Why doesn't my hair grow? Is the question we get asked most in the salon, along with women saying 'my hair just doesn't grow'. Your hair does definitely grow or we wouldn't be needing to colour your hair now, would we? The problem is, that often it's snapping off as quick as it grows! 

Sometimes through health, diet and stress, but too often hair is breaking through abuse! Yes, abuse! Heat abuse, chemical abuse and physical abuse, are all things that most of our clients are blissfully unaware of when the enter Cocco Salon for the first time.

We give every client's hair a health check during their appointment and identify areas of improvement to encourage growth and health. Sometimes changes in services is what your hair needs, a homecare regime or frequently blood tests are the way to go. Over they years we have helped many of our clients uncover hidden health issues by assessing their hair thoroughly. We are by no means Doctors, but we know a lot about hair!

Common Causes Of Hair Not Growing

• Overlapping, Lightener/Bleach - Over processing hair can be very damaging and cause hair to break and become brittle. Always use a protein regime when lightening hair and use masks one a week at least! Ask your stylist to recommend one for your hair type, we recommend Paul Mitchell's Strength, Range From £12.95

• Box Dyes - Box dyes are a one size fits all solution to colouring your hair, if you're lucky enough to fit into that one hair type the box is made for then yes it will look ok, but the other 99% of people will have a disaster at best or totally fried hair at worst. If you require a medium blonde colour and are not far off the desired colour naturally, lets say 1 shade, after 3 applications all over your hair with a box product you will have exposed your hair to approx 8 times more peroxide than you needed to or a salon product would. Salon colour is mixed by a colourist specifically for your hair to counteract unwanted pigment ie orange and using the weakest strength activator needed to achieve the level of lift you need, to get the look you want. By not over lifting your hair, hair stays healthier, your cuticle is stronger so retains the colour molecules for longer meaning your colour will last longer! Ever wondered why your box dye red goes pink after a week on the ends, yup it's fried...

• Infrequent Haircuts - Believe it or not, not cutting your hair regularly and sealing the ends can cause hair to weaken and fray/split at the ends. Trim your hair every 6-8 weeks to ensure hair stays in tip top condition, get a stylist you trust to just take a millimetre of the ends just to seal it if you're growing it.

• Over Brushing / Rough Brushing - Hair can become damaged if you use the incorrect brush when brushing your hair or being too rough with it, causing it to snap. Always brush your hair starting at the ends and work your way up. If your hair is particularly knotty, try using Awapuhi Wild Ginger Oil before you begin brushing, just to loosen and lubricate your strands. Use a detangling brush, such as a WET BRUSH favoured by the Kardashian Clan.

• Heat - Number 1 abuse is thermal damage, you must always use a good quality heat protection product on your hair, EVERY single time! Imagine how many times you straighten or curl your hair a year, well those ends are probably 3 years old, how much heat exposure is that! 230 degrees a time OUCH! Often shop bought protection sprays can feel very sticky or heavy in the hair so client's don't like using them. Our favourite is Paul Mitchell's Hot Of The Press, its ultra lightweight and totally undetectable in the hair, if you want something more natural then try Kitoko's Heat Defy which can be used on wet or dry hair so can be used to protect against drying too.

• Stress - Stress can play a huge part in hair health, often clients can notice shedding during stressful times in life such as exams, changing jobs, losing a loved one or during a breakup. The most important thing is to not add to your stress by stressing about your hair too! Stress-induced hair loss is extremely common, especially in women. It normally gets better by its self once the levels of stress hormones in your blood return to normal. There are products that can encourage new hair, Kitoko's Age Defy regime and Paul Mitchell Scalp Therapy are more natural based stimulants and we have found to be very effective.

• Hormones – Post Pregnancy, Menopause and Hormone imbalance can wreak havoc with your hair, thinning and shedding being the most common problem. Many ladies find they shed a huge amount of hair post-pregnancy as their normal levels of hormones are starting to stabilise.

• Diet – What we eat can significantly impact the health of our hair. A well-balanced diet with plenty of foods rich in vitamins and minerals should ensure your hair is in tip-top condition. Sudden weight loss from extreme dieting and changes in diet can cause changes in your hair.

• Vitamin D. Adequate vitamin D is important for preventing hair loss, especially in women
• Vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency accompanies a host of serious health consequences. 
• Biotin
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Iron / B12. Can also affect your brain function and nervous system as well as energy levels.
• Zinc
• Iodine

Try to increase the number of foods rich in these vitamins and minerals or start taking a supplement to boost your levels. Always consult your doctor when thinking of supplementing your diet. Ask for a blood test to identify any low levels.

If you have an unbalanced diet, this can be problematic for hair, ie, if you eat little veg and lots of processed foods. Certain health conditions such as bulimia or anorexia can impact nutrient intake, malabsorption from Chrones Disease, Coeliac Disease or other bowel condition and quite regularly clients who are vegan or vegetarian who don’t have a good grasp on which key vegetables and pulses need to be consumed regularly to maintain healthy vitamin and mineral levels. We always advise clients to ask to be referred to a dietician to ensure they have a clear understanding of how top get enough B12 in their diet as B12 is stored in the liver and can last a number of years after stopping eating meat, therefore deficiencies only become apparent years later. If you are thinking of becoming Vegan or are Vegan here is some info on B12 and how to make sure you're getting everything you need. http://veganhealth.org/articles/everyvegan

What Can Be Done?

Make sure you check all of the above, if you do your bit on the inside, we can tackle the outside!

There are many ways we can boost your hair growth in salon, we have hair care to stimulate and encourage new growth and can remove impurities that can be present on the scalp repressing new growth. Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree Scalp Care, Stimulates, Strengthens and regenerates and is reported to give 85% Increased hair volume and strength. We also work with Kitoko Age Prevent with unique technology to help combat the signs of ageing hair, by asking you a few questions and taking a look at your scalp we can identify which line is most suitable for you.

If breakage is your thing, protecting and repairing your hair is a must! say's, Hayley

A round of specific high concentration prescriptive treatments in salon will be beneficial, such as Olaplex, Vitaplex or Awapuhi's Wild Ginger Keratriplex or Hydraplex Treatments. Kick start your repair with a high dose of hair treatment in line with your needs and keep it topped up at home with home care for best results.

High Dose Treatments From £25

Fake It, Till You Make It!

Failing all that and you just have fine hair, there are loads of tip, tricks and tools to give you a helping hand with getting more volume and life into your hair. Our team can help you find the perfect styling solutions from a new cut, introducing colour or a gravity-defying root mousse (we like Moroccan Oil's root boost!)

Above all don't stress about it! See common cause number 4 above, stress will only make things worse!

If you are concerned about the fullness of your hair or have noticed shedding, consult your GP and ask for a blood test to illuminate Thyroid issues, have your Iron levels tested and discuss your concerns.

If you suffer from any of the health conditions mentioned above, speak with your healthcare professional to check your levels.

Show this voucher at time of payment and receive 10% off all hair repair care excluding styling products & electricals. 1 voucher per person, not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Expires September 1st 2017

All material in this blog is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.