If you’ve recently gotten a haircut and later found that your hair isn’t growing back, we know how frustrating that can be. If you’re looking for answers to, “Why is my hair not growing after a haircut?” you’ve come to the right place.
This blog post will look at the causes and offer solutions for fixing stunted hair growth after a haircut.
Why Is My Hair Not Growing After a Haircut?
Hair growth is a combination of factors, including genetics and hormones. Adults experience 0.2-0.7 inches of hair growth per month. However, women usually have slower hair growth than men, and people over 40 have even slower hair regrowth.
The following are some common reasons why hair may not be growing after a haircut.
Hair Growth Cycle
The human hair growth cycle consists of three phases: anagen, catagen, and telogen. Your hair might appear not to grow as the strands go through different stages of growth.
After a haircut, the hair will enter the anagen (growing) phase and start growing rapidly. The Catagen phase, in contrast, is associated with slowed growth.
Catagen lasts for about two weeks before telogen kicks in. During the telogen stage, your hair stops growing and rests for approximately three months.
At this time, your scalp sheds up to 50 percent of its hair follicles in preparation for new growth. The shedding of hair follicles can cause your hair to look shorter or thinner until new growth starts.
Genetics
Specific genes may be more prone to hair loss or slower growth than others. Experts have uncovered that mutated LPAR6, LIPH, and DSG4 genes are notorious for stunting hair growth.
If someone has genetics that makes their hair grow slower than average, it may appear that the hair is not growing after a haircut.
Age
As people age, their rate of hair growth tends to slow down. As a result, hair growth may appear to have stunted after a haircut. So when a 30-year-old and a 60-year-old get a haircut, the youngster can expect to revisit the barber sooner than the senior.
Hair Damage
Hair damage occurs due to a variety of factors. A chemical reaction, heat, sun exposure, and mechanical stress can cause it. The most common hair damage occurs when the cuticle layer is disrupted. The cuticle layer is the outermost layer of your hair strand that protects the cortex or inside of the hair strand.
But the most likely reason your hair is not growing is the damage caused to the hair follicles during the haircut. A haircut can damage the hair follicles, leading to them taking longer to regrow.
If your scalp is sore and sensitive after getting your haircut, it’s likely that the barber cut too close to the scalp than they should have – and caused damage to the hair follicles.
Nutrition and Health
While some people naturally have faster-growing hair than others, most of us have to work hard and play by the rules if we want our locks to grow quickly enough for our liking.
And those rules include sticking to a healthy diet and lifestyle that promotes healthy hair growth. Poor nutrition can lead to hormonal imbalances, affecting your hair’s health.
We need specific nutrients, including zinc, iron, and vitamins A and C, for healthy skin and hair growth. Without them, it cannot make enough collagen or elastin, essential for strong hair follicles.
These two proteins make up 90% of the skin’s structure and help keep the hair strong, especially as you age.
How Can I Prevent Stunted Hair Growth After a Haircut?
Stunted hair growth after haircuts isn’t something you want to be left with. Let’s find out how to prevent it from happening using simple ideas that work.
Reduce The Frequency of Haircuts
If you’re constantly getting your haircut, you’re more likely to get split ends and damaged strands. It can cause your hair to look much thinner than it is.
Plus, frequent haircuts can damage your follicles and cause stunted growth. Spacing your haircut every 8-12 weeks helps hair stay healthy and grow back.
Ask Your Stylist To Use Thinning Shears
Ask your stylist to use thinning shears instead of regular scissors. Thinning shears cut the hair without cutting through its whole length, allowing for natural regrowth. Using regular scissors can result in a blunt cut that prevents healthy hair growth.
Avoid Chemical Treatments
Chemical treatments damage hair by stripping away oils and proteins that help it grow. They leave the hair dry and brittle. To ensure healthy hair growth after a haircut, drop the use of harsh styling chemicals.
Use a Deep Conditioning Treatment Once a Month
Deep conditioning treatments use potent moisturizers to help restore moisture levels in your strands, which helps them grow longer and stronger.
To prevent stunted hair growth after a haircut, consider using a conditioner that contains proteins and keratin. These ingredients will help strengthen your hair from the inside out and to make it more resilient to breakage.
How to Fix Stunted Hair Growth
If your hair didn’t grow after your last haircut and you are worried that your ends will remain forever in their non-growing state, here is what you can do to get your hair growth back on track.
Reduce Stress
Stress causes the body to produce the hormone cortisol. Cortisol can interfere with the hair growth cycle. When disruption of the hair growth cycle occurs, the hair will not grow as fast as it should.
To reduce stress, do those activities that help you relax. Examples include meditation, deep breathing, and taking time for yourself.
Massage Your Scalp
Massage increases scalp blood circulation and provides nutrients to your hair follicles. Use your fingertips to massage your scalp in circular motions. Pay special attention to areas of stunted hair growth.
Additionally, you can use a unique scalp massager device for a more intense rub. The proper scalp massage relaxes the scalp muscles, stimulates hair growth, and reduces inflammation.
Avoid Tight Hairstyles
Tight hairstyles may impede hair growth by exerting too much stress on the hair follicles. The result can be permanent damage to the follicles.
If you want to wear tight braids, buns, or ponytails, let your hair loose after a few hours and avoid keeping the style in for more than a day.
Use Essential Oils
The best essential oils for hair growth are rosemary, lavender, cedarwood, and peppermint.
These oils nourish the scalp, stimulate circulation, and support healthy hair growth. They can also help reduce scalp inflammation, leading to stunted hair growth.
Take Supplements
Vitamins and minerals, like biotin, zinc, and iron, promote healthy hair growth. Biotin helps to strengthen and thicken the hair shaft. Zinc stimulates hair follicles, and iron supports healthy circulation in the scalp.
So, Why Is My Hair Not Growing After a Haircut?
There are many reasons for stunted hair growth after a haircut, including hair damage, poor nutrition, chemical treatments, and old age.
It is vital to reduce stress, massage the scalp, use essential oils, take supplements, and avoid tight hairstyles if you want healthy hair growth. You can return to enjoying fuller and longer hair with regular care and maintenance.
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