Why doesn’t my hair grow? 4 possible causes and what to do
Why doesn’t my hair grow? It is a question that troubles us especially when we want to have our hair cut that requires a certain length or a spectacular hairstyle and the length of our hair is not enough, or also after having cut it very small and you regret it and are hoping that it will soon grow back but it still doesn’t.
There are several reasons why hair does not grow as fast as we would like or as it should. We must analyze the possible factors and put a remedy to solve this problem and enjoy a long and healthy hair.
Why doesn’t my hair grow? Possible causes
Here we’ll look at the most common reasons why hair doesn’t grow.
1. Genetics
The hair growth cycle is formed by three phases : anagen phase, which is when the hair grows, catagen phase, which is the transition stage, and telogen phase, which is when the hair falls out. This cycle is not the same in all people and it is normally like this from birth.
There are some people in whom the growth phase lasts 2 years and some up to 7 years, and from childhood this difference in the time it takes for the hair to grow can be perceived .
It is time to remember and analyze if you have noticed a slow growth in the length of your hair since childhood. If so, it is likely to be due to genetic issues, and a treatment supervised by a dermatologist could help the process , but it is good to understand that the process will still be slower than the average person. This may be one of the many reasons why hair does not grow at the rate we would like.
Another reason caused by genetics is that if the hair is curly, wavy or very thin, the perception of hair growth is that it does not grow as much , when in fact it may be growing at a good rate.
When hair is curly, inquiries as to why the hair is not growing as much are common; however, to correct this misperception, frequent length checks can be made by stretching a strand and checking to what height the back reaches. Surely, as months go by, the perception that it doesn’t grow will change.
2. Type of feeding
One of the most frequent reasons for hair not growing is that the diet is not adequate. Hair, like the rest of the body, requires nutrients to grow and be healthy .
The reason that hair does not grow due to a bad diet is because the body absorbs essential nutrients for the functioning of the body and vitality, and those processes that are not urgent or are not life or death are “sacrificed” so if you are not taking an adequate amount of vitamins and nutrients in general, the hair is one of the parts that is affected first.
Eating enough vegetables, fruits, proteins and water, are the first step to recover a healthy hair and promote its growth. However, it is necessary to watch that the diet in general is balanced and that the vegetables and fruits are adequate according to the lifestyle and the necessary daily requirements. An incorrect diet can be the main cause of hair not growing.
3. Stress
The body reacts in multiple ways to short or prolonged episodes of stress. Everything that is generated from this has a major influence on the functioning of the body, and the scalp and therefore the hair is no exception.
When we feel stress it is common for dermatitis to develop , sometimes it is not easily visible, but rather than manifesting itself in other areas of the body, it is the scalp that suffers, thus causing a series of disorders, since dermatitis causes excessive irritation of the scalp which in turn leads to an inflammation of the follicles that prevent normal growth. That is why one of the causes of hair not growing is stress.
When it comes to chronic stress, this delay in hair growth can be very evident because an increase in hair loss will also be noticed; however, even in short periods of stress, this process that prevents hair growth can be noticeable .
When faced with a stressful situation, it is advisable to resort to relaxation and mindfulness techniques to balance our mind and body and prevent it from being a reason why our hair does not grow.
4. Age
Another reason why hair does not grow is age . With the passing of time, the body’s processes change, and one of the most noticeable is hair growth.
The age at which hair can stop growing normally is variable, but from the age of 30 an almost imperceptible decrease can already occur, which will become noticeable as the years go by. It is a normal process that must be accepted and helped with treatments and good nutrition, however, we must be aware that around the age of 50, the main cause of hair not growing is age and the decrease in collagen production.
For this reason, it is recommended that you visit a dermatologist to analyze the best treatment to help you grow your hair over the years.
Bibliographic references:
- Shea, Christopher (2011). “Human Hairlessness: The ‘Naked Love’ Explanation – Ideas Market – WSJ”. The Wall Street Journal.