6 Reasons You’re Not Retaining Length

“My hair doesn’t grow” “My hair doesn’t get any longer than [insert length here]” “No matter what I do, it seems like my hair stays the same length”.

 These statements, along with plenty of others, can be found on a variety of hair forums throughout the web. However, they aren’t true. The truth is, hair grows constantly, the average growth rate for any healthy person is ½ inch per month. If you give your hair the proper love and care it needs in one year you can have about 6 inches added to your tresses.

The problem isn’t growing hair, but retaining length that you grow. Ends may be damaged and prone to breakage, so even though hair is growing it appears to be the same length. Here are five reasons why you aren’t retaining length:

1. Not Trimming Your Ends

Our ends are the oldest part of our hair and believe it or not there was a time when our ends were at the top of our heads. This means that they may need more attention and focus than the rest of the strand.

Ends get damaged and worn down over time for many reasons, sun exposure, rubbing on our clothes or just normal manipulation. Perhaps your hair could be damaged from excessive heat or not sleeping with a satin pillowcase*. Whatever the reason, once ends are damaged they cannot be repaired and the only solution is to trim so that the damage doesn’t travel up the hair shaft.

There is no magic product that will restore a split end, healthy, trimmed ends are a fresh start for your hair and increase the possibility of retaining length. To maintain healthy looking hair you should get at least two trims yearly.

 2. Personal health

While the products we put on our hair are important, the things we put IN our bodies are even more important. A healthy diet is key for promoting and retaining length. A great start towards a healthier lifestyle is to simply start incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet.

Some foods that are great for your hair include: salmon, walnuts, and spinach. Not to mention drinking a lot of water is one of the best ways to bring moisture to otherwise dry and thirsty strands. Also, don’t forget to take your vitamins*, biotin* can do wonders for your hair, skin, and nails.

 3. Not Being Gentle

Let’s face it, wash day can be annoying sometimes. Finger detangling can seem like torture, unless you’ve learned the divine art of managing your hair. It’s crucial to be very gentle with hair, even though it may take a little extra time. Using combs or harsh brushes can rip out hair and cause breakage and being rough, or trying to detangle in clumps of wet hair can also be damaging.

Try sectioning dry hair and detangling with olive or coconut oil*. Opt for finger detangling instead of your regular comb or brush. Detangle starting from the ends and working upwards, there will be less breakage, and more length retention.

4. Constantly Using Heat

 Heat damage is real Y’all. Constantly using blow dryers*, flat irons*, or other straightening tools rob hair of its necessary moisture. Over time, the damage becomes more apparent, in that hair always seems dry, frizzy, and ends may become frazzled.

For the natural hair community, heat damage is especially appalling because it can alter the curl pattern. Heat damage may cause more frequent trims, because ends become weaker due to the excessive heat. Heat damage does not go away, especially once it’s become apparent, the only alternative is to grow out the damaged hair and cut it off.

This constant cutting keeps hair from retaining its length so it is better to avoid heat and use other techniques to achieve stretched hairstyles, such as banding, braids, or twists. Opting for styles like these make it so that hair doesn’t become weaker or more damaged over time.

 5. Not Moisturizing or Sealing Properly

 Properly moisturizing and sealing hair is a vital step towards retaining growth, and sometimes it can be underestimated or done incorrectly. A common misconception is that hair can be moisturized with thick butters*. This idea is incorrect, butters* are considered sealants and are used to lock in moisture, not provide it.

One of the best methods for moisture retention is the LOC Method. With this method you apply first a leave in conditioner*, than oil, and finish with a cream. Use these products separately and they may be effective, but combining them will work wonders. Applying your favorite products in this sequence will ensure that your curls stay moisturized all day long.

6. No Protective styles 

This one cannot be applied across the board because some women can retain length without protective styling. If you find that you are not retaining length and you think incorporating protective styles can help, you should try it.

A protective style could be anything from braids, to buns to a weave*. It just depends on your preference, but we know that protective styles definitely is a great way to help you to retain length.

Comment below and let us know how you retain length