March 18, 2014

Hair Growth: What Makes it Stop and How to Make it Start Again

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Long, flowing locks are one of the main beauty goals for most women. Of course, we all want thick, beautiful hair that grows endlessly. But for most of us, it seems like our hair tends to stop growing once it reaches a particular length. But is this true? Is there some scientific explanation as to why our hair stops growing at a certain point?

Hair Growth Facts

According to Elizabeth Cunnane Phillips, a trichologist who studies hair and scalp treatments at the Philip Kingsley Clinic in New York City, hair is genetically pre-programmed to grow to a certain length. “Hair growth takes place in three stages: Anagen, Catagen and Telogen. “Anagen” is defined as the growth phase – my favorite of the three. This is where your hair gains more length even after a cut or trim. During the “Catagen” phase, your hair takes a break from growing longer. Finally, the last and worst of the phases of hair growth is known as “Telogen”. This is where we lose hair through shedding and breakage.”

Read, “Hair Today Gone Tomorrow” by Rashida Beckford, BS, Former Director of Nutrition by Clicking Here!

Stunted Hair Growth Factors

Certain factors, like stressful events and illnesses, can significantly reduce your hair growth and weaken it to the point of breakage. Even your diet can affect just how much hair you grow and ultimately keep. As you get older, it does become more difficult to grow the long, lustrous hair as we did earlier in life. Constant coloring, bleaching, perming, crimping and teasing all take a major toll on your hair’s health.

In a nutshell, yes – hair does have a maximum length that it can’t pass, but that doesn’t mean it won’t still grow. New hair growth happens monthly, but the key to long locks is keeping that new growth intact with a healthy diet and as little coloring and heat treatments as possible!

Men’s Hair Loss Holistic Solutions by Nicole Crane, BS, NTP

Rashida Beckford, BS, former Director of Nutrition for InVite® Health reports, “There are numerous factors that affect hair loss, the rate of loss and the extent of loss. As with any situation, the approach for helping the situation should be holistic (meaning all encompassing), this entails addressing the situation both internally and externally. Several causative factors include: hormonal imbalances, emotional and physical stress, heredity, and illness. Men and women alike share experiences of hair loss due to hormonal imbalances. The most common cause for both sexes is due to androgenic alopecia caused by an increase in the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a derivative factor of the group of male hormones or androgens. Hair shedding is natural, as new hair strands replace old ones, the newer ones being just as strong. In the presence of DHT, however, a chemical reaction will cause the new hair follicles to shrink in size leading to hair thinning. Without the interruption of the antagonistic DHT, this reaction continues to take place, with further thinning and ultimately balding in men and global thinning of the hair in women.

In women, hormonal imbalances due to life cycle changes are what affect hair loss. Women produce a bit of testosterone, but a few are more sensitive to its effects. This grouped with hormonal changes as a result of birth control pills, menopause, and or childbirth, can disrupt the restoration of a healthy mane. Thyroid abnormalities can also be a contributing factor of the hair loss, along with emotional and physical stress.”

Natural Hair Care Options

The beauty and haircare market today offers a large selection of hair products, but many are ineffective or even harmful. Keep extra space in your cabinets and extra spending money in your wallet with natural, safe, and effective hair vitamins, that can help strengthen, shine and reverse damage to your hair. Hair supplements provide protection for the health of the scalp, too. There are many options that you can go down if you are looking to strengthen your natural hair, after becoming damaged.

Adding hair vitamins and supplements to your daily hair care routine can provide great therapeutic benefits, revitalizing your hair and scalp, repairing damage from coloring and heat styling, and giving your hair shine and volume. With certain beneficial nutrients, you can fortify your hair naturally, leaving your hair healthier and looking and feeling more vibrant and soft.

Research has shown that topical applications of essential oils from peppermint, thyme, rosemary, cedar wood and lavender help to increase circulation to the scalp, facilitating hair fullness and hair follicle growth.
Deep conditioning treatments enriched with avocado, shea butter, Vitamin E, chamomile, Sage and rosemary are perfect for dry or damaged hair, controlling frizz and penetrating deep to provide the moisture your hair and scalp needs.
All natural herbal shampoos and conditioners are designed to hydrate and strengthen hair and hair follicles with natural ingredients that provide antioxidant protection for the scalp, as well.