Stages of hair, and why they are important.
TL;DR: The four phases of hair growth include anagen, catagen, telogen, and exogen, with each phase lasting a different length of time. A healthy lifestyle of low stress, supportive diet, and proper hair care helps promote healthy hair growth for a long time.
The growth and loss of hair may seem like a simple process, but the hair cycle is actually composed of four distinct phases. These stages are discussed below to help you better understand how hair grows and ways you can improve it.
The first three phases — anagen, catagen, and telogen — are stages of hair growth, maturity, and rest. The final, exogen, phase, is the shedding phase, which also includes a beginning of a new hair growth. Each phase has its own timeline, and can be affected by age, nutrition, and overall health.
ANAGEN: GROWING PHASE
Hair cycle begins 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 one for your 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. At any given time, about 90 percent of the hairs on your head are in the anagen phase.
NB: Our Scalp Serum primarily targets the hair in anagen stage by increasing blood flow to hair follicles, which helps nourish and support healthy hair growth.
CATAGEN: TRANSITION PHASE
The catagen phase comes next, and tends to last about 10 days or so. During this stage, 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 about 5 percent of the hairs on your head are in the catagen phase at any given time.
TELOGEN: RESTING PHASE
The telogen phase typically lasts around 3 months. An estimated 10 to 15 percent 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.
EXOGEN: SHEDDING PHASE
The exogen phase is essentially 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 about 50 to 100 hairs per day is considered typical and generally is not a reason for concern.
During the exogen phase, which can last about 2 to 5 months, new hairs are growing in the follicles as old hairs fall away.
How to maintain hair health during all four stages
Having healthy, full hair is largely determined by genetics and hormone levels, which are mostly beyond your control. However, focusing on manageable factors discussed below, can help you unlock and maintain your best hair potential. Some of the best strategies for all four stages include:
Good nutrition
Because hair is largely made of protein, you should keep up your protein intake by focusing on healthy proteins. That includes:
- lean meats
- fish
- beans
- legumes
Zinc, folic acid, and vitamin B12 may also be associated with promoting healthy hair growth.
Reduced stress
It is no secret that stress causes all sorts of problems within our bodies, and hair is not an exception. The Mayo Clinic reports three different premature hair-loss conditions related to high stress levels. They 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
Learning to de-stress with the help of yoga, meditation, breathing techniques, counseling, positive thinking, and avoiding some of the daily stressors in your life may help reduce your stress, which can have many positive health benefits.
Proper hair care
Establishing a proper hair care routine can help make your locks looking and feeling healthy and happy. With no shortage of products available on the market, try looking for the ones that are designed for your hair type, and are made with natural, non-toxic ingredients.
Weekly masks and rinses can also be incorporated into your routine, and become a nice treat for your hair, as well as a self-pampering (read: de-stressing) ritual for you.
Scalp massages and products that promote blood flow to the scalp (like our Scalp Serum) are also great ways of nourishing your hair - think of it as adding an extra meal to those hair follicles!
Treating your hair gently is another important step to 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 wet, so try brushing it when it dries a bit. Avoid high heat, and, perhaps, let it air dry occasionally.
Most importantly, please remember that hair recovery and growth does not happen instantly. But with proper care, patience, and time - the results are sure to follow.
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