Many dream of having long, flowing, and shiny healthy hair, but achieving and maintaining such hair often presents a significant challenge for various reasons. To understand why your attempts to grow your hair might not be succeeding, here are the top five reasons your hair isn't growing and what you can do to fix them.

You Have a Vitamin or Mineral Deficiency

Good nutrition is essential for achieving long and shiny hair. First, ensure that your body has adequate levels of iodine, zinc, B vitamins, omega-3, and iron. Many women, particularly during menstruation, suffer from iron deficiency, while poor diets often lack zinc and iodine. Therefore, it is crucial to get a blood test to determine if you have any deficiencies and take dietary supplements under your doctor's supervision.

Taking a daily multivitamin that includes iodine, zinc, and selenium for three months can be very beneficial for hair growth. Additionally, consume good fats and proteins. Amino acids in proteins help build strong hair cells, while good fats nourish these cells, making your hair appear shiny from the outside. Also, include plenty of dark leafy vegetables with each meal.

Ensure you get enough vitamin C, which boosts collagen production, helping maintain hair density and strength. Rich sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, peppers, strawberries, and vegetables.

By addressing these nutritional needs, you can significantly improve your chances of growing healthier and longer hair.

You Don't Take Care of Your Scalp

If you want to grow your hair, you need to prioritize your scalp before focusing on the hair strands themselves. Your hair grows at the same rate, even if the ends are excessively split. While a lack of moisture and damage can affect how long your hair grows, the growth comes from the scalp. Think of it this way: caring for your scalp is just as important as caring for the ends of your hair if you want to achieve longer locks.

Using the right shampoo, protecting your scalp from sunburn, and keeping your scalp clean all stimulate healthy hair growth by bringing blood to the surface, eliminating sweat and oils, and allowing your scalp to breathe.

Split Ends Cause Hair to Break Faster Than It Grows

If your hair is falling out at the same rate as it was months ago, split ends could be the culprit. Split ends usually result from damage to the hair shaft, often due to coloring or exposure to excessive heat. Regular trims every six weeks are the only way to ensure that those split ends don’t work their way up the hair strand, weakening the hair. Therefore, if you're trying to grow your hair, getting rid of split ends as soon as they appear helps your hair grow longer more quickly.

In addition to trimming, developing a good hair care routine and choosing the right products is essential. Rough towel drying can also lead to split ends, so it’s always best to gently blot away excess water rather than rubbing. When it comes to split ends, it’s crucial to prepare your hair before styling it with heat. A leave-in conditioner is also vital for moisturizing your hair and protecting it throughout the day.

You Expose Your Hair to Excessive Heat and Chemicals

Everyone loves using hair straightening tools for a sleek and polished look, but unfortunately, the added heat combined with styling products can damage your hair. It’s best to avoid these tools as much as possible. If moisture is depleted due to chemical damage, coloring, or heat and isn’t replenished with the right products, it can lead to breakage.

To repair this damage, you need to hydrate your hair. If your hair looks brittle and you have split ends, it means your hair is dry. Incorporating treatments into your routine along with regular trims will help revive damaged hair and restore moisture.

When it comes to choosing products, one mistake many people make is focusing solely on moisturizing their hair. It’s also essential to ensure that you’re adding protein to your hair.

Your Hair is in the Resting Phase

This is perhaps the most challenging reason to address, as it largely relates to genetics. Hair grows in a cycle consisting of three phases. First is the growth phase, which tends to be faster in summer than in winter. This phase lasts on average for three and a half years, and in some cases, it can extend up to seven years.

Next is the regression phase, which begins at the end of the growth phase. This is a short transitional period lasting about 10 days. After that comes the resting phase. During this stage, the follicle remains inactive for approximately three months before the entire cycle repeats.

It's important to note that not all of your hair goes through these stages at the same time. Each hair follicle is independent and experiences this three-phase cycle at different intervals; otherwise, you would lose all your hair at once.

A healthy scalp typically sheds about 50 to 100 hairs daily, and this number can increase due to certain conditions such as poor nutrition or hormonal imbalances. People often believe that their hair is unhealthy when it falls out; however, shedding hair is a natural part of making way for new growth. This is the ideal time to focus on scalp health to promote healthy hair growth during this phase.