Question about hair growth

[mizsunshyne]

Is the rate of growth constant? I know it has it's "off" times, but when it's growing, is that rate the rate it always grow at? I ask because I've never measured my hair before. I joined Sept 1st and measured my hair at 18 inches. Now a month later, it's at 21.5 inches.

I could totally hit my goal in no time at this rate! haha

Pickies:

September 1st 2010:




September 30th 2010:

[jojo]

Well on average hair grows 1/2" a month and normally quicker in summer. For me however, i get my best growth in winter and unless I take my vitamins I am lucky if I get 3" a year!

Lots of things can cause slow growth, breakage this can give the illusion that hair is not growing, when in fact it is but is breaking as fast as it grows. Stress also is a major problem in causing slow growth and medical conditions such as hypothyroisism and anaemia just to name 2!

As long as you keep hydrated and are nutritionally healthy growth should be steady, it is normal to have month (s) where hair stalls, this is normal and growth will re-commence as long as your not at terminal length.

Also one last thing, I find photos more consistent to measure growth, as a tape measure can lie, just by dipping or raising your head can add or reduce an inch!

Ive probably missed stuff out but hope its of help for you, BTW your hair looks lovely.

[Igor]

It’s not really that simple to answer. A lot of people experience seasonal difference in growth, but from a poll here, it seems most people have a stabilised growth.
Also, you will find lots of theories and experiences with hair hitting “plateaus” where the growth stalls. I think mid back- stall seems common on LHC? Some “experts” also have theories that certain ages will cause the growth to stall or some ages (length) of the hair will have the same effect.
Personally I think individual hairs have micro-spurts. If you observe eyebrow hairs, they seem to burst out of the skin instead of growing 0,001 mm (Or what the number is?) a day

[mizsunshyne]

Thanks for the info. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism two months ago (waiting on another blood test to see if I should start meds, so I'm guessing it's mild? Anyway...) I was really worried about not being able to grow my hair. But even from the pics, it looks better and a bit longer than it did a month ago. So I guess it's just another unexplainable thing!

[Othala]

I think individual hairs grow at different speeds and each hair is locked into it's own, personal cycle/trend.

Add to that other factors such as erratic quality of diet, hormonal fluctuations, seasonal changes and even mental stress - and it becomes unlikely that hair grows at a set rate.

[redneckprincess]

im wondering if you measured differently each time?

[mizsunshyne]

I guess I must have. I don't think it can be too off though, because I keep my head as straight as possible then cut a piece of yarn to my length and then measure it. ahh, I don't know...

[JenniferNoel]

My hair does not grow consistently. It tends to go through spurts and stalls more often than the average person, I'm very sensitive to "seasonal" growth impacts, and I travel from south to north regularly, and I'm sure the climate change and activity level has a lot to do with it. Plus genetics.
But then, of course, you could in fact have measured it a little bit differently each time.

Think about your exercise level, diet change, stress, weather, etc. Any significant changes?

[Deborah]

Probably you have a pretty fast growth rate. Good for you! Most have hair that grows more slowly, but some of us have speedy growth.

I think hair growth is like body growth, it goes in fits and starts. Children grow more or less steadily, but it is apparent that they sometimes have huge growth spurts as well. (A little girl in my church grew 11 inches this past year! Did her friends? No. Hopefully they will catch up some day.)

I doubt that hair growth is quite as unpredictable as that, and adult hair growth is probably less dramatic, but I think it varies some.

[spidermom]

It seems that everybody is a little different. My hair grows fastest mid-spring to mid-fall and slowest in the winter.