How to Overcome Hair Growth Plateau

Even in today's world just like historic times, hair is seen as a sign of beauty. Some of us are genetically blessed with long, healthy fast-growing hair while some of us need to put in a lot of effort to maintain what has been given to us. But sometimes in both cases, there comes a point where your hair stops growing and you feel like no matter what you do the length does not seem to budge. This situation or as we say point of no-growth is known as a hair growth plateau.

What Does Hair Growth Plateau Mean?

The phenomenon where the rate of your hair growth becomes equal to the rate of hair breakage is known as the hair growth plateau. Contrary to popular belief where it is said that when hair stops growing and there's no change in length one has hit a hair growth plateau, but research has proven that this is not the case. During a hair growth plateau, your hair is growing but the growth rate becomes equal to the breakage rate hence you do not see any increase in the length as the net effect is zero.

There are a ton of reasons there are dozens of reasons to which a hair growth plateau can be attributed. Some of these include stress, genetics, hormones, and of course changes in hair care regimen and diet. But one cannot pinpoint the exact cause of an individual’s hair growth plateau without proper research, diagnosis, and even blood tests to determine what could be causing the rate of hair growth and hair breakage to become equal.

How to Overcome Hair Growth Plateau?

Now that we know what a hair growth plateau is and what might be the possible causes for it, we shall look at some solutions that have provided tangible results to individuals in overcoming the hair growth plateau. We do suggest that while keeping in mind the texture and nature of your hair, select the best and most appropriately suited solution to your hair problem and use it for some time to see results.

TRIM YOUR HAIR

Then trying to overcome a hair growth plateau by trimming your hair is one of the easiest options to go for. Trimming your hair helps get rid of split ends which if not removed cause further hair damage and breakage. It is recommended that regularly trim your hair after four to six weeks to get rid of damaged ends, split ends, and just give a fresher look to the hair. Not only that trimmed hair give off a healthier and shinier look and help parent further hair breakage as the new hair end has a fresh cut cuticle layer, which of course protects the hair.

ADOPT PROTECTIVE HAIRSTYLING

By protective hairstyling, we do not mean the use of heat protectants or sealants when using hot hair tools or blow-drying. The trend of protective hairstyling refers to putting your hair in such hairstyles that make it less exposed to the environment and keep its ends protected. Braids and hair buns are some of the best protective hairstyles that you can adopt to protect your hair from further damage and prevent hair breakage, this protection will help you grow out of your growth plateau by reducing hair breakage that might be caused due to environmental conditions and on the plus side you will also enjoy a cool statement hairstyle like a flat braid or a twisted bun. And as your hair is tucked in using protective hairstyles, they will also retain moisture for a longer period thus staying nourished and damage-free.

USE NATURAL, HIGH-QUALITY HAIR PRODUCTS CONTAINING SHEA BUTTER

Your hair care regimen plays a major role in determining the health and quality of your hair and therefore can help you break through your hair growth plateau. For this, we recommend using high-quality hair care products starting from your shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, and right down to your hair serum. But not all expensive products that make strong promises deliver when it comes to getting out of a hair growth plateau. Therefore, we recommend the inclusion of natural hair products in your hair care routine especially those containing Shea butter. Shea butter contains high levels of vitamin A, vitamin E, and fatty acids that not only help nourish the hair but also protect it from environmental damage and stimulate hair growth. In case you're unable to get your hands on natural hair products containing Shea butter, we recommend that you order some pure, organic and 100% fair trade certified Shea butter from Baraka and make it a part of your hair care routine as a deep conditioning mask.

ADD SUPPLEMENTS TO YOUR DIET

Sometimes the reason behind hitting a hair growth plateau is lack of certain vitamins and minerals and hair building proteins in your diet that results in hair fall and hair damage. To overcome this, we suggest that do include hair supplements especially those containing biotin, zinc, folic acid, and vitamin E that not only help stimulate hair growth but also aid in repairing hair damage and reducing split ends. Because no matter how many external treatments and steps you take to protect your hair and breakthrough your hair growth plateau, if your hair is not nourished internally and is not receiving the required nutrients then the external efforts will only produce temporary results that cannot be sustained.

KEEP YOUR SCALP HEALTHY

A healthy scalp is a key to healthy hair because whatever your hair is receiving in the form of nutrients is being supplied to it via the scalp. Also, your scalp is the growing ground for your hair therefore you must not only ensure that it is being taken care of but also look after its nourishment. Another solution for overcoming a hair growth plateau is ensuring that your scalp is healthy and free of hair buildup and dryness and is also receiving adequate nourishment. For this, we recommend stimulating your scalp using hair massage at least once a week preferably with moisturizing and vitamin-rich ingredients such as Shea butter or any other natural oil. This weekly massage will not only help moisturize your scalp and get rid of any dryness but will also stimulate hair follicles that will in turn increase hair growth.  You must also ensure that there is no hair product residue or buildup left behind therefore always use a mild cleansing shampoo once a week to refresh your scalp.

Conclusion

Healthy hair that is bouncy and shiny is not only a sign of beauty but also adds to our self-confidence and personality. Due to increased environmental stressors, hectic lifestyles, and damaging hair products, we sometimes hit a hair growth plateau where our hair seems to show zero growth in length. With these suggested solutions you will not only be able to experience natural hair growth and breakthrough your hair growth plateau, but you will also enjoy well-nourished and more healthy-looking hair. So, what are you waiting for? Choose the best-suited solution for your hair type and needs, and reclaim your confidence as well as your hair.