Why Your Hair Isn’t Growing: 5 Mistakes

Dr. Sam Ellis explains:

A time of growth

Our hair has a genetically-programmed maximum length, which is proportional to how long each follicle stays in the growth phase. This can be tweaked with hormonal treatments because in part, genes do what hormones tell them to—our genes have instructions for various different situations, and our hormones tell our body which set of instructions to express. For this reason, hormonal things like HRT and minoxidil can be tools in our toolbox.

However, even with such, other things can interfere with that. So, with that potential problem in mind, Dr. Ellis advises to avoid/fix these common mistakes:

• Not using multiple interventions: relying on just one treatment (like a supplement or minoxidil) isn’t enough—hair loss has many causes, so combining therapies such as red light, DHT blockers, microneedling, and topical/oral minoxidil is often critical for success.
• Neglecting scalp health: a flaky, oily, or inflamed scalp can hinder growth; using anti-dandruff shampoos like ketoconazole if necessary, and focusing shampoo directly on the scalp helps create a healthier environment for follicles. Notably, this one is affected by hormones too. So, if you’re a woman and experiencing dandruff, it might be worth having your estrogen and testosterone levels checked, as having too little of the former and/or too much of the latter can cause dandruff.
• Failing to protect existing hair: unprotected hair is prone to breakage from UV, heat, incorrect brushing, and chemical processing. Using heat-protectants and UV-protectants (even on baby hairs) and treating hair gently prevents it from snapping off before showing length.
• Having nutritional deficiencies: low intake of protein, iron, or vitamin D can stall growth—aiming for at least 80–120g of protein daily and supplementing iron or vitamin D when needed ensures the body has enough resources to support hair production.
• Not managing stress: unmanaged emotional or physical stress disrupts hair cycles—reducing stress through sleep, therapy, nutrition, or lifestyle changes is important since healthy hair can’t grow well if bodily resources are being taken away from it to deal with other problems.

For more on all of this, enjoy:

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Take care!