So you went natural, and at first experienced a lot of growth the first couple of years. But after a few years of being natural it now seems like your hair can’t get past a certain length and you wonder what you are doing wrong. Maintaining type 4 hair can sometimes be a struggle. For some people, it can seem like a lot of work because no matter what you do your hair just can’t get past a certain length. This length can be different for everyone but there is sometimes a length where the hair seems to get stuck at. This can happen for several reasons. Continue reading below to find out how you can get past this hump.

1. Time to switch up your routine with new products or new wash schedule. Similar to working out, it’s possible to reach a plateau. Your hair is longer than it was before but you are still doing the same hair routine you started with, that routine may have worked when it was shorter but might not be enough now that it’s longer. Your hair might now need more wash days for the longer length compared to before, it might also need different products. Since your hair is longer now it’s possible that the porosity of your hair has changed (porosity basically means how well your hair is able to absorb and hold moisture). You might need heavier products than you did when your hair was shorter. Specifically you probably need a very good Leave-In Conditioner and Sealing Oil. One that can penetrate the strands and hold in the moisture longer, allowing you to keep your hair healthy while new growth comes in.

2. Time to kick up your use of protein treatment/Deep Conditioner and Mask. This is probably the hardest thing to do sometimes because of how time consuming doing a Protein treatment or Hair Mask can be. But it’s oh so worth it. Protein treatment is needed to keep your hair strands strong while new growth comes in, this is what helps you retain length. 

3. Take a break from manipulation. It is harder for type 4 hair (kinkier hair in general) to retain moisture, which can lead to dryness that eventually leads to breakage. If you are doing hairstyles that require constant manipulation and you are not handling your hair carefully when detangling then this can result in hair loss and breakage which stops your hair from growing. Avoid heat when possible, try using protective style wigs if you want to switch up your hairstyle. If you want braids, try doing crochet instead of individual braids (which can weigh down the hair and lead to additional breakage). Finally you can’t go wrong with a good twist. 

4. Trim your ends. We know trimming your ends can be difficult to do for someone who wants to retain length but sometimes you just have to let go of those damaged ends. This will allow your hair to flourish in the long run.
 
5. Get back to vitamins. A supplement with keratin, biotin, collagen peptides, hyaluronic acid, all the alphabetic vitamins, or pretty much any combination of the above can help your hair grow back longer and stronger. You can see results very quickly but the key to getting the best results? Be consistent with the pills and commit to them daily for at least six months.

6. Don’t want to do the work? Try locs. There are some people who have seen great results in locking their hair and unlocking it years later. Unlocking your locs may be time consuming but it's not impossible. This can be a shortcut for someone who would like a more low maintenance style while their hair grows. 

7. Don’t stress out… Stress is a major part of hair loss and skin breakout. Work on reducing your stress level because it will result in fuller, healthier hair and most importantly improve your mental health.

8. Finally DRINK MORE WATER! We can’t stress this enough. In fact, just drop everything you are doing and go drink some water right now! You will thank us later.

Need more help here is a free Demo hair regimen you can try. Learn more in our book Guide To Growing Long Natural Hair which is currently still on sale.