Why Your Hair Won't Grow

You’ve been growing your hair out since forever, but it still doesn’t seem like you’ll reach your target length soon. Why is it that it seems like your hair simply won’t grow? Could you be doing something wrong, or are you just cursed with having this length of hair for all eternity?

Don’t worry, we can bet that you’re not cursed with anything at all! In this article, we’ve included the top the reasons why your hair won’t grow, or at least, why it appears not to.

1. Poor diet

One of the most common reasons for stunted hair growth is poor diet. If you’re always eating processed foods, salty chips, and carbonated drinks, your hair, as well as your body, won’t be very healthy either. You have to make sure that your diet is nutritious enough if you really want to see the effects on your strands.

2. Bad lifestyle habits

We won’t judge you for your lifestyle choices, but if you’re out partying every night, drinking like a fish and smoking as many sticks as you can, then don’t be surprised if your hair is looking pretty lackluster. Like it or not, your lifestyle, whether it’s the healthy kind or the not-so-healthy kind, is reflected in how shiny and beautiful your hair is.

3. Wrong products

Some products are a match made in heaven–others, not really. Ideally, you should find products that perfectly match your hair type and hair condition. For instance, if you’re using shampoo and conditioner for normal hair, but your hair has been rebonded or permed more times than you can count, then you probably won’t be able to see the best possible effects on your strands. Make sure to always use a product that’s formulated for your hair type. Doing this allows you to reap as many benefits as possible.

4. Too much heat styling

Heat styling tools may be an amazing way to get salon-perfect hair from home, but don’t overdo it. Using these tools day in and day out is a surefire way to get stunted hair growth. Heat is your hair’s biggest enemy, since it’s that easy for our strands to become dehydrated. The more you use these tools, the weaker your hair becomes, which makes it much more prone to breakages and damages.

5. Medical issues

Sometimes, the reason why your hair won’t grow is not due to your own doing at all, but due to medical issues. This includes medical conditions, symptoms of diseases, hormonal imbalance, and even medication side effects.

Medical conditions

Alopecia areata

The most common and most well-known medical condition that causes stunted hair growth and even hair loss is probably alopecia areata, also known as simply alopecia. 

While there are a few different kinds of alopecia, in general, people who suffer from this condition experience some sort of hair loss, especially on their head. This condition still has no cure as of the moment, sadly. But a lot of people have also experienced it clearing up without warning after weeks, months, or even years. There are also many methods to combat the hair loss brought upon by alopecia, both natural and artificial.

Telogen effluvium

Telogen effluvium is not as commonly known as alopecia, but it’s another medical condition that causes hair to literally stop growing. 

In a previous article, we discussed the different stages of hair and how the anagen phase, the active growing phase, lasts for years, right? Well, with telogen effluvium, strands in the anagen phase will suddenly be forced to go to the telogen phase, or the phase where hair stops growing. Due to this, as many as 70% of hairs could fall out in as little as two months.

Hormonal imbalance

Some conditions cause hormonal imbalances, which can also cause stunted hair growth or hair loss. Pregnancy, menstruation, menopause, and childbirth in women are some of the most common reasons for this change in hormones.

Medication

Stunted hair growth could also sometimes be caused by medication used to treat unrelated disease or condition. 

For example, it’s not uncommon to see people suffering from arthritis, hypertension, and heart problems to experience hair loss. This is because the medication used to treat those often have that side effect. Many cancer patients also lose their hair because chemotherapy drugs and radiation therapy can greatly affect the hair follicles.

In the next article, we'll discuss the factors that determine how fast your hair grows. Don't forget to check out the ZALA blog!