Hair Stopped Growing? What to do When Hair Growth is Stunted. (6 Easy Tips)

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If you’ve ever experienced a growth plateau, you know how annoying and frustrating it can be. Growth plateaus occur when your hair doesn’t seem to grow past a certain length. This could possibly be happening due to practices in your hair care routine. If you are experiencing a growth plateau right now, you may find that hair growth isn’t actually the problem, retaining length is. Your hair is probably breaking off as fast as it is growing and this may be why you are experiencing a growth plateau. Down below we’ve listed a few tips to help guide you through this growth plateau. 

1. Cleanse To Keep your Scalp Healthy

Having a healthy scalp is one of the most important steps in growing your natural hair. Your scalp is responsible for your hair growth. Taking good care of it will help grow your curly hair faster. Shampoo helps to remove dirt and ensures that your follicles don't become clogged. Many people say dirty hair grows faster. We’re here to tell you that's not true. Without shampoo, product build up occurs. A dirty scalp attracts bacteria causing irritation and scalp infection. So remember, wash your hair once a week (with a shampoo), and co-wash in between your wash days if your hair is feeling a little dry! If you're worried that your shampoo may have harsh chemicals such as sulfates and parabens, try Kinky Tresses Avocado Infusion Sulfate-Free Moisturizing Shampoo, it gives a good cleanse without stripping the hair of its natural oils.

2. Scalp Massages

Incorporating scalp massages into your nightly routine is a great way to encourage hair growth! Massage a few drops of hair oil, like Kinky Tresses Nourishing Hair Oil, a few nights a week. This will stimulate blood flow to the scalp and encourage hair growth.

3. Avoid “Over-Manipulating” your Hair 

If your hair growth appears to be stunted, you may be manipulating your hair too much. When styling your hair, keep it simple! Start with two-strand twists and protective styles that can be worn a few times a week. Remember, if your hairstyle is simple, less manipulation is needed! Opting in for simpler hairstyles also helps avoid single strand knots and allows for you to retain your hair length! 

4. Little to No Heat

I am definitely not an anti-heat person. I love straightening my hair occasionally to switch up my look, but the key is to do it responsibly. Not using a heat protectant, passing over sections too many times or having your heat setting way too high can lead to you frying your hair. This can cause heat damage, split ends, dryness and breakage. So, if you are going to use heat, make sure you are prepping your hair with the right heat styling products and try to go long stretches without using too much heat. 

5. Deep Conditioner is Your New BFF

Deep conditioning treatments are a must if you want to retain length. Deep conditioners like the Kinky Tresses Avocado Infusion Restorative Conditioner not only add extra moisture into your hair, but it also helps to strengthen it as well! Pay special attention to your ends, they are the oldest part of your hair so don't be afraid to coat them liberally with the conditioner. It is generally recommended to do a deep conditioning treatment once a week. I’ve found it easier to just do a deep conditioning treatment each wash day to take the guess work out of the process . 

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6. Trim those Dead Ends

Last, but certainly not least, make sure you are trimming your dead ends. Holding on to dead ends only encourages more tangles, which can lead to single strand knots and breakage. Split ends also cause your hair to look more thinned out and stringy. Meaning that if you have retained length, those dead ends will make it hard to notice. Find a good schedule to fit in those trims. We recommend trimming every 3 to 4 months. 

Always remember, hair growth plateaus are not permanent! Take pictures at the start of your hair growth plateau, and check on your hair growth by taking pictures every month. Getting over a growth plateau is a process and it won’t happen overnight. Documenting the little changes in your hair is a great way to understand what is working for your hair, and what you should change! While you may not see a change overnight, these 6 tips should help you in the following months. We hope you enjoyed these tips. For more tips, click here or keep up with us on Facebook and Instagram.