When you see natural hair queens on Instagram or on TV, you have dreams of having such beautiful, long hair. You see these women twist and curl and manipulate their hair into forms that can only be explained by natural hair pros. They may even be the reason why you decided to start the natural hair journey in the first place. But you’ve been growing your hair diligently for years now but your hair is not mid-back length yet. You don’t know why even though you follow all the instructions the manufacturer wrote down.
You are stuck with the same hair length. You now believe that your hair has stopped growing, the same way people stop growing when they reach a certain age. The good part is, you have a faint glimmer of hope that you are wrong and your hair will still grow. We are here to tell you that faint glimmer is about to bloom bright and beautiful!
Your hair grows about half an inch every month and about 6 inches of newly grown hairs every year. That’s an amazing amount of growth. So why does it seem like it’s not growing? Why doesn’t your hair look like the queens of natural hair on TV and Instagram?
There are a number of reasons why, and we will share some of them with you and how to tackle them.
POOR NATURAL HAIR HABITS
When your natural hair is damaged, it becomes weak and very fragile. It loses its natural shine and fluffy look ends up looking quite limp and dull. Weak and fragile hair is prone to breakage and thinning. With weak hair, you are unable to retain length and have the fullness you desire. There are many poor natural hair care habits that can make your hair become weak.
Using excessive heat. It’s ok to want to try out different styles with your natural hair but using too much heat can make your hair dry and brittle, leading to hair breakage. If you must use heat, make sure your hair is first well-moisturized and stick with the low settings on your device as much as possible.
Using harsh chemicals. Like it or not, there are natural hair products that are not good for your natural hair. Stay away from natural hair products that contain harmful chemicals that can damage your hair. Use a safe range of products such as the African Naturalistas range that contain no harmful ingredients and have been carefully formulated for natural hair.
Excessive styling. Sometimes, all your natural hair wants is to be left alone to breathe. Excessive styling can cause undue stress on your scalp and hair follicles, leading to weakness and breakage of your fragile ends. Wear protective styles and try to keep your hands (and brushes or combs) out of your hair for a minimum of two weeks. There is a high chance of length retention when hair breakage is reduced.
INSUFFICIENT MOISTURE
Hair that lacks moisture is dry and brittle, making it prone to breakage easily. The scalp is incapable of producing enough natural sebum that will cover the entire shaft, especially the ends which are the oldest part of the hair, that’s why you need to help it out a little. Always use a water-based leave-in conditioner such as the African Naturalistas Leave-In Conditioner after washing with the African Naturalistas Moisturizing Natural Shampoo and conditioning with African Naturalistas Moisturizing and Detangling Conditioner. You will be sure of using products that will not strip your hair of its moisture, but rather, you will be boosting your moisture levels and giving your natural hair the moisture it needs.
Invest in a spritz bottle and use a daily mist. The African Naturalistas Daily Mist contains all that your natural hair needs for moisture to prevent dry ends and breakage. It will also leave your hair smelling great.
Drink lots of water. The average adult is expected to drink about 3 liters of water daily. Your natural hair benefits from that internal hydration and reduces the chance of split ends and hair breakage.
HEALTH ISSUES
Sometimes, you may be doing everything right but your hair still isn’t growing or retaining length. The reason may be an underlying health issue. When the body isn’t in good health, nothing functions properly, including hair growth. Hair health issues such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema can lead to thinning hair, hair breakage, and hair loss. The health issues may not be so serious, it could be as a result of vitamin deficiency or hormone imbalance.
All such health issues can result in hair loss. Talking to a professional trichologist can help narrow down the possible causes. Atilola is a trichologist in Nigeria and you can book a session with her here to discuss your hair health.
GENETICS
There are some things that can’t be changed, and one of them is your genetic makeup. We all have hair growth cycles and it differs from person to person. A person can have a growth phase of three years and another will have a phase of five years. The growth phase refers to the length of time it takes your hair to grow before it starts shedding. A shorter growth phase may make you think your hair isn’t growing. But as long as your hair is healthy while following healthy hair tips and your body is healthy, it’s fine to let your hair grow at its own pace.
FINALLY…
It is simply possible that your hair has shrunk. Yes, natural hair is prone to severe shrinkage and this may make you think your hair isn’t growing. You can always do a pull test to assure yourself of your hair growth. Just don’t pull too hard!
Do you think your hair is not growing? Have you tried the tips above? What else did you try and what were the results? Tell us in the comments or send us an email at info@africanaturalistas.com
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