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26 Sep, 2017

7 Reasons Why Your Natural Hair Isn't Healthy

By Toia Barry

Have you ever felt like the health of your natural hair was at a stand still? It's a common complaint among women with textured or curly hair. Well, the truth is, unless there's some medical issue that prevents your follicles from producing new hair or causes hair loss, your strands are always getting longer. So what's going on?

Learning how to have healthy hair can be difficult, especially if your hair is naturally dry or curly. In many cases, the issue is that the length you do achieve overtime isn't being retained. In other words, you are experiencing breakage at the same rate.

Here are seven reasons why your hair may not be retaining length. By the end of this article, we hope you’ll be able to identify your problem so you can promote healthy hair growth in the future.

Lack of Moisture

The need for moisture in naturally textured or curly hair cannot be stressed enough. Since the makeup of our hair doesn't allow the natural oils from our scalp to easily reach the ends, we need alternative ways of getting that moisture to the hair shaft. Without it, we run the risk of hair breakage.

Some naturalistas may need a styler and then hair oil to seal. Tailoring this method to your hair's needs will boost elasticity and help prevent breakage. And BINGO! You're retaining your length and promoting healthy hair.

You Don’t Drink Enough Water

It’s also important to moisturize from the inside out if you want to repair damaged hair. I’ve found that those who have issues retaining the length of their natural hair are often not drinking enough water. This tends to show up as dry, brittle hair that’s more prone to split and break. Drinking lots of water, plus making sure you eat plenty of fruit and veggies, will feed your follicles to promote length and reduce the chance of breakage for strong healthy hair.

You Use Too Much Heat

We love the versatility of natural hair — curly fro one day, straight the next. But too much heat too often, especially if not done safely, can also cause hair to be extra dry and brittle. In addition to making sure your hair is well moisturized before heat styling, a layer of protection created with natural hair products like our Thermal & Heat Protectant Spray can give your hair a smooth finish without the damage. You should also be sure to use hair tools with adjustable settings, and choose the cool to medium heat setting as much as possible in order to prevent the hair follicle from breaking.

Your Hand Is Always in It

If you find yourself asking, “Why is my hair not getting longer,” it could be because you’re playing with it too much. Over-manipulation of your hair - whether it's with your hands or combs and brushes - can cause unnecessary stress, breaking off your fragile ends. If you find that you're always touching your hair, try wearing protective styles. Keeping your hair braided, twisted, or in a bun for a week or two will force you to keep your hands and hair tools out of it. No touchy, no breaky! The less your hair breaks, the more length you retain and the less hair loss you will experience!

Genetics

The hair cycle differs from person to person mainly due to genetics. One person's hair cycle can have a phase of three years, while another has a phase of five years before it's time for the hair to shed. So it may simply be that your retention stage is shorter than others, which makes it seem like your hair isn't getting longer at all. But as long as you use the hair care tips above, your hair should be fine at its own peak rate.

You Need a Trim

Trimming your hair to help with length retention may seem like a backwards process, but it's one of the best things you can do for your hair health. Regular trims get rid of nasty split ends and damage that lead to hair breakage. There's no one rule of how often you should trim your hair, but doing so at least once every season - or every three to four months - will refresh your ends and keep them healthy. The more you keep up with trims, the less you'll see damage, and the less hair you'll need to cut. You may even be able to stretch the time between trims as it gets healthier.

Health Issues

If you're doing all of the above, but you still feel like your hair isn't getting longer, then there could be some underlying health issues that need to be addressed. It can be anything from an underactive thyroid to a hormonal imbalance, to scalp issues. Remember, your hair journey can also be an indication of your overall health. If you are experiencing hair thinning, hair breakage, or any other problems with your scalp, it's highly advised to talk to your doctor for further testing. To know for sure, by all means, seek the help of a medical professional!