Every seven years, you’re a whole new person. We have all heard that your body replaces or regenerates all its cells over the course of 7 years. Usually this is accompanied by some schtick about how we are not the people we once were. But is it really true?
Quest Diagnostics tried to clarify the question, but the answer is anything but clear. Their conclusion? Yes, and also no. Some of our cells – like our skin cells – regenerate a lot, often completely replacing themselves in just a few weeks. But Quest concluded, cells in our muscles can take up to 15 years to replace themselves.
What about our hair? Allure magazine decided to take a quick peak at that. And again, the answer has a lot of variables. Their expert said, “The typical cycle is about four to seven years.” But added that this is only true for the first couple of cycles. Over time, as your hair goes through the natural shedding process, the Anagen phase will become shorter, and your hair begins to grow back different than before.
Hair and hair follicles are a little bit different from most other parts of the body and that makes it even more confusing. Everyone is born with about 100,000 hair follicles – more or less – depending on your genetics. But as we age and mature, it gets more complicated. Each hair follicle initially produces a single hair, but as we get older some of them produce two, three, or even four hairs. After about the age of 12, follicles slowly start to produce fewer and thinner hairs as we age.
And even that does not address the super confusing part about hair growth.
What Are the Stages of Hair Growth?
Human hair goes through four phases or stages and each cycle causes changes to our collective hair. But not every follicle is going through the cycles at the same rate.
The anagen phase is the time when your hair is growing. According to Healthline, “It’s the longest phase, lasting about 3 to 5 years for the hairs on your head, though for some people a single hair could continue growing for 7 or more years.” It is very possible to have one or more hairs on your head that are Methuselahs, much older than the rest of your hair. But on average, hair grows for about 40 months.
Then it goes into the catagen phase. Catagen is much shorter, usually lasting only about 10 days. This is a transition phase when your hair stops growing but is not quite ready for the resting phase.
Telogen is the resting phase. Some doctors combine the resting and the shedding phase (the exogen phase) into one group, but they are fairly distinct. In the telogen phase, your hair is not growing… it’s just sort of sitting there waiting for the new hair that will replace it to start growing. This usually lasts about 3 months and, at any given time, as much as 15% of your scalp hair may be in the telogen phase.
In the exogen phase, those hairs are shed and fall out. Since we usually only shed about 50-100 hairs a day, clearly the telogen phase and exogen are not simultaneous.
How Can I Tell What Stage of Hair Growth I Am In?
Barring some major stress event or medication (such as chemotherapy), the chances are your hair is in all different stages. Some medications and illnesses (like COVID-19), as well as severe stress, can push hair from the anagen phase toward the telogen phase. This leads to a form of hair loss called Telogen Effluvium. But most of the time individual hairs are in various stages of growth, resting, and shedding.
Can You Push Your Hair Into the Anagen Phase?
Probably not. “Researchers are still looking into what triggers our bodies to switch on the anagen phase, and more studies are needed to know for certain what can be done to promote hair growth,” according to Healthline. But we do know that a healthy diet and less stress can help your hair to be stronger.
Precision Hair Restoration Can Help Determine the Cause of Your Hair Loss
A range of factors – from genetics to diet to stress and illness – can cause increased hair loss. Here at Precision Hair Restoration, we can help you figure out if your shedding is normal or if you are in the early stages of permanent hair loss. If you are concerned about your hair health, contact us today to get started.
