Hair Growth Slows Down

Woman worrying about slow hair growth
Photo: Victor Newman/Shutterstock
Q: The longer my hair gets, the slower it seems to grow. Does hair growth slow down when your hair gets longer? Will my hair stop growing at a certain length?
 
A: When short hair grows, the progress is much more noticeable than when long hair gets longer. Hair does not grow slower when it is longer, but there are other factors that come into play with long hair that might decrease the length of the hair.
 
Firstly, long hair is much more vulnerable and prone to breakage. The reason for this is obvious, the longer the hair, the more length it has to break off at any one place. Also, you don't wear elastic bands with short hair. But with long hair, the hair is often pulled into a pony-tail to keep it back from the face. Elastic bands are one of the most common reasons for breakage of hair.
 
Long hair is also styled more heat-intensive than shorter hairstyles. People with short hair tend to quickly dry their hair and create the desired effect with products such as mousse or gel. With longer hair, blow dryers, flat-irons and tongs are often used to create straight or curly styles.
 
Heat and over-styling cause breakage, and hairs are more prone to break off at the ends, as this is the most vulnerable part of the hair. Inadvertently the hair will appear shorter, giving you the illusion that your hair is growing slower.
 
Your hair never stops growing, but it does have a pre-set life-span before it falls out. According to Schwarzkopf, the average hair has a life-span of six to eight years before it falls out. The growth-rate and eventual length is determined by an array of factors such as genetics, overall health, etc.
 
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See also:
 
The hair growth phases
 
How fast does hair grow?
 
Does hair grow faster in hot weather?
 
Does different people's hair grow at different speeds?