It can be tough to understand why you’re losing hair or what’s happening with your hair health and growth if you don’t even understand how your hair grows. That’s why Parker Trichology has put together this guide to teach you how hair grows throughout the hair growth cycle. Keep in mind not all hair grows at the same rate for every person, but all hair goes through these growth stages at some point. 

1. Anagen

First up is the anagen phase, also known as the growing phase. This is the longest stage of the growth cycle for hair. This phase lasts, on average, 3 to 5 years for the average person. However, some hair can grow for as long as 7 years. During this phase, your hair follicles push out hair that continues to grow until it’s cut or until it reaches the end of its lifespan. On average, 90% of the hairs on your head are in the anagen phase. 

2. Catagen

Second, we have the catagen phase, also known as the transition phase. Naturally, this phase begins when your hair is done with the growing phase. It is much shorter than the growing phase. It lasts only about 10 days. During this phase, your hair follicles shrink, growth slows, and your hair separates from the bottom part of your follicles, but it doesn’t fall out at this stage. On average, only 5% of the hairs on your head are in the midst of this phase. 

3. Telogen

The third stage is the telogen phase or the resting phase. This stage typically lasts around 3 months, and it’s estimated that 10 to 15% of your hair is in this phase at one time. At this point, your hair has stopped growing, but they aren’t falling out. You might also have new hairs that start their growth where others have already separated. 

4. Exogen

The fourth and final stage is the exogen phase, also known as the shedding phase. This is an extension of the telogen phase where hairs that were “resting” are now shedding, usually sped up through actions like shampooing or brushing your hair. It’s normal to lose anywhere from 50 to 100 hairs a day during this phase. This phase lasts around 2 to 5 months, but new hairs grow as others shed. 

We hope understanding your hair’s growth cycle helps you understand more about it, its health, and its growth. If you’d like to learn more on this topic, please contact Parker Trichology! Our experts would be happy to sit down with you and teach you more about your hair health and growth.

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