8. Lack of moisture
Well, this is definitely a major enemy to length retention and hair growth. If you are not moisturizing your hair enough you best believe it will break which keeps you stuck at a particular length month after month. As basic as it might seem, don’t be too lazy to moisturize your ends every day.
9. Not knowing your hair
If you follow hair advice blindly without learning what your hair likes or dislikes then you will never get anywhere with your hair regimen.
You are going to have to get deep down and personal with what’s growing from your scalp until you know it inside out. Who cares that everyone else’s hair gets stronger with protein treatments, if it’s making your hair break then stop using it! Period.
Or maybe you have just realized that the conditioner which worked wonders for your hair has silicones so you move to one that is less effective but (quote unquote)‘healthier’. That’s just silly, stick to what you know works for your own hair.
10. Misuse of styling tools such as combs and brushes
While these tools can be beneficial for spreading natural oils* or hair products along the hair strands or for use during detangling, that benefit dwindles if you use them improperly.
If your hair is of the kinky* curly variety, even if it’s relaxed, then you may be best off using wide tooth combs and brushes that have bristles that are made for detangling your hair type. Never rip through your hair with these tools and do not detangle your hair in a dry state. Remember that naturally curly hair type is susceptible to breakage from manipulation so limit detangling sessions. For extra care, use your fingers to help unravel knots instead of hair tools.
BONUS POINT
11. Watch your protein use
You may need to increase your protein use or lessen it depending on your hair’s needs. Protein is a body building food and the primary component of hair so in that sense you want to make sure your diet has enough to aid new growth, but if you have low porosity hair or are sensitive to protein, you will need to lay off on the hair products that have protein in them.
If you have high porosity strands you will find that you need protein containing products for your hair to flourish. If you don’t know what category your falls into, watch closely to see how your hair responds to products with protein in them and add or remove protein depending on the results. See the video in the tab or link in the description to learn more about the moisture-protein balance.
Bear in mind that your body will prioritize and use it’s protein allowance for more important things like organ repair, healing first before sending any yummy nutrients your hair’s way. If your diet is not ideal, you will notice that your hair and nails will be the first to suffer. Enjoy foods like eggs, lean meat, beans and pulses and other high protein foods while keeping your diet healthy and balanced.
That’s some food for thought. Here’s to applying what you now know. Healthy growing! Find out how to create an excellent regimen to grow your hair to it’s full potential.
BNatural says
Nice article darling!!
Venky says
its good
deb says
You are spending way too much time on the hair care forums, buying too many products and hence over manipulating your hair as you try to work your way through the crate loads of products. You know yourselves!
Isn't this a hair care forum???!!!! WTH?
Alma Ruddock says
I agree, you ladies know yourselves, cant go a day without logging onto BHM and LHCF! But I like to think of this site more as a learning emporium . . .
deb says
I just discovered your site yesterday. It's very informative.
deb says
I do agree with #9 & #11 though. Good piece!
Alma Ruddock says
Thanks!
Venky says
Nice Hair
Talicia Craft says
From not conditioning her properly and too much heat treatment.
Leslie Eyjaflallajökull Berry says
I have the opposite of this problem. My hair grows an inch a month but the ends get damaged so quickly and fray like an old sweater. It sucks.
Michelle M says
I’m nine months in my healthy hair journey, however I noticed in the last month that my hair is shedding more than normal, I beleive it’s because it is been extremely cold. What’s your opinion?
Alma Ruddock says
Yes hair tends to shed more in colder months, it’s perfectly natural. Just ride through it, as long as it’s not breakage don’t worry too much.
Karen Armstrong says
My concern , is Alopecia what can i use?
Marlyn Wood says
Cause my hair stylist keeps cutting it off? New year, new stylist
HeatherTruly BlessedTaylor says
Them wigs will do it! Hair being pulled back too tight & stress! #ILoveCrochetWeaves!
Claudine Woods says
Using too much heat can leave the hair dry and brittle and break it off.
Janet Johnson says
It doesn’t like me.
Esther Williams Jordan says
Mine is growing beautifully. Heat only twice a year for the last year. Yay!!
Raquel Farris says
I have a bad case of graves disease (over active thyroid) for about 14 Yes now my hair has thinned out completely nd I even has lost some. I do not use any realaxers what so ever but my has seem to stop growing nd it is very very dry no matter what I try especially the ends plz help.
Raquel Farris says
I have a bad case of graves disease (over active thyroid) for about 14 Yrs now my hair has thinned out completely nd I even have lost some. I do not use any realaxers what so ever but my hair seem to stop growing nd it is very very dry no matter what I try especially the ends plz help.
Ni-Ni Patterson says
Not knowing what you are doing, no matter what state it’s in…
Pam Hubbard says
simply neglecting the Hair
Tiana Royaltee Glenn says
Hyperthyroidism
Akilah says
Hi Alma. I was reading the part about natural hair not always being a political statement and how relaxers don’t always represent self-hate and I agree with that. I’ve been natural for almost 3 years now, and had relaxers prior to that. I didn’t hate myself or wish I were white, that’s just what I did since an early age because that was just the thing to do. Before I got a relaxer, the thing for me as a little girl was to get braids with beads. At that age, I was young to even have an opinion of myself or anything. We like what we like what we like and sometimes that’s all that is. I chose to go natural because I liked the way it looked, I like to change up my hair, but also, I wanted a more natural lifestyle and I also wanted to connect to my roots on a deeper level (outside of what I’ve already achieve when I had my hair relaxed). The one thing I want to argue is about African women relaxing their hair and how it can’t be related to self-hate because there is a higher percentage of Blacks there than whites to the point where there really aren’t any at all. Just because that may be the case, and because we understand that relaxers don’t equate to self-hate, doesn’t mean that the haven’t been affected by white supremacy. The were colonized by European (white) nations and have been influenced by them. They also, like many other people in this world, watch movies and TV shows and follow music artist that and who promote that ideology that white is better or at least, in the case of the skin bleaching epidemic in several of those African countries, being dark is not good. So they too have cases of self-hate for certain Negroid features, but at the end of the day, for some people, hair is just hair and what ever is done with that hair jmhas nothing to do with making a statement other than, I like this yodat just because I do.
Monique Santos says
Hair does grow it depends on how you care for it.
Shavonne says
None of these mention proper diet/exercise or hydration. That is the foundation of proper hair care…
Vickie Diamondgurl King says
STESS
Aliyah Morrison says
My hair has been growing . I just read this article for tips .
Aliyah Morrison says
My hair has been growing . I just read this article for tips .