Growing natural hair is one of the most talked about subjects in the natural hair community. Most people want to learn how to grow their hair long and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
We want to learn about how to overcome certain obstacles with our hair so that we can really see the growth. I mean for years we have believed that black people just couldn’t grow their hair long.
Now with the emergence of social media, we can see women all over the world with a variety of different curly hair textures growing their hair to unbelievable lengths.
The question is: Is there such a thing as natural hair terminal length?
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What Is Terminal Length?
Terminal length is basically the maximum length that your hair can ever grow.
No matter what else you do to your hair at this point your hair simply cannot grow anymore.
Is It True That Natural Hair Has Terminal Length?
There are many schools of thought on this but my personal thoughts are, yes there is. BUT I do think that most people believe they have reached terminal length long before it has actually happened.
I get so many emails from people saying that their hair has stopped growing but I highly doubt it. For most people, it’s usually an issue of maintaining growth.
A lot of people think their hair stops growing at shoulder length (I was one of them) when in actual fact a lot of it has to do with friction from your hair rubbing on clothes and that causes breakage.
I have even heard it suggested that when your hair gets to around shoulder length you should do all you can to keep your hair from actually touching your shoulders until it grows past that point to help you maintain the growth without it breaking.
So in answer to this question yes I do believe in terminal length but no, I highly doubt you have got there yet.
How Do You Determine Terminal Length Hair?
Right now it’s almost impossible to say.
You can look at hair density, rate of growth, diet, genetics and all sorts but it would still be difficult to calculate your personal growth potential.
Let’s not forget the growth cycle of hair too. Have you noticed that there are times where your hair will grow a lot more than other times?
As a rough guide, we can look at this very simple calculation for hair growth. If the average head of hair can grow 1/2 an inch of hair a month, that means after 1 year you should have 6 inches of hair.
The active growth cycle of hair (anagen) is 2 – 8 years.
This means that “technically” you should be able to get anywhere between 12 – 48 inches of hair growth.
Just bear in mind that these numbers are very rough and other factors come into play when we look at them.
It would be so difficult to say specifically where your hair would stop growing altogether.
Why Does It Seem Like My Hair Has Stopped Growing?
There are many things that can affect the rate of growth when it comes to hair. You would have to take the time to assess your own hair and look at your hair regimen to make sure there are no problems there.
Let’s look at the average rate of growth for hair, 1/2 inch per month. If your hair is currently at your shoulders it’s going to be roughly 12 inches in length. That should have taken you 2 years to grow.
This can lead you to think of one of 2 things:
- You are doing really well with your growth if you have reached such a length
- Something is wrong and you aren’t gaining or maintaining your length
If you fall into category number 2 don’t be too disheartened because there is probably something small in your routine that you have to tweak or you could be making some of these common hair mistakes
If you want more tips on growing your natural hair then I highly recommend you take some time to read this article.
How To Make Sure Your Hair Continues To Grow
No one wants to see that their hair has stopped growing. Thankfully there are a few things that you can do to either maintain your growth or encourage your hair to grow more.
1. Moisturise
Natural hair needs its moisture. Due to the shape of the strands of hair, it can be hard to keep it moisturised over time.
You can get some great tips on keeping naturally curly hair moisturised here.
2. Trim
Trimming your hair is really important in order to keep it healthy. There are several signs that your hair gives to show it is in need of a trim and you can read all about that here.
Get yourself a good pair of scissors to trim your hair from here.
3. Maintain The Protein Moisture Balance
The protein moisture balance can be a tricky one to deal with. If you go too far one way over the other you can throw the course of your hair off. It is important to keep an eye on this to keep your hair in the best possible position.
If you need more protein for your hair Aphogee is a great product to help you with balance.
4. Keep Yourself Healthy
Your diet and general overall health can play a part in the growth of your hair. Make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day and keep your diet as well balanced as you can.
Final Thoughts On Natural Hair Terminal Length
I’ve said it already but I’ll say it again, most people probably have not reached terminal length yet. The chances are pretty high that you have a different underlying issue with growth.
Take a look at some of the reasons why your natural hair might not be growing.
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