Top 5 Reasons Why Your Natural Curly Hair Isn’t Growing
We naturals spend so much time when it comes to perfecting our hair, that it can be frustrating when it looks like it's not growing. Sometimes we'll try the latest natural hair products from Target and see no results. Other times we'll try every hair growth Youtube tutorial out there and we'll find ourselves in the same place as when we first started. It can be frustrating when it looks like our natural curls aren't growing but chances are- even if it looks like it's not- it is growing- even if it's just a little. Oftentimes we don't know how to maximize our hair growth rate or we don't realize that preventing breakage is the key to seeing hair growth! So here are 5 of the top reasons why your natural hair looks like it isn't growing.
1. Your Outfits + Bedding are Causing Breakage, Dryness + Damage.
We all know that our hair needs to be moisturized so we go and use all these products like leave-in conditioners, oils, deep conditioners, butters, creams, refresher sprays, etc. But it turns out you can use the most moisturizing products in the world and your curls can still be dry AF. Why? This is because you’re likely still using wool or cotton when you’re wearing hats, which absorbs the moisture in your hair. Even your head wraps you thought were a protective style, can be drying your hair out if it’s made from cotton. The same thing goes for your pillows and pillowcases! So before you spend another dime on a moisturizing product, get a satin-lined cap that protects your curls, reduces frizz and helps you retain moisture in your hair! Natural Born Curls has Satin-lined beanie hats that come with a free removable pom-pom, so it’s like having 2 hats in one!
2. You’re Using Oils Before Water to Moisturize Your Hair.
If your hair is constantly breaking due to lack of moisture, it could be because the order in which you apply your products is counterproductive. Your hair needs water first to gain moisture, then to seal the water in, an oil-based product can be applied. If you apply oil before you add water, you’re actually blocking the water from getting to your hair strand.
3. Your Body Isn’t As Healthy as it Could Be.
To grow long healthy hair, focus on having a healthy body first. Do you have any health issues or vitamin deficiencies? This could affect the rate at which your hair is growing. Do you eat healthy well-balanced meals, that supply the daily recommended dose of vitamins according to health professionals? Are you active or do you exercise to keep a steady flow of blood circulating through your body so that it can increase the blood flow to your scalp and promote circulation around the scalp? This is how exercise can result in better hair growth. With a healthy balanced diet and exercise, you can prepare your body to grow hair at an optimal rate.
See a doctor before making any adjustments to your health and to evaluate whether you may have any health issues that can affect hair growth.
4. Your Protective Styles are Doing More Harm than Good.
If it hurts or it’s too tight- chances are it’s bad for your hair. So often in our community, we focus on getting a style to last long and don't think about how we’re going to take care of our hair in these styles. Protective styles like braids, twists, wigs, and sew-ins aren’t an excuse to neglect your natural hair because you don’t want to mess up your style. Find a routine for you that allows you to still moisturize, cleanse, and deep condition your hair at LEAST every 2-3 weeks for the best results for your hair health.
5. You Let it Get Tangled + Then Rip it Out.
We’ve all been there. Sometimes we leave our hair in a bun for the entire week. We might go to bed without securing our hair in a way that prevents tangles like the pineapple method or braids. When we’re really “bad” we might just throw gel on hair that’s already tangled and dry but we’re in a rush so we “do what we gotta do”. Long story short, if we get our hair tangled, we need to take the time to patiently and properly detangle it. We can’t just get any old brush and start ripping it out.
Try this technique:
Soak your hair with water, then add a moisturizing/detangling conditioner. Secondly, separate your hair in sections. Finally, use a wide-tooth comb to gently comb starting from the bottom of your hair going up to the roots.
If you love your hair and want to reduce breakage make sure to get a satin-lined beanie to protect it. Natural Born Curls Satin lined beanie comes with a free detachable pom pom that makes this hat a 3-in-1 fashionable solution for hair care.
Thank you I appreciate your tutorial about our natural hair as women of color. And your knowledge.And the guidance on how to keep moisture in my hair. It is much appreciated.With that being said I don’t wear hats but if you can come up with something that I can wrap my hair with I wouldn’t have a problem with doing business with you, have a blessed day.
I have a question should I tell my hairdresser that braid my hair not braided so tight I think it is because sometimes my hair grow and sometimes it don’t but all I really want to do is cut it off and start all over because it is uneven then when she braided and I get ready to take the braids out they have little balls and they are hard to come out and when I comb it most of my hair come out with it should I tell her not to braid it so tight
Finding the right products has been a game-changer.
I have some very thin hair and some really small balled spots but it’s finally growing hair because I been trying to take better care of it I am natural now since 2015 my mom passed in 2014 that’s when my hair fail out
When it comes to protective styling I have noticed that many hairdressers around here belive that they bee to pull your braids tighter to help grow your hair; whicj results in braids so tight its difficult to sleep.
Thanks for the helpful tips.