Fortunately, in the vast majority of cases, you can eventually grow the damaged hair out as long as the follicle itself has been preserved. The most common causes of damage are below. Damaged hair can still grow eventually, but routine damage can result in negative consequences for your hair.
“Other than age, hair can grow slower due to health conditions, vitamin or nutrient deficiencies caused by a poor diet, stress, hormonal imbalances, certain medications and even excessive heat damage from everyday styling,” explains Pierre.
Hair can stop growing or grow slowly for a variety of reasons including age, genetics, hormones, or stress. You may notice your hair stops growing in one spot or seems to be growing slowly on one side. There are plenty of treatment options for slow-growing hair, including: medication.
Using products that are designed to nourish the scalp and hair can definitely speed up this process, but on average you'd be looking at six months to a year to fully see a difference in your hair's condition.
The Catagen phase
In this transitional phase, hair stops growing and detaches itself from the blood supply and is then named a club hair.
Age: Hair grows fastest between the ages of 15 and 30, before slowing down. Some follicles stop working altogether as people get older. This is why some people get thinner hair or go bald.
Unhealthy hair usually has a rough texture, lack of shininess and luster, have split ends, lack of moisture and elasticity even after treatment and easily broken. Damaged hair will also get tangled up and result in knots due to hair dryness.
“Vitamins are essential for healthy hair growth and may help in preventing hair shedding and thinning,” says Michele Green, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist in New York. “The best vitamins for hair growth include B vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc, biotin and iron.
Iron contributes to hemoglobin production, which helps deliver nutrients and oxygen to hair follicles. Without enough iron, the hair won't grow, causing progressively thinner hair.
And as it turns out, healthy hair does grow faster. Trims also can make your hair appear longer, even if they don't stimulate actual growth up in the follicles. "Long hair that is breaking and splitting will look thin and tapered at the ends; this can make the hair appear shorter as well," says Conan.
"Getting a trim every six to eight weeks prevents split ends and damage, making ends stronger and leading to faster growth," she explains. "I recommend trimming 1 to 2 inches at each appointment to avoid fraying ends and keep hair healthy."
We mentioned stress hormones, but obesity causes other hormone imbalances that lead to hair loss. Taking small steps to manage your body weight helps regulate your hormones. In addition to improved hair growth, weight management brings your hormones into balance.
Harsh shampoo, hair treatments, styling products, and excessive brushing contribute the most to poor hair health. However, other culprits include: overconsumption of alcohol. low-calorie and crash diets.
People with oily hair or who use hair care products daily should consider washing their hair once every 1–2 days. People with dry hair can wash their hair less frequently. Those with textured or coily hair should only wash it once every 1–2 weeks.
As we've noted, damaged hair repair isn't possible because the protein bonds and cuticles have been permanently altered. Instead, the focus should be on maintaining hair to prevent further damage. If your hair is severely damaged, the most extreme solution is to cut it off and start fresh.
Hair damage is more than just split ends. Extremely damaged hair develops cracks in the outside layer (cuticle). Once the cuticle lifts (opens), your hair is at risk for further damage and breakage. It may also look dull or frizzy and be difficult to manage.
Dull hair with no shine
If your hair is feeling dull, there could be a few factors. Moisture, gloss, and body are all lacking in dull hair. Many things can contribute to it, such as utilizing the incorrect products, not obtaining enough nutrients in your diet, or overusing harsh chemicals or styling methods.
Split ends are a sign that your hair has been weakened from chemicals and exposure to heat, wind, and sun, Blaisure adds. Trimming is the best way to keep ends from fraying and causing further damage. (Check in with your hairstylist every six to eight weeks even for a light "dusting.")
"There are specific juices that can be beneficial for the health of your hair and scalp, including aloe vera juice, kiwi juice and cucumber juice." According to Synder, spinach is highly concentrated with vitamin B, which restores shine and promotes hair growth.
"Try increasing your protein intake with foods like fish, beans, nuts and whole grains," she recommends. Even if you're not a meat lover, you should still aim to maintain a diet high in protein for hair growth. Women who don't get enough of it often experience "more hair shedding," Dr. Fusco says.
Water is a key ingredient that supports vitamins, which contribute to your hair growth. Believe it or not, but water makes up almost 25% of the weight of a single strand of hair. Drinking at least two liters of water a day will help the strength of your hair, increasing growth.