Interesting argument.
Since the original author stated that there was already concern for poor nutrition, this is a common well known reason for slow to grow unhealthy thinning hair. Lets think about this, which plant would grow faster (optimal rate) and healthier? A healthy plant with vitamin/mineral rich healthy soil? Or a plant with poor nutrient soil grow?
The original post also stated the hair has been dreaded for quite a long length of time, and was not only not appearing to grow at all, it also was thinning.
If you google dreads and growth or rate of growth and read, you will see many dreadheads claim having dreads actually makes their hair grow significantly faster (probably due to increased circulation from stimulation of the follicles by the dreads movement and the fuzzy hairs), while others say their hair growth is slower (probably due to the knotting like you said). Who really knows? After dreads get packed in with knots, they will still continue to grow. Dreads don't just sit and eat hair all the hair and never grow an inch. The only thing that makes sense especially in this situation of the OP is diet.. If you know your diet is good, you take a daily mv, then there isn't a lot anything anyone can do about rate of growing anything, except patience. Thyroid function can play a huge factor as well in hair growth, and is sometimes a culprit for hair loss, slow growth and thinning. A visit to your health practitioner can help rule out any health conditions like this that could affect hair.
Hair growth during pregnancy.. Let's think on this. Many women admit they do not take a daily mv before pregnancy (although some do, especially those rigorously TTC), then.. when they are pregnant their diet increases with more daily protein. So lets add this together. Healthier diet - IE: extra daily proteins, and awesome mv+ hormones = awesome growth.
The list of herbs I gave, have been said to help with healthier hair, some naturally condition or strengthen structure, some work on the hair itself, and others benefit the follicle, IE: help improve or stimulate better circulation at the follicles. If you were to read on each herb individually and study further the claims that have been recorded, you will see the unique said benefits of each herb. And herb is an herb. It is an alternative form of healing. Some don't believe in their effects, while others claim their wonders in History.
We are all here to help one another out. One last thing... I don't recommend anyone who is not supporting a growing babe through breastfeeding or pregnancy take a prenatal vitamin. The potency of the vitamins and minerals in it (like Iron) is larger than that recommended for regular people and can be toxic.
Resources: Personal experience, Various Herbal Books I own, Local School of Herbal Medicine, Google, Herbalist friends, and friends I have in health professions.
Tommy Emmrich said: One thing nobody seems to have mentioned is that having dreads themselves appears to slow hair growth. I say appears because it doesn't actually slow it, it just gives the illusion of it. Hair grows on average 6 inches per year. Some peoples grows slightly faster or slightly slower but its not very drastic. But all this growth comes from, get this, the root of the hair. So, as it gets longer there and works itself into a dread, the hair is no longer running straight from the scalp, its zigzagging around other hairs. The shortest distance between any two points (and consequently the longest hair looks) is a straight line. The hair is no longer running in straight lines. Hence, the tighter the dreads become, or the thicker they get, the shorter the hair will appear. That being said, there are some supplements out there that promote healthy hair growth, but nothing has been proven to actually grow hair faster. A sidenote: people often suggest prenatal supplements. During pregnancy, women often have accelerated hair growth. This is NOT an effect of the supplements, but a result of increased hormones. The supplements merely promote healthier growth.
