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Hair problem
Many people feel that their hair grows slowly, or that it never gets past a certain length. It is not always the growth that is slower: sometimes the hair breaks at the ends, is finer, or there is an underlying cause. Here we explain what a normal pace is, what affects it and what the clinic can offer.
Reviewed by Dr Michelle Campagnoli, clinical director
How to recognise it
On average, hair grows about 1 cm per month, but the pace varies from person to person. These signs help you understand whether this is your case or whether length is being lost in another way.
Tick what you recognise
Tick the signs you recognise in your case. This is not a diagnosis, it is only meant to give you an idea.
Recognise some of these signs? It may be a normal pace for you, hair that breaks, or another cause. Only a medical assessment can say for sure.
Several signs coincide. An assessment is worthwhile to understand whether the hair is growing more slowly or breaking along the way, and whether there is a cause to treat.
Book an assessment consultationSudden and heavy shedding, a painful scalp, redness, sores, marked flaking or patches that appear quickly should be seen without delay.
Roots and scalp. The doctor checks whether the scalp is healthy and whether there are signs of thinning or associated shedding.
Length. The thickness of the strand along the hair is observed, as well as whether there are broken strands along the way.
Ends. Dry, broken ends make length get lost, even when the hair is growing.
Why it happens
It is almost never just one thing. Choose a factor to see what makes it worse and what helps.
Hair grows during a phase that, on the scalp, lasts years, and then rests. People with a shorter growth phase may find it hard to reach long lengths. There are often cases in the family.
Comparing your hair with someone else's, without taking your own pace into account.
Understand your own pace and what it is realistic to expect.
A lack of iron, protein or zinc can affect the hair. Restrictive or poorly varied diets also play a part. In many cases, the hair recovers when what was missing is corrected.
Taking supplements on your own, without knowing what is missing.
A diet with protein and blood tests when the doctor considers them useful.
Thyroid changes and hormonal shifts, such as pregnancy or menopause, can alter the hair cycle and thickness. The doctor assesses whether tests are needed.
Putting it all down to age and not investigating a hormonal change.
Assess with the doctor whether there is a change to treat.
Periods of stress, illness, surgery or certain medications can affect the hair cycle. Once the cause has passed, the hair usually recovers gradually. Do not stop any medication without speaking to your doctor.
Stopping medication on your own or ignoring an underlying illness.
Talk to the doctor about the medication you take and about what has changed.
Heat, chemicals, aggressive brushing and friction can break the hair shaft, and the hair seems never to grow. Thinning of the hair shaft, as in alopecia, can also give that impression. The assessment tells one from the other.
Frequent straightening, bleaching and heat, and brushing hard.
Care for the length gently and assess whether there is thinning.
Growth or breakage
The feeling is the same, but the cause and what is done are different. Below, what usually tells the two situations apart. Soon, the site will also have a page on fine hair with no volume.
What it looks like. The hair that grows from the root takes a long time to gain length, and the ends may even be healthy.
How it progresses. The rhythm varies from person to person and may change with age, hormones or general health.
What the clinic does. The doctor assesses the scalp, looks for associated causes and explains what it is realistic to expect.
Follow-up. The hair is reviewed over time, because results are gradual.
What it looks like. There are short broken strands, dry and split ends, and the length is not maintained.
Warning. Heavy hair loss, pain, sores, redness or marked scaling call for assessment.
What the clinic does. The doctor confirms whether it is breakage, looks for associated causes and guides your care.
Tell the doctor at the consultation. Which products and heat you use, whether you colour or straighten your hair, and since when you have noticed the difference.
Feel that your hair is not growing? Book an assessment appointment, so the doctor can work out whether it is the growth rate, breakage or another cause.
Book an assessment consultationWhat the clinic can do
First the cause is identified. When the doctor considers it appropriate, she may propose one of these treatments, always tailored to you and followed over time. Results vary from person to person and science is still studying these treatments, so the doctor explains what is known and what you can expect before any decision.
Regeneration
Vitamins, amino acids, minerals and hyaluronic acid, which may help nourish the scalp and support finer hair.
Suitable when
the hair is finer and the doctor considers scalp nourishment appropriate.
Find out more→
Regeneration
Platelet-rich plasma, obtained from your own blood, which may help stimulate the follicle in some cases. The doctor first assesses whether it is appropriate.
Suitable when
there are signs of thinning and the doctor considers stimulating the follicle appropriate.
Find out more→
Advanced regeneration
Regenerative solution that may help support the follicle and strand thickness, with a variable response.
Suitable when
the doctor considers it useful to reinforce the plan with a regenerating active ingredient.
Find out more→What if the cause is something else? When there is a deficiency, a thyroid change or a medication behind it, the most important thing is to treat that cause. The doctor explains the options after the assessment and, if useful, the tests. Results are gradual.
What the journey looks like
No treatment starts without an assessment consultation with the doctor. This is how it works.
The doctor asks since when you have felt your hair is slower, what care and products you use, your diet, your medication and what has changed, and examines the scalp and the hair shaft.
If useful, she requests tests for iron, vitamins, zinc, thyroid and hormones, and explains what to expect.
She treats associated causes, combines care at home and, if appropriate, one of the treatments, always adapted to your case.
We see the hair again after a few months and adjust the plan, because results are gradual.
Day to day
Protecting the length and caring for the body as a whole matters a great deal, alongside the doctor's plan. These are the kinds of care that count most.
The golden rule
No product makes hair grow faster than its natural pace. What can be done is to prevent it from breaking, correct what is lacking and allow time.
Hair is made of protein.
In practice: include eggs, fish, pulses or yoghurt at every meal.
Fragile strands break easily.
In practice: brush slowly, from the ends to the root, with a soft-bristle brush.
Dry ends break and cause loss of length.
In practice: use a suitable conditioner and trim the ends regularly.
Results depend on persistence.
In practice: follow the agreed plan and attend the reviews.
A very hot hairdryer, straightening and bleaching make fragility worse.
In practice: use moderate heat and space out colouring and straightening.
Pulling the hair weakens the roots and the hair shaft.
In practice: avoid very tight ponytails and braids every day.
Taking several supplements on your own may not solve anything and can do harm.
In practice: speak to the doctor before taking supplements, especially iron.
Cutting calories and nutrients can affect the hair.
In practice: eat enough and favour nutrient-rich foods.
Who will look after you
At Luxmed, the first step is always an assessment appointment with Dra. Michelle Campagnoli. She works out whether the hair is growing more slowly or breaking, requests tests if useful and designs the plan with you.
Hair medicine
The growth rate and why it varies from person to person.
Read the article →
Hair medicine
How to tell breakage from slow growth.
Read the article →
Hair medicine
What the hair needs and when tests make sense.
Read the article →Other hair problems
Book a consultation
Choose how you prefer to get in touch. We will arrange the assessment consultation with Dr Michelle Campagnoli.
New Life Miraflores, Algés · Office Center, R. Santa Teresa do Menino Jesus n.º 6, 9.º C, 1495-048
Your details are used only for this contact. Any treatment depends on a prior medical assessment.
On average, about 1 cm per month, but the pace varies from person to person. For that reason, comparing yourself with someone else does not always make sense.
It may be the length of each hair's growth phase, but it may also be breakage at the ends, thinning of the hair shaft or an associated cause. The assessment helps tell them apart.
No. Trimming the ends does not change the rate at which hair grows, but it helps remove broken ends and maintain length.
They only make sense when a deficiency is confirmed. Taken without criteria they may not help and may even do harm, so it is best to speak to the doctor.
Often, yes. The doctor may request iron, vitamin D, zinc, thyroid and, if useful, hormones, because deficiencies and thyroid changes can contribute in some cases.
They can alter the hair cycle. Once the cause has passed, the hair usually recovers gradually, but the doctor assesses whether there is something else to treat.
Some can. If you suspect a medication, speak to the doctor who prescribed it and do not stop it on your own.
Depending on the case: hair NCTF, hair PRP, hair exosomes and treatment of associated causes. None is chosen before the assessment appointment.
They can help support the scalp and the follicle in some cases, with a variable response. The doctor explains what is known and what you can expect.
When the difference worries you, or if you also notice more shedding or finer hair. Sudden shedding, patches that appear quickly or a painful scalp should be seen without delay.
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This page is based on the sources below and was reviewed by Dr. Michelle Campagnoli. Last updated on .
The assistant does not give diagnoses or replace a consultation. The plan and cost of any treatment are set at the medical assessment.