Crap hair! Impossibe to grow.

[Frazzled2207]

I am going to have to have my hair cut off after trying to grow it for the umpteenth time. It gets to nearly my shoulders and it's quite clearly much thicker at the root and very straggly and thin at the ends. Looks rubbish, whereas If I keep it in a shorter bob it tends to look generally even and less shit. It's becoming clear that once the hairs get to a certain length they give up and fall out. Some others just break off mid length, probably due to straightening most days etc. Hence the ends always look uneven and wispy even though I get it trimmed every 2 months or so.
Why is this? Is it just crap genes? is there anything I can do long term, products I can try etc? Although I'd probably be a good candidate, I don't really want to go down the extensions route, far too high maintenance for me. Have started taking vitamin supplements but not expecting much from them.

If you ditch silicones and sulphates, wash your hair less often, ditch the straighteners and hair dryers, you hair will be in better condition , but you have to completely change your hair care regimen

How old are you? Am only asking as for lots of people hair growth slows a bit around menopause

oh God I hope not yet! I'm 44. I know peri-menopause is a 'thing' at this sort of age. That said I've had the same issue growing my hair in my 20s. Just seems worse this time round.

Cut out dairy! My hair has been lank, dull and refused to grow since I messed around dying it when I was younger. As soon as I gave up dairy my hair changed and is now thick and naturally long.

wow really? Is this a coincidence or is there some science to back this up?

I grew mine to my waist, it was so thin & straggly, I've had it cut to between my shoulders & plan to have it cut to a chin length bob.

Mine grows out sideways instead of down, so a bob is the way to go !

I haven't coloured mine while I have been growing it, that's the reason I'm going short again so I can bleach the hell out of it again & just keep on having it trimmed.

What @SimonaRazowska said, especially this bit “ditch silicones and sulphates, wash your hair less often, ditch the straighteners and hair dryers”

Even just not straightening it would help I bet. I do dry mine but use a diffuser and a low heat (and it’s only once a week)

I have a similar problem and have made the following 2 changes:

1. Wash my hair more often. Apparently research advising people to wash their hair as infrequently as possible is now outdated, and the current advice is to wash your hair (with a sulphate free shampoo) as often as your hair can tolerate it. This is to do with massaging and stimulating the scalp, as well as removing pollutants which dry your hair out.

1. Putting moisture into your hair, using a hair mask before each wash and conditioner afterwards. I also massage in leave in conditioner every morning and every night.

The trick is to get your hair cut and then try to maintain the health of each hair shaft from that point onwards, so it doesn't get brittle and snap off. Brushing hair gently and handling it with care is very important too.

I have this problem and as I've got into my 50's it won't even reach my shoulders. Regaine ( minoxidil) helps but you have to keep using it. Some people swear by Plantur 39 (there is a fragile hair version) Could be perimenopause - that can start many years before menopause.
Also, check out your ferritin levels and thyroid.

Yea, you are in peri menopause territory. I actually lost an area of hair at your age which never grew back.

Biotin supplements! Take a specific one every single day. Maybe use straightners that are not quite as hot? Some you can adjust the temp