“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.
“The speed at which hair grows is determined by genetics but there are other factors that can affect the growth rate. Age, diet, stress, hormonal fluctuations, scalp health, hair care practices, medications and other health conditions can potentially influence hair growth,” said master hair colorist, Stephanie Brown.
So, can your genes also play a role in hair growth? Simply put, yes. Your genes are involved in several aspects of your hair's ability to grow, from your hair growth cycle to your risk of common hair-related issues such as male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia, or genetic hair loss).
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.
“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.
One of the most important causes of restricted hair growth and hair thinning is nutritional deficiency. Nutrients like iron, protein, biotin and zinc contribute to healthy hair. However, if you are deficient in these essential nutrients, your risk of restricted hair growth and hair thinning increases.
Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, stimulates keratin production in hair and can increase the rate of follicle growth.
We'll cut straight to it: On average, hair grows at a rate of about half an inch per month, or six inches per year. Each hair on your head grows from an individual follicle.
For hair growth, we recommend opting for a biotin supplement that contains anywhere from 300 mcg to 1,000 mcg. You will begin to see results after 4-8 weeks, or long-term results after a few months. Biotin has been shown to also increase nail and eyelash growth, and can aid as an eczema treatment as well.
Hair needs moisture and vitamins to stay healthy. If you're dehydrated, your body will direct much-needed moisture to more critical functions, leaving your hair to fend for itself. Growth may slow or stop, and the hair shafts may become brittle and develop split ends.
Only riboflavin, biotin, folate, and vitamin B12 deficiencies have been associated with hair loss.
Hair that grows slowly can be accompanied by thinning, lifeless, and overall lackluster hair that just does not look as good as it used to. Improving the speed at which your hair grows is possible. In turn, the overall health, shine, thickness, quality, and texture of your hair should improve.
Sources of Biotin
Foods that contain the most biotin include organ meats, eggs, fish, meat, seeds, nuts, and certain vegetables (such as sweet potatoes) [2,12].
Hair growth rate slows at midlife and beyond—it spends less time in the growth phase and more in the resting phase, which means it will grow more slowly, and won't be able to grow as long as it once did.
You Can Grow Your Hair Long Past Your 50s
Growing long hair past your 50s is not only possible, but it is also probable. You should not be forced to cut your hair because of breakage, dryness, or other age-related damage. As we understand aging and its impact on hair, products can be developed to counter its effects.
The levels of hormones that enable hair follicles to grow are decreased, and testosterone levels tend to increase, leading to the dominance of, again, DHT. As you can probably tell, sex, age, and subsequently, hormone levels are some of the most important factors influencing hair growth.
"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.
Biotin: Biotin is one of the most extensively used supplements for faster hair growth. It synthesizes the glucose and further break down the proteins into the amino acids. Our hair contains keratin (a protein) which makes our hair strong and also stimulates the hair growth.