The Length Retention Struggle Is Real
You've been on your natural hair journey for two years. You deep condition weekly, you protective style, you baby your ends — and yet your hair still seems to be stuck at the same length it was 18 months ago. Sound painfully familiar?
The frustration of feeling like your hair simply won't grow is one of the most common complaints in the natural hair community. But here's the truth: your hair is almost certainly growing. The real question is: why isn't it retaining that length?
Understanding the science behind hair growth cycles is the first step to finally breaking through your length plateau.
The Length Plateau
Hair growth stagnation — or more accurately, the inability to retain length — affects a significant portion of people with natural, textured, or chemically treated hair. According to research published in the International Journal of Trichology, mechanical stress, dryness, and product build-up are the most common reasons natural hair fails to retain length despite active growth.
In other words: your follicles are doing their job. The problem is usually happening at the strand level, where hair is breaking off at the same rate it's growing in.
Two Steps Forward, Two Steps Back
Imagine spending hours on a twist-out, only to see your ends snapping off when you take it down. Or reaching month three of a protective style and finding your hair is the same length — or shorter — when you remove it. This is the cruel cycle of growth without retention.
A 2022 consumer research report by Mintel found that 68% of women with textured hair reported being unhappy with their hair growth and length retention — despite actively trying multiple hair care strategies. The gap between effort and results is demoralising, and understanding the biology of hair growth is the critical missing piece.
The Three Phases of the Hair Growth Cycle
Phase 1: Anagen (The Growth Phase)
The anagen phase is the active growth phase of the hair cycle. During this phase, cells in the hair bulb divide rapidly, and the hair shaft is produced. This phase can last anywhere from 2 to 7 years, depending on genetics, nutrition, and hormonal environment. The longer your anagen phase, the longer your hair can potentially grow.
On average, hair grows approximately 1.25 cm (half an inch) per month, or around 15 cm (6 inches) per year, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. However, this rate is highly individual and can be influenced by age, diet, and scalp health.
Phase 2: Catagen (The Transition Phase)
The catagen phase is a brief transitional period lasting approximately 2–3 weeks. During this phase, hair growth stops, the hair follicle shrinks, and the hair shaft is cut off from its blood supply. Roughly 3% of all hairs are in the catagen phase at any given time.
Phase 3: Telogen (The Resting/Shedding Phase)
The telogen phase is the resting phase, during which the hair remains in the follicle but does not grow. This phase lasts approximately 3 months, after which the old hair is shed and a new anagen phase begins. About 10–15% of hairs are in the telogen phase at any one time — which is why shedding 50–100 hairs per day is considered normal.
Disruptions to this cycle — through stress, nutritional deficiency, hormonal changes, or scalp conditions — can push more hairs into telogen simultaneously, resulting in a condition called telogen effluvium: sudden, diffuse shedding that can be alarming and distressing.
Supporting Every Phase of Your Growth Cycle
Maximising natural hair growth is a two-pronged approach: promoting optimal follicle activity (so more hairs are in anagen) and preventing breakage (so the length your follicles produce is actually retained).
Long And Strong by Tasic Pure Oils is formulated to support both. Its scalp-nourishing blend improves the follicle environment to encourage healthy anagen phases, while its deeply moisturising and strengthening properties protect the hair shaft against the breakage that steals your length.
- Scalp massage with Long And Strong stimulates blood circulation to the follicle, supporting nutrient delivery during the anagen phase
- Its penetrating oils maintain moisture balance in the cortex, reducing mid-shaft fracturing
- Regular use seals the cuticle, protecting against environmental stressors that shorten perceived length
Consistency is key. Applied 2–3 times per week, Long And Strong creates the conditions your hair needs to grow and — critically — stay.
Final Thoughts
Your hair is growing. What it needs is a partner that helps it stay. By understanding your hair growth cycle and giving your strands the nourishment they need at every phase, you can finally start seeing the length you've been working so hard for.
✨ Ready to transform your hair? Try Long And Strong by Tasic Pure Oils today and experience the difference that nature-backed science can make.
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https://tasicpureoils.com.au/products/long-and-strong?variant=46147003613349
References: American Academy of Dermatology. Hair loss: who gets it and causes. | Trüeb RM. The impact of oxidative stress on hair. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2015. | Mintel. Natural Hair Care Consumer Report. 2022. | Sinclair R. Hair biology. Dermatol Clin. 2007.