I’m in a bit of a hair rut. Between moving, settling into my new apartment, and changing teams at work, I’ve definitely been stressed and not on top of my haircare. This has led me to hit a hair growth plateau — which is when your hair seems to be stuck at the same length and won’t grow past a certain point. For me, the plateau is my collarbones.
Hair is always growing, but if you’re experiencing a plateau, your ends are breaking off, which means you’re not maintaining the length. If you Google “hair growth tips,” you’ll be inundated with ads for magic supplements promising to grow your hair and videos from influencers offering their tips on how to grow waist length har fast. A lot of these products and tips are just gimmicks preying on your insecurities so you can spend money.
To cut through the noise and misinformation, I asked Sophia Emmanuel, a New York based licensed trichologist and cosmetologist, for tips on how to deal with hair loss, breakage, and scalp issues.
“I decided to become a trichologist when I realized that many of my clients suffered through hair loss and I had no way to help them overcome it,” Emmanuel said. “As a trichologist, I am able to identify why someone is experiencing hair loss and what solutions are available.”
Evaluate how you’re handling your hair
“Focus on reducing breakage by adopting gentler hair care practices,” Emmanuel said. I’m definitely guilty of being a little rough with my hair when I’m in a rush.
To make detangling my hair easier, I use African Pride Pre-Shampoo, which contains aloe and coconut oil. This product has great slip and moisturizing properties, so I’m not ripping through my hair trying to get knots out.
Get regular trims
It can be tempting to hang onto scraggly ends to keep your length. But speaking from experience, that’s just going to set you back even further. “To prevent split ends from traveling up the hair shaft, trim them regularly every three months,” Emmanuel told me. I got a trim in December and one in February before I put in knotless braids.
Use moisturizing and strengthening treatments
Your hair may be breaking because your strands are weak and dry. There are different types of strengthening treatments out there, like protein treatments which contain things like collagen, silk, and keratin, which help to strengthen and protect hair, giving it more resiliency to things like heat, chemical treatments, and styling. There are also bond bonding products, that can actually repair damage by rebuilding broken bonds in hair.
My favorite protein treatment is the Mielle Babassu & Mint Deep Conditioner, which has a good balance of moisture and protein. As for bond building, I swear by Olaplex No. 3 and K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask.
“Use conditioners that add slip and moisturize your hair once the conditioner is rinsed out,” Emmanuel said. “I like Joico Moisture Recovery Conditioner and Moisture Recovery Balm.”
Talk to a professional
There is a lot of hair growth advice out there — and a lot of it is from people who have no idea what they’re talking about. When I was experiencing hair loss around my edges, I went to the dermatologist to figure out the underlying causes. Hair loss can be caused by many things that can’t be seen on the surface, which is why it’s important go to professionals for care and not just take advice from people on the internet — including myself!
“Genetics, hormonal changes, hair styling practices, and underlying health conditions can all contribute to hair loss,” Emmanuel said. In my case, traction alopecia was the main reason for my hair loss and with advice from my guidance from my dermatologist, I was able to treat it with topical oils and platelet-rich plasma (PRP).
Read more: How platelet-rich plasma saved my edges
“Over time, certain hairstyling practices or habits put excessive stress on hair follicles, resulting in hair loss,” Emmanuel said. “Avoid hairstyles that put tension on the scalp and consider using a recommended hair growth supplement or seeking advice from a trichologist to understand the cause of your plateau better, as everyone’s situation may vary.”
Stagnant hair growth and hair loss can be extremely frustrating but nothing to be ashamed of. Don’t look for shortcuts but instead for sustainable changes and habits that’ll benefit your hair health in the log run.
This blog post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. Please note that I only recommend products that I personally use and believe in.
Leave a Reply