times a week.
Regular vitamins including b complex and D.
Stopped using cones.
Wearing my hair up on top of my head every night. I use non damaging spin pins. Used to wear my hair in a ponytail all the time. Mega breakage. I took a break from all kinds of elastics, including soft scrunchies, for a year. now I wear one, maybe once a week. Wear my hair up a lot, instead of in a braid or free. (Today it's in a beautiful braided bun. All the bun ideas I have found here are incentive to put it up).
Regular S and D.
Embraced my natural waves.

This is a long list. but I consider my hair this long a miracle and it is so worth making even some changes to see if they help.

Good luck.

[lunalocks]

I forgot to add routine microtrims. about 1/4 inch every 3 months and occasionally 1/2 to 1 inch. Because of this I grow very slowly, maybe 2-3 inches net per year, at this point.