The Hair Growth Cycle: Key Stages Explained
In this blog, we are going to learn about the hair growth cycle. We are going to learn the key stages of hair growth. So it has been claimed that the hair grows in four distinct stages. The final stage involves the shedding of old hair, making room for new hair growth. Certain conditions can disrupt the stages of hair growth. Now check out this entire blog to learn everything.
What Is the Hair Growth Cycle?
The hair growth cycle is a complex process involving three distinct phases. Regular trims and cutting are common methods, while some prefer to let the hair grow naturally. The cycle has been extensively studied to understand hair growth and prevent or treat premature hair loss. The growth and loss of hair may seem like a simple process, but the hair growth cycle is composed of four distinct phases. These stages of hair growth have been studied in great depth to better understand how hair grows and what might be done to prevent or treat premature hair loss.
There are some stages of hair growth. The four phases are known as anagen, catagen, telogen, and exogen. These stages cover the growth and maturation of hair and the activity of the hair follicles that produce individual hairs. During the final, or exogen, phase, “old” hair sheds, though usually, a new hair is getting ready to take its place. Each phase has its timeline, which can be affected by age, nutrition, and overall health. That means there are steps you can take along the way to help ensure that your hair follows a healthy growth cycle.
Anagen:
Anagen is known as the growing phase of hair. The stages of hair growth begin with the anagen phase. It’s the longest phase, lasting about 3 to 5 years for the hairs on your head, though for some people a single hair could continue growing for 7 or more years. Fortunately, the anagen phase differs with different types of hair. For example, the anagen phase for eyebrow hairs and pubic hairs is much shorter than the phase for scalp hairs. During the anagen phase, your hair follicles are pushing out hairs that will continue to grow until they’re cut or until they reach the end of their lifespan and fall out.
Catagen:
The catagen phase is also known as the transition phase. This phase starts when the anagen phase ends and tends to last about 10 days or so. During this chapter, hair follicles shrink and hair growth slows. The hair also separates from the bottom of the hair follicle, yet remains in place during its final days of growing. Only around 5 % of the hairs on your head are in the catagen phase at any given time.
Telogen:
Telogen is also known as the resting phase. This phase generally lasts around 3 months. An estimated 10 to 15 % of your scalp hairs are in this phase. Hairs don’t grow during the telogen phase, but they don’t usually fall out either. The telogen phase is also when new hairs start to form in follicles that have just released hairs during the catagen phase. Hair experts generally consider the telogen phase the shedding phase, as well, but many scientists have divided this stage into two parts: the telogen and exogen stages.
Exogen:
The exogen phase is also known as the shedding phase. This phase is commonly an extension or a part of the telogen stage of hair growth. During the exogen phase, hair is shed from the scalp, often helped along by washing and brushing. Losing 50 to 100 hairs per day during the exogen phase is normal. During the exogen phase, which can last about 2 to 5 months, new hairs are growing in the follicles as old hairs fall away.
It has been claimed that generally having healthy hair depends on our genes and hormone levels. As well as manageable factors related to a healthy lifestyle and proper hair care. You should follow some major things in your life to protect your hair.
Nutrition:
Have good nutrition because hair is largely made of protein, you should keep up your protein intake by focusing on healthy proteins. You can have nutrients with lean meats, fish, beans, legumes, and low-fat dairy products. It has also been found that the intake of the following nutrients was associated with healthy hair growth, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and Iron. Alongside this, zinc, folic acid, and vitamin B12 may also be associated with promoting healthy hair growth.
Stress:
Reduce stress from your lifeIt has been reported that three premature hair loss conditions are related to high-stress levels. These levels include:
Telogen effluvium: This condition accelerates hair from the anagen phase into the telogen phase and then into the exogen phase, doubling or tripling normal daily hair loss.
Trichotillomania: This psychological condition causes an irresistible urge to pull hair from your scalp or other areas of your body.
Alopecia areata: This condition occurs when the body’s immune system attacks healthy hair follicles, causing hair loss.
Try to take less stress, It can be possible with the help of yoga, meditation, breathing techniques, counseling, and avoiding some of the daily stressors in your life may help reduce your stress, which can have many positive health benefits.
Hair Care:
Healthy hair care starts with choosing the right shampoo. Look for products designed for your type of hair, whether it’s oily, dry, fine, color-treated, etc. The right conditioner can also make a difference, but finding the right products may take some trial and error. Pay attention to how your hair responds to various shampoos and conditioners. Treating your hair gently is also important for promoting healthy growth. Avoid very hot water when you shampoo and towel-dry your hair gently when you’re done. Hair is more vulnerable to damage when it’s wet. Turning down the heat when drying your hair may also make a difference.
What Happens When The Hair Growth Cycle Is Disrupted?
Every single hair follicle is independent and goes through the growth cycle at different times otherwise all your hair would fall out at once! Instead, you only shed a certain number of hairs a day 80 to 100 hairs on a healthy head of hair. Hair loss, hair thinning, and problems with hair growth may occur when your growth cycle is disrupted. This can be triggered by conditions such as metabolic imbalances, illness, or improper nutrition. For instance, around 12 weeks after restrictive dieting or a high fever, you may experience telogen effluvium. This occurs when your anagen phase is cut short, and many hairs enter the telogen phase at the same time resulting in increased hair fall 3 months later during the exogen phase.
It has been claimed that if your hair growth cycle is constantly disrupted (for example, not supported with good nutrition, you may find that your hair will not grow as long as it used to. This is because your hairs are never allowed to stay in the anagen phase long enough to reach the desired length.
The hair is nourished by the blood vessels at the base of the follicle, which gives the needed nutrition to the roots to grow. There are four stages of the hair growth cycle from the starting phase till falling, which introduces the life cycle of the hair. The four stages of the hair growth cycle are the Anagen known as the growing phase, the Catagen, a regression phase, the Telogen, which is the resting phase and the Exogen is the shedding phase.
Around 10-15% of hairs are in this phase. If the hair enters in resting phase, too early it will be notified that hair starts shedding resulting in the thinning and loss of hairs on the scalp. The Exogen phase represents the detaching of hair roots when they reach the terminal position in the follicles and the resting hair is gradually loosened resulting in the shedding of the hair. Over time, the length of the Anagen stage decreases. However, the hair may become weaker and thinner after each cycle. That is why it is important to ensure that a nutrient-rich diet is required to maintain strong and healthy hair growth.
Hair strings on the pillow in the morning, strands of hair in the bathtubs during the shower, tangled hair strands in the comb, and fallen hairs on the shoulder are not alarming. It is a normal hair shedding. Out of the total hair on the head, 85% to 90% are in a growing phase. The other 10% to 15% are in the resting phase. This suggests that it will shed to give the place for new hair growth. This normal hair shedding is generally a temporary loss unless there is no cause of conditional or permanent factor of a genetic cause for hair loss. Here we have shared everything about the hair growth cycle. We hope that you like all this information.
