Hair grows very quickly (1 cm a month, i.e. 12 cm a year). As a result, our body's coping mechanism causes hair to fall out after 4 to 5 years. New hair grows in the same place hair has fallen out for another lifespan of 4 to 5 years. This is known as the “hair cycle”.
When hair is healthy, it is normal to lose 50 to 100 hairs per day; the daily loss being compensated by new equivalent hair growth.
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Scientists have identified 4 phases in the hair cycle:
- The anagen growth phase; a period of intense cell reproduction, which lasts 4 to 5 years.
- The catagen, or static phase, during which cell reproduction ceases. This phase lasts approximately 3 weeks.
- The telogen, or rest phase, during which the hair prepares to fall out by slowly dying off, and the bulb shrinks and keratinizes. It is pushed to the surface by the new hair growing beneath it. This phase lasts 2 to 4 months.
- This is then followed by a renewed anagen phase, during which new hair is produced from a few stem cells stored in the "bulge" area of the follicle; it moves into place and the anagen phase begins again.
A healthy head of hair consists of 85% anagen hair and 15% telogen hair.
Every hair is entirely independent from one another, and each grows in staggered cycles. As a result, our scalp appears to have the same amount and density of hair all year round.
Our "hair capital" is programmed to go through only 25 successive cycles
With 25 4 to 5 year cycles, we are guaranteed a head of hair that will last for 100 to 125 years. This is normally enough for a human being. Hair is a precious asset that should be preserved, as these cycles are sometimes shortened to the detriment of the anagen phase, which, in turn, doesn't last as long. This is when hair loss sets in.
we invite you to take our thinning hair diagnosis.
