Hair grows everywhere on the human skin except on the palms of our hands and the soles of our feet. Hair is made up of a protein called keratin. As follicles produce new hair cells, old cells are being pushed out through the surface of the skin at the rate of about six inches a year. The hair you can see is actually a string of dead keratin cells. The average adult head has about 100,000 to 150,000 hairs and loses up to 100 of them a day; finding a few stray hairs on your hairbrush is not necessarily cause for alarm.
At any one time, about 90% of the hair on a person's scalp is growing. Each follicle has its own life cycle that can be influenced by age, disease, stress, medication and a wide variety of other factors. This life cycle is divided into three phases:
At any one time, about 90% of the hair on a person's scalp is growing. Each follicle has its own life cycle that can be influenced by age, disease, stress, medication and a wide variety of other factors. This life cycle is divided into three phases:
Anagen -- active hair growth phase. Depending on your genetics, the growth phase can last anywhere from 2 to 6 years. As the anagen phase comes to an end, an unknown signal tells the hair to enter the next stage. The hair grows about a fourth of an inch each month, and though it is technically dead, a healthy hair care regimen can keep it looking beautiful while it’s in the anagen phase.
Catagen – Transitional phase. Catagen is made up of a 2-3 week transitional period in which the hair is no longer growing. During this stage, the follicle shrinks, breaks away from the blood supply and a club hair is formed. This club hair leads to the next stage of the cycle
Telogen -- resting phase that lasts about two to three months; at the end of the resting phase the hair is shed and a new hair replaces it and the anagen growing cycle starts again.
During our lifetime, each hair follicle produces a new strand of hair in its growth phase, with a total of 25 to 30 cycles.
If you are concerned about the quality, density or loss of your hair, book in for a complimentary hair & scalp diagnosis and find out how we can help you.
Catagen – Transitional phase. Catagen is made up of a 2-3 week transitional period in which the hair is no longer growing. During this stage, the follicle shrinks, breaks away from the blood supply and a club hair is formed. This club hair leads to the next stage of the cycle
Telogen -- resting phase that lasts about two to three months; at the end of the resting phase the hair is shed and a new hair replaces it and the anagen growing cycle starts again.
During our lifetime, each hair follicle produces a new strand of hair in its growth phase, with a total of 25 to 30 cycles.
If you are concerned about the quality, density or loss of your hair, book in for a complimentary hair & scalp diagnosis and find out how we can help you.
