Do you ever feel like your natural hair isn’t growing? It seems like that long healthy hair we all dream of is far out of reach. But the truth is, you’re closer to having longer hair than you think.

Hair growth is involuntary. That means new strands are sprouting from your scalp every day without your effort! So if your hair is growing, what’s the problem?

Here are my 8 TOP reasons on why your hair isn't growing…

HAIR BREAKAGE

If your hair is shedding at the same rate it grows, it's easy to think it won't grow past a certain length. Excessive hair shedding is called hair breakage. This happens when your hair is damaged or dry and brittle. Hair breakage is often due to harsh styling, and over manipulation. I’ve found that the most common cause of hair breakage is lack of moisture.

LACK OF MOISTURE

If your hair is not retaining moisture, it's not retaining length. To Properly Moisturize Your Hair, you must know your hair porosity. Your hair porosity can help you find the best hair moisturizers for your hair type. Always Look for these 4 KEY ingredients in your hair moisturizer:

Emolients-shea butter, Grapeseed Oil, olive oil, cetyl alcohol, Cetearyl alcohol
Humectants-glycerin, agave nectar, honey, propanediol
Hydrosols-aloe vera juice, water, rose water
Anti Humectants-avocado oil, shea butter, beeswax

i spent over 3 years developing my homemade hair moisturizer with the perfect balance of these 4 gEMS. Since I’ve transitioned to using homemade hair products, my natural hair has now grown to tailbone length, so it was worth it 😉 .

Here’s how I keep my hair moisturized and retaining length:

On wash days or if I’m doing a protective style, I always

1. Spray My hair with water throughout the styling process- this allows Your hair to recieve optimum levels of moisture!

2. Apply a generous amount of my natural homemade hair moisturizer to condition and soften my strands. This moisturizer is packed with my top hair growth oils, which keep my hair from getting dry

3. Let my hair air dry, and done!

NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER

We hear it a lot, but how many of us actually drink our recommended intake of water on a daily basis? To determine how much water you need every day, experts recommend that you take your weight and divide it by 2. Whatever that number is in oz, that’s the least amount of water you should consume by the end of the day.

For example, 130 lbs / 2 = 65 oz water a day.

Remember your hair is like a plant, so treat it like one. Feed your hair with nutrient rich oils and butters, and hydrate it with water, aloe vera juice, or rose water.

Try This: Use warm water to open your hair cuticles before applying your hair product. This allows your products to penetrate deeper into your strands!

YOUR HANDS STAY IN YOUR HAIR

I know, I know… a poppin Wash And Go, or a bomb twist out is nearly impossible to touch. But if you want your fro to grow, Or Your twists to hang past your shoulders, you’ve got to keep Your hands out of your hair. Your hair Naturally sheds between between 50 to 100 hairs a day. By touching it too much, you may Be Causing Excessive hair Shedding- A.k.a Hair breakage! To prevent over manipulation, try protective hair styles like braids, twists, or buns. As long as your hairstyles are low tension and easy to preserve throughout the week, you're good to go!

YOU’RE USING HEAT TOO OFTEN

Heat styling tools like blow dryers, or straighteners, can have many negative effects on natural hair growth. Excessive heat styling often leads to split ends, dryness, and dull hair. To protect the health of your hair it's best to stay away from heat as much as possible. To avoid heat damage, use hair moisturizers, overnight deep conditioners, or thermal heat protectant hair products.

POOR DIET

If you still feel like your hair isn’t growing, health issues you’re not aware of could be the answer. Your hair needs vitamins and minerals, just like Your body does. Nutrients like B12, zinc, iron, or protein, are all necessary for hair growth. When your body isn't getting the proper levels of these vitamins, it may lead to excessive hair breakage, and dry brittle hair.

GENETICS

Have you ever heard of a hair cycle growth phase? It’s the period of Time your hair has to reach its’ Maximum length. Signs that you’re at the end of your hair growth cycle could be split ends, or shed hair. The cycle usually ranges between 2-6 years, and your genetics are the main determining factor. To maximize your hair growth potential during your cycle, try Developing an effective moisture & length retention routine.

SHRINKAGE

Define Deception…Shrinkage!

Seriously though! Shrinkage can Fool you and others from how long your hair Really is.

If you’ve ever seen a tWA (teeny weeny afro) transform into a 25 inch blowout on Instagram, you’ll know what I mean.

Many of us try to fight natural hair shrinkage, while some of us embrace it. Whatever you feel about shrinkage, don't let it trick you. To track how long your hair is growing, try taking hair selfies every once in a while. You can also set dates to measure the length of your hair over time. Often times it only seems our hair isn’t growing until we look Back & see how far our hair has come!

are any of these reasons Why Your Natural Hair Isn't Growing?

Do You Have A Current Moisture & Length Retention Routine? Which Of These Hair Care Tips Will You Try to Retain Length?

8 REASONS Why Your Natural Hair ISN'T Growing