Understanding your hair growth cycle can help you grow longer and faster!
Anagen Phase
The anagen phase is the growth phase during which hair follicles produce new strands. This phase typically lasts three to five years, with individual hairs sometimes staying in this stage even longer. About 85% to 90% of your hairs are usually in the anagen phase at any time.
Catagen Phase
The catagen phase follows the anagen phase and lasts two to twelve days. During this phase, hair follicles shrink and stop growing, while the hair begins to separate from the roots in preparation for shedding during the telogen phase.
Telogen Phase
The telogen phase is the resting stage of hair and typically lasts around three months before the hair enters the anagen phase again. Only about 1% of hairs are in this resting state at any given time. Disruptions to this growth cycle, such as hormone imbalances or stress, can lead to temporary hair loss.
Exogen Phase
The exogen phase is the final stage of the hair growth cycle, during which old follicles shed. About 50 to 100 hairs may shed daily during this phase, lasting 2-5 months as new follicles grow to replace the old ones.
Traditionally, the hair cycle was believed to consist of only anagen, catagen, and telogen stages. However, two additional phases, exogen and kerogen, have recently been identified, with the exogen phase being the most active. This phase involves the release of club fibers from the hair follicles.
