Normal Hair Cycle, Growth and Hair Loss

Beth — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 09:29:26 +0000

There are three different phases of hair growth. Anagen is the growth phase. Catagen is the degradation phase, and Telogen is the resting phase. Periods of growth usually last between two and eight years and are referred to as anagen. Anagen is followed by a brief period of two to four weeks, in which the follicle is almost degraded. The resting phase then begins and will last anywhere from two to four months. The hair will shed after the next growth cycle. A new hair shaft will then emerge.

Woman Brushing Her Hair

On average, a person’s hair grows approximately ½ an inch per month. This number can vary according to genetics and the age of the person. Different hair strands go through different phases of growth at different times. Each hair has a maximum amount of growth and it will never exceed that, no matter what.

Androgens, which are testosterone and Dihydrotestosterone are extremely important to hair growth. This controls human hair growth. Androgens must be present in order for a beard, pubic hair or underarm hair to grow. Scalp hair is not considered to be androgen-related.

Most people lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day, on average. This is nothing to be concerned about. There is no real way to determine how much hair you are losing a day, but if you feel you are losing more than 50 to 100 hairs, you may want to seek medical attention.

You could be losing hair because of a chemical or hormonal imbalance, a nutritional deficiency or an illness. This is especially true for young children and teens who are experiencing a great deal of hair loss. Stress can also cause hair loss.

Hair loss can be very difficult for someone to deal with. When people think of hair loss, they often think of men’s hair loss, but women lose hair too. Whether you are a male or a female, it can be devastating and difficult to deal with. Loss of self-esteem and an extreme amount of stress can all be factors

More recently, people have been provided with a lot of new choices for hair loss restoration. There are some very effective over-the-counter medications that work as well.

Hair loss in both men and women can sometimes be a result of some types of disease. Hair loss can also be triggered by excessive weight gain or weight loss over a very short period of time.

Some people confuse hair growth with hair length. Your hair may be growing, but it may be breaking off, so it appears as if the hair is not growing. One thing you can do to improve your hair is to get enough sleep and to drink plenty of water and eat a well balanced diet.

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Normal Hair Cycle, Growth and Hair Loss