The hair growth cycle consists of four stages: anagen, catagen, telogen and exogen. If you are suffering from hair loss or shedding, being aware of the hair structure and how it grows is helpful in understanding any problems you are having with your hair.
DID YOU KNOW: Hair grows about half an inch a month.
Hair grows from the follicle, which receives nourishment from the blood vessels found at the base. The nourishment is vital to ensure healthy hair growth. Each hair passes through four different stages of growth, and each hair is at a different stage of growth at any given time.
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Anagen
The growth phase is known as the anagen phase, and it lasts an average of 3-5 years. This phase determines the length of our hair. It’s important that our follicles are healthy and not clogged or affected by poor circulation. Managing stress levels and ensuring a healthy diet will ensure you are getting the vitamins and nutrients your body needs to supply your hair follicles in the anagen phase.
Catagen
After the anagen phase is the catagen phase, which lasts about two weeks. In the catagen phase, your hair is transitioning as the follicles shrink and detach.
Telogen
The telogen phase of hair growth typically lasts three months. During telogen, the hair is “resting” and will then fall out. If your hair remains in the telogen hair growth phase for too long or starts too early, this is when you’ll notice hair loss or thinning. This is known as telogen effluviam and results in daily shedding for long periods. An unhealthy scalp could be the culprit for remaining in the telogen hair growth phase for too long. Keep your scalp nourished by getting as many hair-growth nutrients in your body on a regular basis.
Exogen
The exogen hair growth cycle is just an extension of the telogen “resting” phase. Dead hairs, also known as “club” hairs, will continue to shed while new hairs are starting to grow. It’s normal to lose an average of 50-100 hairs a day during this time.
As we get older and our hormones are changing, the hair growth cycle tends to slow down. It’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle to promote healthy hair growth and stop hair loss.