Hair Growth: Genetics, Habits or Products — What Really Matters?

When it comes to growing healthy, long hair, the question often sparks debate:
Is hair growth simply down to genetics, or can habits and products truly make a difference?
Science shows that all three factors are interwoven. Here’s how each plays a role.

1. Genetics – Your Hair’s Blueprint

Hair growth occurs in a repeating cycle of anagen (growth), catagen (transition) and telogen (resting) phases.
Your genetic code determines:

• The length of the anagen phase (typically 2–6 years).

• The average growth rate (about 0.3–0.5 mm per day).

If you inherit a shorter anagen phase, your hair’s maximum length will be naturally limited.
Conditions such as androgenetic alopecia or other hereditary factors can also influence density and thickness.

Genetics set the potential, but potential is not the same as the final result.

2. Habits – The Day-to-Day Difference

Scalp Care

Your scalp is living skin tissue, and hair follicles are miniature organs.

• Regular cleansing keeps follicles free from excess sebum and debris that can impede growth.

• Gentle massage improves microcirculation, delivering oxygen and nutrients to the follicle base.

Diet & Lifestyle

• Adequate protein and micronutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin D and biotin support keratin production.

• Chronic stress can push follicles into the telogen (shedding) phase prematurely (a condition called telogen effluvium).

• Hormonal changes during pregnancy, menopause or thyroid imbalance can accelerate or slow growth.

Daily Practices

• Over-manipulation, tight hairstyles and harsh chemical treatments weaken the cuticle and cause breakage, making it seem as if hair isn’t growing.

• Consistent sensible protective styling and gentle detangling reduce mechanical damage and help retain the length you naturally grow.

 Even with good genes, poor habits can sabotage growth potential.
Healthy habits allow you to retain the length your follicles produce.

3. Products – Harmful vs. Beneficial

The Downside of Harsh Formulas

Products loaded with sulphates, drying alcohols, parabens and synthetic fragrances can:

• Strip the scalp of natural oils, causing dryness and irritation.

• Weaken the cuticle, leading to breakage and split ends.

• Disrupt the scalp’s microbiome, creating inflammation that affects follicle health.

The Power of Natural, Nutrient-Rich Formulations

Plant-based products rich in essential fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins can:

• Support the scalp’s barrier function.

• Protect follicles from oxidative stress.

• Lock in moisture, reducing breakage and allowing visible length retention.

Natural treatments—such as those made from plants, seeds and oils—work in harmony with the scalp’s biology, feeding hair at its root while avoiding synthetic damage.

Good products cannot override genetics, but they create the environment for optimal growth and help you keep the hair you grow.

Bringing It All Together

Hair growth is never about just one factor.

• Genetics dictate the pace and the ultimate length potential.

• Habits—from scalp care and diet to stress management—decide whether you can reach that potential.

• Products can either nurture or sabotage the process.

If your genes give you a naturally fast growth rate but you neglect scalp care or use harsh chemicals, you’ll never see the full benefit.
Likewise, even if your genetic growth rate is slower, investing in healthy habits and natural, nutrient-rich products helps you retain every centimetre you grow.

The Bottom Line

Think of genetics as the blueprint, habits as the construction crew, and products as the building materials.
Only when all three work together can you achieve the healthiest, fullest hair your body is capable of growing.

For hair care made purely from plants, seeds and oils—free from chemicals and synthetics—AfroHairCandy nourishes both scalp and strands to help you protect every inch of growth nature gives you.