Why can’t I grow my hair past a certain length? Ask The Kit

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“Every time I decide to grow my hair long, it gets past my shoulders and the ends get terribly thin and it just looks awful. I always end up giving up and chopping it off. Why won’t my hair grow long and healthy past a certain point?” — Short-haired and sad

That is a frustrating feeling indeed, Short-haired, to be stuck in an in-between place.

Upon reading your question, I realized I do not know why and how hair grows — or stops growing. So I asked Dr. Jeff Donovan, medical director at Donovan Hair Clinic in Whistler, B.C., who is a dermatologist specializing in hair loss. “I treat patients from every corner of the world and see some extremely challenging issues,” he says.

His website lists no less than 45 potential causes for hair loss, ranging from medication side effects to conditions such as alopecia or Hashimoto’s disease to general aging. The scalp’s health can also affect how hair grows. “Seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff and psoriasis can all affect the growth of hair to some degree,” Donovan says.

In your case, he says, one possibility is androgenetic alopecia, also known as female pattern hair loss (it’s quite common: approximately 35 per cent of women will experience this by age 50). But other types of hair loss would “need to be excluded.” Like every good doctor worth their salt, he would want to see the full picture before prescribing a fix. “This patient ‘Short-haired and sad’ needs a proper examination including a review of her entire story and examination of the scalp,” says Donovan. “Blood tests are absolutely necessary before proceeding with a treatment plan.”

If you were to go that route with a doctor, know that there are lots of treatments that can potentially help. “Treatments may include topical or oral minoxidil, topical and oral anti-androgens, laser and PRP,” Donovan says, with the caveat that all of these need to be discussed with a specialist to understand the risks, benefits and side effects.

We’ve talked about PRP, which stands for platelet-rich plasma therapy, before here at Ask the Kit, but not in the context of thickening up hair to grow it longer and combat hair loss. The treatment involves taking a patient’s blood, spinning it down in a centrifuge to obtain plasma rich in platelet cells and injecting the plasma back into the scalp to stimulate hair growth.

Does it work? Again, it depends on the individual. And their wallet: PRP costs between $300 and $1,500. “(It) is helpful for some patients with some types of hair loss,” says Donovan. “Not all patients respond and it’s rarely my starting point for treatment for most of the types of hair loss.”

The main thing you can do on your own is minimize breakage, which makes your hair look thinner and sparser. That means handling it with care. “Treat the hair as gently as you can,” says Donovan. “Don’t underestimate how damaging heat and chemicals can be. It’s very difficult to maintain high lustre and shine with frequent use of heat or chemical straightening, and frequent dyeing of hair.”

Hair upkeep is such an endless task: it’s one of the reasons I believe in finding hairstylists and colourists that you really enjoy spending time with, so that you look forward to the costly regular visits. I always leave my hairdresser, Tony Masciangelo, co-owner of Alcorn Hair in Toronto and long-time editorial stylist, feeling not just lighter and fresher but smiling. When I was sitting there last week, I asked him about obstacles to growing our hair long.

“Hair is an extension of our bodies, mostly made up of protein,” he says. “Good hair comes from good health: exercise and a balanced diet.” (And you’ll often see nutrients such as zinc and biotin included in nutraceutical supplements designed to boost hair growth, from brands like Viviscal and New Nordic.)

I asked Masciangelo about the old chestnut that getting regular trims helps your hair to grow longer. “Not true,” he says. “I think that was invented by hairdressers to keep clients coming back. If you are serious about growing out your hair you are going to go to the salon twice a year to keep the shape on track.”

Work with your hairstylist to develop a strategy for the grow-out so your hair looks its best in those awkward in-between stages. “You should take an evolutionary approach to growing your hair out,” says Masciangelo. “Wait until the crown is grown out to the nape of the neck before you try for further length. That way you will maintain maximum thickness.”

It takes a good year and a half to two years to grow hair from short to shoulder length, and about the same time to go from shoulder length to “long” hair, he says. “That is about a half an inch a month, depending on how healthy your hair is.” Work in stages. He suggests going for a bob, which is a good cut to grow out as it keeps the hair a uniform length. And avoid layers, as they make thin hair thinner.

Throughout the process, treat your hair gently. Like Donovan, Masciangelo cites heat styling as a culprit for breakage, which can make hair weaker and leave it looking thinner. He also points to ponytails as hair breakers. As a ponytail addict, this one hurts. I had a breakdown yesterday in the heat when I couldn’t find a hair tie at the bottom of my purse and for a dark moment considered using the elastic band on a head of broccoli. I held off, Masciangelo’s admonitions ringing in my ears.

There are some good products that can help protect your hair. Scalp treatments designed to improve scalp health and provide a better environment for hair growth call on ingredients like antioxidants and plant extracts, from brands like Nioxin and Kerastase. Masciangelo points to the Living Proof detangler and heat protector spray for use when styling, to ward off breakage and give the illusion of fullness. And he has sold me several times of the K18 Molecular Repair leave-in hair mask, even though it is $80 for a tiny bottle. It is made with a proprietary peptide and works on the molecular level, and I swear it really works. It makes my hair smoother, softer and bouncier. Healthier-looking. Whatever the length, that’s really the end goal, right?

Shop the advice

Some helpful products for hair care and growth

K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask, $89, sephora.ca SHOP HERE

This leave-in hair mask uses peptides to strengthen and repair the chains of keratin at the core of hair strands (it also happens to be a TikTok favourite, with apparently 11 billion views!).

Living Proof Restore Perfecting Spray, $38, sephora.ca SHOP HERE

Living Proof Restore Perfecting Spray, $38, sephora.ca.

It’s a detangling spray, heat protectant and conditioning leave-in in one — all of which helps minimize damage and breakage.

New Nordic Hair Gro, $42, well.ca SHOP HERE

New Nordic Hair Gro, $42, well.ca

Like a multi for your hair, this supplement has zinc, biotin and vitamin E, as well as apple extract — and three clinical studies to support its claim that it supports hair growth.

Nioxin Scalp Treatment, $30, chatters.ca SHOP HERE

Nioxin Scalp Treatment, $30, chatters.ca

Designed to create a healthier scalp environment for hair growth, this serum uses antioxidants and plant extracts to clear sebum and residue that can clog follicles.

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