A Guide to the Hair Growth Cycle

There are all kinds of interesting things about our hair. Whether it’s wondering why some people have long hair and others do not or why some people’s hair stops growing as they age – a guide to the hair growth cycle may give you some insight.

Components of Our Hair

Your hair has two main components: the hair follicle and the shaft. The follicle has its own parts – the bulb and papilla. What the papilla does is carry blood to the hair follicle and nourish it with nutrients – the very nutrients that give us healthy, luxurious hair.

The hair shaft is the part you see on top of your head. Each hair shaft represents a strand of hair and is made up of a hard outer layer known as the cuticle and a hard protein called keratin – the same thing you see in some hair care products.

The Hair Growth Cycle and Phases

There are four phases of the hair growth cycle that include: the anagen phase, the catagen phase, the telogen phase, and the exogen phase.

The Anagen Phase

This is the hair growth phase and the beginning of the hair growth cycle. This phase is approximately 2 – 7 years and results in new hair growth.

The Catagen Phase

This is a very brief phase, lasting about two to three weeks. According to Toppik:

During the catagen phase, the hair stops growing and detaches itself from the blood supply. The hair becomes what is known as club hair.

The Telogen Phase

This is also known as the resting phase, allowing new hair to grow underneath the existing hair. It lasts about three months.

The Exogen Phase

This is where the resting phase hair falls out or sheds and it’s the reason you see hair come out in your comb, brush, or in the shower. It is typical to experience shedding of up to 100 hairs a day and it is only worrisome if there is a lot more than usual.

Once these cycles are done, the hair growth cycle starts all over again. Rinse and repeat, you might say.

Solutions for Hair Loss & Thinning Hair

Whether you want hair restoration solutions in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Phoenix, Arizona, or anywhere in between if you are experiencing the devastating effects of hair loss and would like to learn more about non-surgical hair replacement options available to you, we invite you to consider scheduling a free private, confidential consultation with an experienced hair loss professional near you.