The Hair Growth Cycle Explained

Understanding the hair growth cycle is essential because most hair loss happens when this cycle becomes disrupted.

1. Anagen (Active Growth Phase)

• Lasts 2–6 years

• 80–90% of your hair is in this phase

• Longer anagen means longer hair
  Healthy diet, scalp treatments, and low-stress lifestyle help extend this phase.

2. Catagen (Transition Phase)

• A short 1–2 week period

• Follicle detaches from the blood supply

• Hair stops growing
  During this stage, hair is preparing to shed naturally.

3. Telogen (Resting Phase)

• Lasts around 3 months

• 10–15% of your hair is in this stage
  When stress or illness pushes more hairs into telogen at the same time, sudden shedding happens (known as telogen effluvium).

4. Exogen (Shedding Phase)

• Old hair falls out as new hair pushes up

• Losing 50–100 hairs per day is normal

• But shedding more than that for weeks is a warning sign

Why this cycle matters for treatment:

• Hair growth treatments work by extending the anagen phase

• Scalp health improves blood flow to restart growth

• Stress management helps balance the cycle

• Nutrition supports healthier, thicker strands

Understanding this cycle helps identify whether hair loss is temporary or progressive.