You got a fabulous new haircut.
And you thought that your hair would look great as it grew.
But you notice that it’s not the case.
Either one side of your hair grows faster, or it’s the hair at the back.
But it isn’t even.
And you’re curious. Why is this happening?
It’s actually normal and happens to a lot of women and men.
My hair grows longer on the right side and my partner, his sides grow longer than his overall hair.
In this post, I will cover why one side of your hair grows faster than the other.
There are genuine reasons. Some of these we can fix, and some really aren’t up to us.
Let’s dive in.
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1. Your curl pattern may be different
Skip this point if you have straight hair.
I actually have looser curls on some parts of my head and those curls look longer because they are more stretched
If you have wavy, curly, or kinky hair, then you could experience or feel that your hair is growing faster on one side than the other.
Again, curl patterns vary for everyone and it’s something most of us cannot control.
If you are taking very good care of your hair like:
- Eating nutritious food and staying hydrated
- Moisturizing your hair well
- Removing excess product buildup regularly
- Not using any heat or chemicals on your hair
Then you are already doing everything right. And your curl pattern is not something you can control.
Curl patterns also change based on the medications you take, hormonal changes in your body, environmental factors, and so on.
So analyze your hair and check if the texture is what is different and if that is why one part of your hair is looking longer than the other.
2. Genetics
How your hair grows largely depends on your DNA and your genetic makeup.
For some people, hair grows faster on the sides, for some, it’s the back.
If it is caused by genetics, there isn’t much you can do.
This is something everyone is born with and even baldness and hair patterns are genetically inherited.
Your genetics also affects:
- Your hair texture – whether it’s straight, wavy, curly, or kinky
- The fineness of the hair – whether you have thin or thick strands
- Hair density – how many hairs you have on your scalp (anywhere between 90,000 – 150,000)
- Hair Color
So, if at all your uneven hair growth is affected by genetics, there is nothing you can do to change that.
Even sex, age, and environmental factors can play a difference.
3. You sleep on one side more
If you tend to favor your right side more when you sleep, then the hair on your right side will grow faster.
This is because the right side is getting more blood circulation.
There is not much you can do in this case because we really can’t control the way we sleep.
Additionally, one side of your hair is being pulled and is constantly being affected by friction on your pillowcase it can cause split ends and this can cause hair to grow unevenly.
Especially if you have more split ends on one side than the other.
This is something you can change.
You can tie your hair up in a loose bun or ponytail using a satin scrunchy – these worked wonders for me. They helped me reduce tangles and split ends drastically.
You can also sleep on a satin pillowcase to reduce friction between the hair and the pillowcase.
4. Stress
If you take a lot of stress, you may notice a lot of changes to your hair.
Stress can affect the hair in many ways:
- Your curl pattern might change – it could become looser and stringier – causing some parts of your hair to look longer
- Your hair color might change – it may go from red to blonde or from black to brown. Stress and hormonal changes do have the power to change hair color.
- Your hair will grow unevenly – If you do take a lot of stress, then it can trigger hair loss and even affect hair growth. Some parts of your hair will grow slower than others.
The good news is, that stress can be controlled and the hair loss that is due to stress can be reversed.
The best way to combat stress is to give yourself some undivided attention and do something that gives you peace but at the same time lets you be alone with your thoughts.
Practice activities like:
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Journaling
- Walking outside
All of these activities will help you keep your stress in control. And you will be able to restore your hair back to its healthy state.
5. Blood supply
If one part of your hair is getting more blood supply, it is going to grow faster and better.
This is how it works.
In general, blood reaches the sides of the head more easily than the top.
That is why most people who are bald start balding from the front and the top. Once the blood supply decreases, the hair follicles don’t get enough to grow and can stop growing altogether.
6. Chemical processing and heat
If you spent years treating your hair to chemicals and heat, then this can affect your hair growth significantly.
When I was 9 I straightened my hair.
The process was so harsh that my hair fell out in clumps. My hair did grow back after a while, but it was never the same. Some parts are still weird and frizzy and some parts don’t grow as fast as the other sections.
Constant straightening, curling, or use of heat tools can damage hair follicles in the long run especially if heat protectants are not used or the heat is applied too close to the scalp. The same goes for chemical processing like bleaching, perming, etc.
If your roots get damaged, then hair growth can get affected.
And you may notice some parts of your hair growing faster than the rest.
My honest suggestion is to stay away from chemicals and heat as much as possible.
Or be extra careful and never put anything too close to your scalp as this can affect the hair follicles and cause damage.
Minimize the use of heat and chemicals in order to have healthy hair growth.
7. Whether you are right or left-handed
What your dominant hand is has a lot to do with how your hair grows.
If you constantly use your left hand to brush your hair and shampoo your hair, then you are unconsciously favoring the left side of your head and that will grow faster.
If you have a habit of pulling at your hair or running your hand through your hair unconsciously, even that can affect your hair growth.
Maybe you scratch your head when you’re frustrated?
Or perhaps you curl your hair in your fingers with your dominant hand.
All of these little habits do affect hair growth.
They increase circulation in your scalp and those hair follicles will grow faster.
8. Nutrition
If you aren’t eating well, your hair growth can be affected.
Our body’s primary aim is to survive.
Meaning, if there isn’t enough nutrition in the body, the body will choose to sacrifice certain elements so as to provide nutrition to the internal organs.
I find this fascinating.
The body will reduce the blood supply to the skin, hair, and nails in order to conserve energy.
It can also affect periods and periods may stop.
This is why it is very essential to eat properly in order to have healthy skin, hair, and nails.
Your nutrition directly affects how your nails and hair grow.
So, if you feel that some parts of your hair are not growing evenly, or it is looking more dry and unhealthy, look at your nutrition.
Make sure you eat nutritious, rich whole foods and get plenty of water.
9. You are wearing very tight hairstyles
If you constantly part your way on the right and tie very tight ponytails, then this can also affect your hair growth.
Let’s say you tie side ponytails, then one part of the hair is constantly under high tension while the other is not.
This can cause one side to grow longer and faster than the other.
One way to remedy this is to constantly switch up hairstyles.
Don’t wear one hairstyle for too long.
Avoid tight hairstyles for a prolonged period of time. Try to keep your hair loose and free most of the time.
I used to wear tight ponytails because I didn’t like my hair in my face – this has caused hair thinning on the sides and has affected my hair growth.
Make sure you tie your hair very loosely when you sleep in a top bun like a pineapple or just wear a hair cap. Give your hair space and time to breathe.
How to fix uneven hair growth?
You cannot fix genetics.
But you do have a lot of control over your health and body and if you take care of your hair, you can ensure that it’s growing healthy and at its normal rate.
So, here are a few tips to help you grow your hair better and more evenly.
1. Eat nutritious food and stay hydrated
As a person who’s hated water for 30 years, I made my peace with the fact that I’m never going to become healthy unless I start drinking water.
It sounds silly but your health actually determines the state of your hair vastly.
I started drinking more water and eating better food.
Better food means more proteins and fats – whole foods without preservatives.
Here is a great article on foods you need to eat to have healthy hair.
This will make a world of a difference.
You can also take a supplement to help with hair and nail growth like Biotin, but please talk to your doctor about it first.
2. Ensure you have no mineral or vitamin deficiency
Now, no amount of good food and exercise can fix something that is lacking in your body.
If you notice that your hair is wispy and uneven and it isn’t growing properly or it’s stalled, check with your doctor.
Make sure that you get your blood tested and see if there is any underlying cause that is causing your hair to grow erratically.
Once you know that everything is good to go, you can focus on your health and hair next.
3. Stay away from heat and chemicals
It’s natural to want pretty colored hair and it’s something we can change easily because it isn’t permanent.
But all the heat and chemicals in your hair will affect its state and growth.
In no world is bleach and chemicals good for your hair and moderating its use or eliminating it completely will actually make a world of difference to your hair.
Try it for a year and see how much better your hair grows.
You’ll even have lesser breakage, split ends, and less damage overall.
4. Make sure your hair is moisturized
I’m speaking specifically to my curly girls.
Curly hair tends to get drier because sebum produced in the scalp takes a long time to reach the ends.
Curly girls need to moisturize their hair with a nice curly leave-in.
If your hair is dry or damaged, use a hair mask once a week. I recommend the Argan Oil Hair Mask for anyone who wants more moisture. Just leave it in for a few minutes on clean, wet hair and wash it off completely.
Your hair will feel so much softer and hydrated.
5. Take care of your hair
This means not tying your hair in tight ponytails or constantly parting it in one direction and actually giving it some breathing space.
It means not using harsh shampoos or conditioners and cleaning your scalp regularly to avoid product build-up.
It means protecting your hair from the sun by wearing hats or hair sunscreen.
Taking care of your hair means wearing a protective hairstyle before sleeping like a top bun or a loose ponytail so that your hair doesn’t move much when you sleep.
Apart from that, you should also get a trim every 12 weeks so that you can avoid damaged hair and split ends.
Massage your scalp every day in round circular motions for just 5 minutes using your fingers – this will help improve blood circulation.
I have a detailed post here on what you should do if you feel your hair is getting shorter without cutting it. Give it a read.
Why does my hair grow shorter on one side?
Your hair isn’t growing shorter.
The other side is simply growing longer and more quickly due to increased blood circulation.
Different blood circulation to some parts of the scalp can be due to the following:
- Constantly brushing or favoring one part of the head
- Stress
- Sleeping on one side
Your hair growth can also be affected due to hormonal changes, genetics, and normal wear and tear.
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