Health

Top 15 Reasons Why Your Natural Hair Isn’t Growing

Top 15 Reasons Why Your Natural Hair Isn’t Growing. Have You Been Asking Yourself Why is my hair not growing? I have done everything to it but it still doesn’t grow.” Worry no more because here you will find solutions to your natural hair growth fast.

Reasons Why Your Natural Hair Isn’t Growing

Imagine you have been natural for many years. You constantly monitor the health and length of your hair. Thankfully, it is growing at a normal rate. But, what if your natural was not growing?

What are some of the reasons that your natural hair is not growing? The reasons can range from thyroid issues to hair maintenance mistakes. Some of the reasons are as follows:

Thyroid
Supplement Abuse
Lack of Iron
Hormones
Eating Disorder
Alopecia
Autoimmune Disease
Dehydration
Lack of Hair Moisture
Friction/Heat
Split-ends
Poor Diet/Exercise Habits
Shrinkage
Wrong Hair Products
Chemicals

Before You Proceed, See This: How To Grow Natural Hair Fast: 10 Effective Ways

Top 15 Reasons Why Your Natural Hair Isn’t Growing

As you can see, there are medical and non-medical reasons why you’re hair may not grow as it should. I will elaborate on these reasons more in detail.

MEDICAL

Allow me to explain what I mean by “medical” reasons for why your natural hair is not growing. A medical reason may require a visit to your local physician.

The treatment can range from prescriptions to counseling, to meeting with a nutritionist. If you believe you suffer from any of these issues, I suggest you see a medical professional. I’m going to give you some basic, “not a medical professional” information.

Consulting a medical professional not only helps with your hair health but also the rest of your body. Buddha once said, “To keep the body in good health is a duty…otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear”.

For me, this good health is from head to toe. After all, you’re hair is a part of your body, right?

THYROID

What is your thyroid? It is a gland in the back of your neck. The function of the thyroid is to create hormones. They also control several bodily functions. That is why it is a serious problem when there is an issue with the thyroid gland.

What issues can occur in the thyroid? There could be a number of problems with the thyroid. You could have a lump on your thyroid, your thyroid may not produce enough hormones (hypothyroidism), it may produce too many hormones (hyperthyroidism), inflammation, or cancer.

How can thyroid issues affect my hair growth? Severe hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can impact your hair growth. It can also be a side effect of some thyroid drugs. You should consult your physician if you believe this is the case.

What is the treatment? If the hair loss is due to hypo or hyperthyroidism, then once it is treated the hair could grow back. I know someone with hyperthyroidism that suffered from hair loss. With an adjustment to her medication, her hair began to grow back.

If it is due to medication, consult the prescribing physician. Perhaps they can adjust your dosage, or prescribe an alternative.

SUPPLEMENT ABUSE

What is supplement abuse? When I talk about supplement abuse, it sounds ominous. Simply put, it is when someone takes too many supplements.

Which supplements can stop my hair from growing? A favorite supplement is vitamin A. Sure, vitamin A is great for eye function. It is even great for hair growth. However, too much vitamin A can lead to hair loss.

What’s another supplement that can stop my hair from growing? Zinc helps with important bodily functions such as preventing hormone imbalance. But, taken in excess, and you will see hair loss rather than growth.

What can I do about this? The obvious answer is, of course, is to lessen your supplement intake. But, you may want to speak with your physician. They can offer alternatives, decrease doses, or refer you to a nutritionist to help with foods that provide the same vitamins and minerals.

LACK OF IRON

What is iron deficiency? Iron deficiency (anemia) is when your body does not produce enough red blood cells. Iron is instrumental in ensuring this cell production.

What does this have to do with my hair? Like other parts of your body, your hair follicles need oxygen that is carried by the hemoglobin in the red blood cells. With an iron deficiency, your hair follicles do not receive the oxygen it needs for hair growth.

What can I do about it? At this point in our discussion, you should know that I’m going to say consult a physician. One of the primary reasons is for a blood test to check for anemia.

If you are iron deficient, the doctor may prescribe medication or iron supplements. You can also add a small amount of red meat to your diet.

If you do not eat red meat, you can also add beans, broccoli, tofu, or spinach as a substitute. If you want something a little sweeter, there’s always strawberries, sweet potatoes, or raisins.

HORMONES

What are hormones? We talked a little about hormones while discussing thyroid issues. As previously mentioned, hormones control many bodily functions ranging from hunger to reproduction.

How does hormone issues impact hair growth? Hormonal imbalances can lead to a lack of hair growth. Estrogen is a product of hormone functions. If you are not producing enough estrogen, it could impact your hair growth.

What can I do about it? Hair issues due to hormones can happen to any women, at any age. If you’re having a hormonal imbalance, then your hair should grow back once this is under control.

Your doctor may provide hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to correct this issue. They may also prescribe birth control pills to help with the hair growth and other hormonal issues.

EATING DISORDER

What are eating disorders? Generally speaking, eating disorders are illnesses concerning preoccupations with food, body image, and weight. It can severely impact a person’s health, both physically and mentally.

How does it impact my hair growth? Not only does an eating disorder ravage the mind and body, it can also have an adverse impact on your hair.

Anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and other eating disorders can lead to thinning hair and hair loss. When you deny the body proteins and nutrients, the body has to prioritize.

Your body is going to push whatever nutrients that are available to major organ functions. Growing and maintaining your hair health is not a top priority.

What should I do about it? Honestly, your hair is not as important as treating the disorder. I urge you to seek treatment so that you can return to healthy eating habits and a healthy you.

ALOPECIA

What is alopecia? Alopecia is just a fancy word for bald.

How does one get alopecia? There are a couple of reasons why black women suffer from alopecia. It could be genetic. If the alopecia is genetic, there are not ways to correct this.

Another way is through bad lifestyle habits like poor eating or succumbing to stress. But there is one type of alopecia that is prominent in black women. That is traction alopecia.

What is traction alopecia? Traction alopecia is the result of hairstyles worn by black women. The application of heat, relaxers, and tight hairstyles that can pull the hair to the root.

What can I do about it? To avoid alopecia, make sure your braids, dreads, and other hairstyles are loose. Make sure you remove braids and extensions in a reasonable amount of time.

Finally, try to minimize the heat and chemicals you use for your hair styles. Also, visit you stylists for these styles. They have the skills to style your hair without causing damage.

AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE

What is an autoimmune disease? Autoimmune disease is when your immune system attacks your body. Your immune system is supposed to attack dangerous foreign bodies, not your insides.

Autoimmune diseases include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. Another autoimmune disease is alopecia areata.

What is alopecia areata? We discussed alopecia. Alopecia areata is when your hair falls out in small patches. It is an autoimmune disease because the immune system is attacking the hair follicles, causing the alopecia.

What can I do about it? If you have substantial hair loss, the doctor may prescribe oral medications or injections to disrupt the attack on your hair follicles. Keep in mind that results may vary depending on the severity of your alopecia. There is even a chance that medication is not effective.

NON-MEDICAL

Honestly, I’m glad to get out of the medical realm and into our non-medical reasons for a lack of hair growth. With medical reasons, there are other things that must take precedence over a lack of hair growth.

Non-medical reasons do not require a visit to your physician. The only place that you may have to visit is your local stylist.

Non-medical reasons that your hair is not growing is usually just developing, stopping or adjusting habits. It’s more about will power and being steadfast in your practices.

DEHYDRATION

What’s the big deal about drinking water? This is just my personal opinion, but the black community does not put enough value on drinking water. Whenever we see our people in ads, it’s for sports drinks or soft drinks.

I know that in my childhood home it was all about Kool-Aid and juice. It’s a habit that is passed down from one generation to the next. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized the importance of hydrating regularly.

What does this have to do with hair growth? When you drink water, you are hydrating the hair and scalp from the inside, out. If you decide not to drink water, that is okay, you are an adult.

Keep in mind that your hair is one-quarter water. If the water is depleted then your hair will not grow, it will break.

LACK OF HAIR MOISTURE

Didn’t we discuss hydration? Now that we’ve discussed hydration from the inside, it’s time talk about moisture on the outside. If you have type four hair patterns, you already know that your hair is subject to dryness.

What happens if my hair becomes too dry? If your hair is overly dry, you will have breakage and split-ends. There’s no way for your hair to grow if it is breaking.

What can I do about it? Oils, moisturizers, and conditioners are great for moisture. You should pay special attention to the ends where your hair can become tangled. This type of maintenance will ensure your hair continues to grow.

FRICTION/HEAT

So friction and heat will stop hair growth? It should come as no surprise that heat and friction will prevent hair growth. Do you remember when your mom left the hot comb on too long, burning your hair to a crisp?

Because your hair is prone to dryness, any sort of heat or friction will make it extra dry, preventing hair growth.

What can I do about it? The obvious answer is to avoid heat and friction. But, this is not always an option. Make sure you use protectants, diffusers, and do not leave heat sources on your hair too long.

Protect your hair at night with scarves or bonnets. Use microfiber towels or a t-shirt for drying your hair.

SPLIT-ENDS

What are split-ends? Split-ends are when the oldest part of your hair (the ends) are damaged and the strand begins to split. A single strand can split in two, or it can have multiple splits.

What causes split-ends? The question should state “what doesn’t cause split-ends?”. Because your ends are so fragile, friction, the wind, styling, or cooking breakfast could damage your ends.

What can I do about it? Split-ends are going to happen to you. To prevent them from doing too much damage, you have to trim your hair regularly (roughly every six months). This will keep the damage to a minimum.

POOR DIET/EXERCISE HABITS

What do diet and exercise have to do with anything? Healthy insides result in healthy outsides. Your hair needs certain nutrients to grow.

Besides nutrients, your hair also needs proper blood circulation to promote hair growth. Both elements derive from a healthy diet and exercise.

What foods do I need for hair growth? Foods with proteins, vitamin E, and antioxidants will help the hair to grow. Eggs, beans, nuts, berries, fatty fish, and avocados are just some of the foods you want to eat.

Exercise??? I’m not saying you have to become some sort of fitness expert. Perhaps you can take jogs or walks. Or, try my personal favorite, yoga. Yoga has a lot of simple poses that help with blood flow.

SHRINKAGE

What is shrinkage? If you have type four hair, you may already know about shrinkage. But if you are not aware, have you ever noticed how your hair looks shorter when it is dry than when it is wet? That is shrinkage.

Your hair may appear shorter, or that is is not growing, but that is just the result of the hair recoiling closer towards the scalp.

What can I do about it? If you want to show your hair’s length, you can always relax it. It’s not my favorite choice, but it’s an option.

You can also flat iron or blow out your hair. Another trick is to twist it. That will temporarily loosen your curl pattern and give you some length.

WRONG HAIR PRODUCTS

Aren’t all hair products the same? Hair products’ uses and ingredients can definitely vary. Some hair products add artificial dyes, scents, and preservatives that make the product smell nice or a better bargain, but do not aid in hair growth.

Those same products can lack essential oils and other ingredients that keep the hair healthy so that it grows. It is important that you do a little research before purchasing hair products.

Which hair products should I buy? I like hair products that are free of dyes, parabens, and other artificial additives. I look for shampoo, conditioners, and styling products that contain essential oils like jojoba oil and proteins.

CHEMICALS

Chemicals? Sure, relaxers and dyes make your hair more manageable and give you a new look. But with ingredients like hydrogen peroxide, you are depleting your hair’s moisture, hindering its growth.

I like my chemicals, so what should I do? The number one thing that may help keep your hair growing is to use plenty of conditioner. It will restore some of the moisture stripped by harsh chemicals.

CONCLUSION

The best thing you can do for your hair growth is exercise patience. If there is a medical reason why your hair is not growing, then once you seek treatment for the issue, that may change.

If the reason is non-medical, then your hair will grow gradually when you change your habits. Whatever the reason, hair growth does not happen overnight, it takes diligence and time.