The secret to length retention
So many women, especially black women shout from the mountain tops “MY HAIR DOESN’T GROW”…. BUT… sorry… but oh honey, yes it does. Your issue more than likely isn’t hair growth, it’s length retention that you should be focusing on. Now there are some cases in which someone’s hair doesn’t grow for medical reasons or because they have entered the stage of balding. But in most cases where women or even men say this, it is length retention that is the culprit.
Length retention is where the magic is with having long hair. However long of hair you may want. As genetics does have some pull in the length retention arena, good practices is where it’s really at. I’ll go more into how genetics may help in the length retention area but don’t focus on that. You CAN reach your length goals if you are PATIENT (ouch) and diligent in your hair care regimen.
Let’s be clear, genetics can help in the length retention race but it’s not the only contributing factor. One way in which genetics may help is with different hair types. If you have straight to wavy or loose curls, it is easier for your natural scalp oils to travel down your stands to keep your hair from getting brittle. Brittleness leads to breakage which leads to less length retention and shorter hair. So to combat this, keep your hair well moisturized to avoid breakage. Another way genetics may help is with the rate at which your hair grows. Hair growth happens in 3 different stages. The Anagen phase which is the “growth” phase which lasts from 2-8 years. The Catagen phase which is the “degradation” phase lasting from 2-4 weeks. And finally the Telogen phase which is the “resting” phase lasting from 2-4 months. Now depending on where on the spectrum you naturally fall in these different phases will also contribute to your length retention. On average about 90% of your hair is in the Anagen phase, 1-2% is in the Catagen phase and 10-15% is in the Telogen phase. So no worries, all of your hair won’t magically fall out after 8 years.. at least it shouldn’t.
So yes as there are some genetic factors that play into length retention, the ultimate factor boils down to your hair care regimen. Having a good protein to moisture balance, gentle care, and the right products are some key factors in a good regimen. If you are having trouble coming up with a regimen that works for you, book a Virtual Hair Consultation to get your personalized hair care regimen and product suggestions. More info on Virtual Hair Consultations is here .
XO,
Kat
