Does Hair Stop Growing After A Certain Length?

There is nothing that speaks more to a girl’s femininity than long and full hair. For some of us this may come easy, but for the vast majority of us our hair seems as if it will stop right at our shoulder’s length. Is this some we’re imagining or is there some truth that our hair really does stops growing after a certain point.

One of our readers Julianne had a question that brought about this particular topic and sent in her question:

I’ve been consistently struggling with growing out my hair for months now. My hair is a little bit past my shoulder blades, but it seems that it will just stop there. I’ve asked my hair stylist and have been looking around endlessly at women’s health forums for various tips to grow out my hair but I can’t seem to get a straight answer. Is there any truth our hair just stopping its growth or should I just be more patient and it will continue to grow slowly?

I have also wondered this question, but since I never wanted to grow out my hair that long it never become an issue for me. This was an interesting question nonetheless, so I went out and searched for an answer from somebody who had extensive knowledge of this. I asked a trichologist (a professional who specializes in the hair and scalp) who just happens to be a family friend of mine and have found a definitive answer.

Well Julianne, I have an answer but I’m almost certain it is not one that you want to hear. So to answer your question, hair growth has a growth cycle of about 2-4 years on average but truly will depend on the  individual. During this time it will grow about 6 inches per year or roughly ½ an inch per month. After the 2-4 years, the hair will fall out and a new hair follicle will begin to grow.

But I’ve seen some women with hair down past their butt, how does that work?

Some women are known to have growth cycles that range anywhere from 7-10 years. This can explain why some women can grow their hair our so long and why for some of us our hair just stops right at our shoulders.

How do I make my hair grow faster?

The only way to alter your hair’s growth rate would be to either change your genetics or change the environmental factors that affect it. Since you can’t change what your momma gave you, you should focus how you treat your hair on a daily basis. Some things you can do to prevent unnecessary fallout and to ensure your hair is healthily growing would be to eat a nutritious diet and to limit negative environmental stresses on your hair. Simply by ensuring that you have sufficient vitamins and nutrients (Biotin, Vitamin E, Vitamin A) that promote healthy hair, you should notice that your hair will put up less resistance to growing long. Negative stresses that can be potentially damaging to your hair include using heating tools (like straighteners and curlers) and chemically harmful hairsprays.