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Growth cycle

Hair has its own growth cycle , - it grows up to a certain point and then it rests and drops out. Fortunately, this doesn't happen to all of the hairs at the same time, otherwise we would go periodically bald. It does have repercussions though. If you've been trying to grow your hair long, you'll notice that it seems to grow to a certain length and then stops growing any longer. Don't worry, this is the natural length for the growth cycle of your hair. Your hair is still growing but it is also shedding at the same time. To grow your hair until it touches the floor would mean that you are not very tall or that you have an abnormal hair growth cycle.
In practical terms this means that even if you are trying to grow your hair long , you should still have it cut regularly to stop the ends looking thin and straggly. For long hair to look healthy and strong it must be cut regularly.

Hair grows from the roots at an average rate of half an inch (1.25cm) per month. The natural growth cycle for a hair is between 1.25 to 7 years before reaching its resting stage. The arithmetic is simple;

Length of growth cycle X 0.5 inches per month = The natural maximum length for your hair.

e.g..;

1.25 year growth cycle X 0.5 in per month = maximum hair length of 7.5 inches (18.75 cm)
7 year growth cycle X 0.5 in per month = maximum hair length of 42 inches (105 cm)

This also means that if your hair is only 6 inches long, the ends will have been dead for 1 year - one year of washing, combing, brushing and exposure to the elements. It's no wonder that hair starts to look dry and lifeless. It is vital to use conditioning treatments to keep your hair in tip top condition. After shampooing use a surface conditioner to restore the ph of the hair and to close the cuticle, making it look shinier and feel smoother.

Contents

Growth Cycle
Conditioning
Scalp massage
Holistic approach
To brush or not to brush