if you are a slow grower, do you have short nails to? and other questions??

[BlkOnyx488]

Hey ladies,
I was just wondering that because, I have always had short breakable nails and short breakable hair. In fact not to give TMI but I don't have much hair anywhere barely any leg or arm hair and so forth (not that I am complaining about that.

But This is why I really doubt my ability to grow long hair because nothing grows long on my body. This is not a whine post
I am trying to get to the bottom of this. Like what if I have something medically wrong with me that is causing me to be a slow grower and it's not just genetics?

I was diagonosed as a mild anemic. Could that be all there is? If I were to see a dr. about this, what kind of Dr should I talk too?

What about you ladies with long hair, does your arm hair and nails grow long too?

My diet is high protein, vegtables, then very few carbs. I don't eat at fast food joints ever, I work out 4 plus times a week.

Is it really just Genetic?

 

[Vintageglam]

VERY good question OP. BC I have always had super fast growing nails and I would say average hair growth. Will be interesting to see the responses...

 

[angenoir]

I have very slow growing hair... I only just accepted that... lol

BUT surprisingly I have very hard nails that grow super fast. No need for fake nails or anything. Weird.

 

[AfroKink]

I'm similar, I have barely any body hair. While my hair is growing, it tends to break off a lot. So retention is an issue. That being said, my nails grow like crazy! They don't break often. They are very flexible and bend a lot before they snap off. At the end of June I was forced to cut my nails for a school related activity. I was upset and vowed not to cut them again until forced to. In the next 7 weeks my nails had grown so long that they were hindering my life. I couldn't type on keyboards properly, I struggled to do up buttons... I ended up having to cut my claws off.

One thing I have noticed: When I'm taking my multi vitamin, my nails get thicker. If I stop for a number of months then start back consistently, I soon get a ridge on all my finger and toe nails. That's my personal proof that vitamins actually do something. Now do they do something for my hair? I hope so.

post is getting long, I'll stop

 

[QueenNefi]

I've always had a problem growing nails. They were always short, brittle and they practically fell off with the slightest touch. I tried protein (eggs,milk), biotin and even hair and nail vitamins. I was recently taking calcium but with no real results. On a fluke and without even inquiring about my problem my doctor discovered something odd with a simple wellness blood test. I am vitamin D deficiant. I was taking the calcium with D but my body could not absorb the calcium without a way higher does of D. I still take calcium twice a day but now I also take 5000 iu of vitamin D each time I take the calcium. It took a couple of months but my nails are long and hard. I researched vitamin D and found that it is supper beneficial to any diet. Food for thought.

 

[melissa-bee]

Good question. I consider my hair growth to be average slow, keep in mind this is the first time i have measured my growth but if it stays consistent i will get 4 inches in a year. My hair has always broken. My nails do grow but they also break a lot. I have above average body hair

 

[BlkOnyx488]

Interesting I was just reading about Vitamin D the other day
of course in the article I was reading they didn't mention it would help nails grow. Off to research

I've always had a problem growing nails. They were always short, brittle and they practically fell off with the slightest touch. I tried protein (eggs,milk), biotin and even hair and nail vitamins. I was recently taking calcium but with no real results. On a fluke and without even inquiring about my problem my doctor discovered something odd with a simple wellness blood test. I am vitamin D deficiant. I was taking the calcium with D but my body could not absorb the calcium without a way higher does of D. I still take calcium twice a day but now I also take 5000 iu of vitamin D each time I take the calcium. It took a couple of months but my nails are long and hard. I researched vitamin D and found that it is supper beneficial to any diet. Food for thought.

 

[SelfStyled]

I would win the slow growers award here- trust me. When I am consistent with my vitamins, I notice that my nail grow faster than usual, other than that they also grow slow. My hair barely grows on my legs. For me I don't really know why my hair grows so slow, I have Crohn's disease and also an under active thyroid. My gastroenterologist tested me for Vitamin D deficiency, I guess many Crohn's sufferers can be deficient in nutrients period(they don't get absorbed in the intestinal wall). I was deficient in Vitamin D, and now take that a supplemental dose daily. My hair probably grows 1/4" to a 1/3"
a month. Dismal.

I would start with your internist, and just have them do a blood panel on you and test you on vitamin levels, iron,dht, etc.

 

[topnotch1010]

I've always had a problem growing nails. They were always short, brittle and they practically fell off with the slightest touch. I tried protein (eggs,milk), biotin and even hair and nail vitamins. I was recently taking calcium but with no real results. On a fluke and without even inquiring about my problem my doctor discovered something odd with a simple wellness blood test. I am vitamin D deficiant. I was taking the calcium with D but my body could not absorb the calcium without a way higher does of D. I still take calcium twice a day but now I also take 5000 iu of vitamin D each time I take the calcium. It took a couple of months but my nails are long and hard. I researched vitamin D and found that it is supper beneficial to any diet. Food for thought.

Thank you for this! I have the exact same problem and for some reason I always thought I was vit D deficient too. Maybe I'll swing by GNC during gold card days and pick some up. Thank you again!!

Excellent question OP!

 

[spacetygrss]

I'm a slightly-less-than-average hair grower (1/3 inch per month except when I am training hard for runs, then it kicks up to just under a 1/2 an inch per month). My nails grow really quickly though and I'm always having to trim them. I eat a diet high in protein, fruits and vegetables and take a prenatal every day since I've been pregnant/breastfeeding for the past 3 years. My hair is healthy so it doesn't bother me.

 

[auntybe]

My hair growth is very very slow. It gets very dry....... My nails grow fast and are very hard. Most people think I have artificial nails because they are so strong.

 

[winnettag]

Actually, my nails are long and very strong. But my hair grows slowly and isn't strong at all. No hair anywhere else on body grows fast either.
Now I'm wondering how my nails and hair can be so different when supplements make them seem directly related to each other?
I don't have a good diet or workout regularly, so I think that could help my hair, but my nails are doing fine as is.

 

[shopgalore]

Good point OP, I have fast ish growing nails, but my hair grows at such a snails pace its quite sad.

 

[BlkOnyx488]

Wow you are my inspiration, your hair is so long and pretty
I didn't realize you are a slow grower too

Actually, my nails are long and very strong. But my hair grows slowly and isn't strong at all. No hair anywhere else on body grows fast either.
Now I'm wondering how my nails and hair can be so different when supplements make them seem directly related to each other?
I don't have a good diet or workout regularly, so I think that could help my hair, but my nails are doing fine as is.

 

[Keen]

I have very slow growing hair... I only just accepted that... lol

BUT surprisingly I have very hard nails that grow super fast. No need for fake nails or anything. Weird.

same for me. Hair on my legs and underarm also grow slow. My my nails are strong and grows really fast.

 

[me-T]

slow hair growth, fast but breaking nail growth. not much action on the legs either. i could actually get away with not shaving

 

[Leesh]

Great Question, the reason being, is that, I Myself, have what I would say is sort of, health reasons as to why I am a "Extreme Slow Grower". My system lacks Sulfur, and with that, comes, Very dry skin, very brittle nails and very, very dry, easy to break hair, and slow-growing hair, so for Me using, Sulfur products, helps to bring My growth and health of everything else up to its full potential, maybe not full, because I am a little scared to take MSM, because of the Nightmares, so it could be better if I was tackling it form the inside as well, but for now, I have been using a Sulfur Treatment that I mixed Myself, which has worked out Good for Me so far.

 

[Poopiedo]

My nails grow like weeds. As long as I keep them polished I retain length. Just like some people get weave checked, I've gotten nail checked because I have long nail beds and my nails are hard. I've actually gotten compliments on my hands and told that I should be a hand model. My hair grows slower and I have to pay attention to my hair more. I've never been a nail fan, I've always been into hair. I guess if I was into nails, my nails would be short and my hair to the floor. We always want what we don't have I guess.

 

[theLovelyStyle]

Are you taking iron supplements?

 

[BlkOnyx488]

my dr prescribed prenatal vitamins for my anemia. I only recently made an effort to take them every day. I have done really good this month with taking them I am about to add two more pills to my daily routin. I just found and unopen bottle of Biotin in my pantry, and I have an appointment with my nutritionist on the 2nd I will be asking him/her about Vitamin D

Are you taking iron supplements?

 

[locabouthair]

My hair grows slow as well. 1/4 inch per month. My nails grow at a decent rate but they always end up breaking and they never grow too long.

I will say my diet is bad but I'm working on it.

 

[Triniwegian]

Both my hair and nails grow at a pretty average rate but they are both fine and break easily.
I have major problems retaining the length of my nails and therefore always keep then short. My hair is fine an breaks easily too but I have an easier time retaining the length of my hair.

 

[leigh.hill]

I am also anemic and I have a skin condition that affects my scalp and face - Seborrheic dermatitis. I treat the anemia with iron supplements. When the dermatitis is pretty much a non-issue now that I live in a warm climate, but when it does flare up I have a special shampoo to use (that dries the crap out of your hair). Having said that my nails grow so very fast...hair growth is average.

 

[kasey]

Thanks OP...I'm trying to figure out this mystery as well. I have great nail and body hair growth, but very slow hair growth. I'm thinking that may be a combination of nutrition and scalp stimulation. I've been faithfully taking iron supplements for anemia since last April and they have boosted my energy. Some dermatologists say that your ferritin level needs to be above 70 to achieve normal growth. When I started the iron supplement last April, my ferritin level was about 14, the low end of "normal". I'm gonna go back for my annual check up in March and request a CBC and Ferritin reading. As a natural head who air dries, I haven't been getting much scalp stimulation over the years. So...this year I've committed myself to do something every day to increase the blood flow at the scalp. We will see if this works.

 

[I Am So Blessed]

well i have long hair everywhere. long eye lashes too and thick eyebrows. my hair is really thick in my head. but my nails are short....

 

[softblackcotton]

Here's the deal with me. My nails DID NOT grow fast before I started taking supplements. They always broke and peel quickly whenever they grew a bit past the tip which would take about 6-8 weeks. My hair grows fast (I'm not sure on inches/month) but it would break at the slightest touch due to dryness and neglect which I am now striving to remedy this to gain some retention. In general my legs/underarms are hairy and the hair grows absurdly fast like I could use Nair and be so smooth in the morning by the next morning I have cactus stubble. Same thing with eyebrows, they are thick and when I wax one week by the next week I look like Freda again. LOL well I'm exaggerated on the Freda thing.

 

[Shoediva]

My nails and hair have always been the same, both have fast growth. I have been nail checked quit a few times...even by my dh. Havent been weaved checked in years due to me keeping my hair cut very short (by preference). Leg hair is the same which is why I hate summers, I have to shave every 2 days. Underarm hair is practicly non-existant which is strange. Im also Anemic but I dont take any supplements. I have been eating a lot more healthy and cooking with my cast iron skillet (Im a Dr Oz groupie)

 

[silenttullip]

for me i think my hair grows slow but my nails are totally different they grow with the quickness and dont breakage but once or twice a year. It's odd cause they're made of the same stuff

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

My hair grows like molasses (everywhere), but my nails have always grown in very quickly and evenly.

But interestingly, both my nails and hair are quite fragile. My nails will grow to about 1/8th of an inch, and then they'll start snapping and splitting. If I want to keep them, I have to use nail polish and be careful with my hands. I normally just file them down and keep them close to my fingers, because I don't want to be bothered. This year, I'm trying to pay more attention to them though.
And my hair is the same way...if I'm not careful to baby it, it'll just go snapping off. It's not hardy at all.

And the supplements that I take have had an effect on my nails, but not on my hair. I've noticed faster growing and stronger nails since I've been taking them, but my hair's growth rate hasn't changed. I have had less shedding though, which is nice.


But this is interesting stuff to think about, OP.

 

[BlkOnyx488]

Never heard of Ferritin how do i get that tested.

You ladies are giving me some great info to take to my DR tomorrow, he might kick me out the office with all the questions I have written.

Thanks OP...I'm trying to figure out this mystery as well. I have great nail and body hair growth, but very slow hair growth. I'm thinking that may be a combination of nutrition and scalp stimulation. I've been faithfully taking iron supplements for anemia since last April and they have boosted my energy. Some dermatologists say that your ferritin level needs to be above 70 to achieve normal growth. When I started the iron supplement last April, my ferritin level was about 14, the low end of "normal". I'm gonna go back for my annual check up in March and request a CBC and Ferritin reading. As a natural head who air dries, I haven't been getting much scalp stimulation over the years. So...this year I've committed myself to do something every day to increase the blood flow at the scalp. We will see if this works.