Why is my Afro Hair not Growing?

March 21st, 2023.

Why is my Afro Hair not Growing?

Why Your Afro Hair is Not Growing

Your afro hair is one of a kind, and it must be understood for it to thrive. Except you are suffering from hair loss, afro hair, like other hair types, grows at a rate of roughly 6 inches per year. Hair growth, health and length retention is not just about what you apply on the outside but also what you consume on the inside.

This topic will be discussed in categories so you may use our table of content as a guide for your reading:

Your Hair Care Routine

The first step in taking care of afro hair is establishing a simple routine that fits your schedule and lifestyle. Knowing what works and doesn’t work for you will be simple if you have a fuss-free routine. This is because when something goes wrong, it can be challenging to recognize what has to be addressed if you do not follow a planned out routine.

For many people, developing a hair care routine might seem overwhelming. Many hair videos on YouTube advise taking an entire day off every week to wash your hair and spend hours styling it. If you want that, you can do so by all means, but it’s not required! With a straightforward routine that works with your lifestyle schedule, you are more likely to be persistent and experience improvements in the health and growth of your hair.

The simple approach we recommend is to wash, condition, style, and repeat.

Your Products, Techniques and Tools

Once you decide on a hair care routine that is convenient , the next step is to determine the appropriate products for your hair. Good quality products are essential for healthy hair, hair growth and length retention. Some products have general benefits for all hair types, and some need to be selected based on your hair type and specific hair care needs.

Hydrating your hair
We advise washing your scalp with shampoo every 7 to 10 days. Concentrate on gently massaging the shampoo into your scalp in a circular motion to loosen debris and increase blood flow to the scalp. A clean, stimulated scalp promotes the best hair growth. Follow this routine with a rinse-out conditioner or deep conditioning treatment with enough slip to make detangling easy.

Moisturising your hair
Low moisture is a big factor that contributes to the fragility of hair. Afro hair is prone to what is known as frizz , which makes it more brittle and more likely to break. The key to hair protection is keeping it moisturised and tangle free with good quality products containing emollients, humectants, vitamins, proteins and plant extracts.

Styling your hair
It is important that you enjoy wearing your hair. To figure out the most efficient and suitable style for yourself, you have got to try out various styles. Using styling products enhances your style and elongates the timeline within which you can wear your hair. A well done style should keep your hair frizz free and tangle free.
A common practice by many of us with Afro hair is to disregard the washing and conditioning process of our routine and focus on the finishing. The health of your hair has an impact on how nicely your style of finishing service will turn out.

Food You Consume Overtime

What you consume over time affects your hair growth from within. If your diet is unhealthy or restrictive, your hair will not receive the nutrients it requires to grow. We recommend you aim for a balanced diet consisting of :

Protein-rich foods such as meat, eggs, fish, almonds, and whole grains. This can help your body produce amino acids, which produce keratin—the building block of your hair.
Iron rich foods
Vitamin C which promotes hair growth by allowing iron absorption, transporting oxygen to your hair follicles.
Fruits, vegetables and water aid scalp health and hair hydration.
Fish Oils enhances hair growth cycle and increases density of hair by increasing blood flow to the hair follicles and encouraging the formation of dermal papilla cells.

Some foods we consume can also contribute to our hair and scalp issues. For example dairy intake can exacerbate oily or scaly scalp conditions

Common Problems with Afro Hair That Affects Growth

The common problems people complain about undoubtedly affect length retention. These problems can, of course, be avoided if proper care is taken. They include:

Damage
Damage happens when an external factor causes the hair strand to become weak or brittle which leads to breakage and dullness. This could be caused by infrequent washing, chemical damage, improper handling, unsuitable styling choices, unsuitable products. When you partner with a hair professional on your hair care journey it becomes easier to pinpoint the root cause of damage and prevent it from further occurrence.

Hair Loss
Hair loss can be caused by internal and/or external factors. Hair loss can also be caused by genetic factors, hormonal factors, auto-immune conditions, nutritional factors or stressors. The best solution here is to identify the root cause of hair loss and deal with it.
Hair loss caused by tight styling or chemical burns lead to scarring. The damage done to your follicles when this happens can be permanent and as such should be avoided.

Dandruff
A common misconception about dandruff is that it occurs due to a dry scalp—dandruff results from an excessively oily scalp which produces large flakes that we identify as dandruff flakes.
In most cases, it is brought on by a buildup of the sebum that your scalp naturally produces, which is worse when you use unfavourable products. The scalp becomes more susceptible to dandruff if the hair isn’t routinely washed because sebum, skin flakes, and product remnants accumulate.

You will love and enjoy your hair with the proper hair care routine, good quality hair products, and a healthy diet. By taking care of your curls, you will also be able to avoid common hair issues like breakage, dandruff, and hair loss.

Get a wellness experience through holistic hair and scalp treatments.

March 21st, 2023.