Long Island 
There are some people who will insist that their hair grows fast or grows slow, but most people have no idea how hair actually grows. Most people believe that all your hair is growing at the same pace all the time and that every hair on your head – or anywhere else – is growing at the same time…That is not exactly true.
Hair grows in phases. But since you have so many hair follicles in your scalp – literally, 800-1,200 per inch, give or take a few dozen – it may seem that your hair growth is uniform. At any given time, the hair on your scalp may be in one of four different phases. Let’s talk about them.
What Are the Cycles of Hair Growth?
The anagen phase is the starting stage for your hair. That is when the hair follicles send out new hair growth and the individual hairs get longer.
But to understand what that means, we need to start with an understanding of the basic hair follicle. A hair follicle is the skin cell in which our hair originates. Each follicle typically only has one hair, but that follicle is part of a follicular unit that will produce many hairs. The hair follicle itself is a pore and cannot be pulled out… but it can be damaged. That will cause your hair not to grow properly.
Each individual hair follicle (and most people have millions of them!) goes through four phases of growth and they are not all on the same schedule. But about 90 percent of them are typically in the growth phase at any given time.
How Long Is Hair in the Anagen Phase?
Anagen phase: Each hair typically stays in the growth phase from 3 to 7 years and will continue growing as long as it is in that phase. Even when you cut it, the hair itself is there, beneath the skin and will grow out at the same rate as it was growing before.
Catagen phase: This is a very short phase when your hair transitions from growth to the next phase. It lasts less than 2 weeks and impacts less than 5 percent of your hair at any one time. The follicle shrinks, the hair stops growing, and it transitions into the telogen phase.
Telogen phase: This can be the phase that as much as 15 percent of your hair is in at any given time, though it is most often a smaller percentage. This phase lasts about three months, and the hair is not actively growing nor falling out. The hair simply rests.
Exogen phase: This is when the hair follicle realizes it is ready to start growing again. To do that, it needs to shed the old hair to make room for the new one. Over a period of 2 to 5 months, the old hairs shed, and the new ones start to grow.
This happens continuously as different follicles flow through the phases, meaning you typically shed between 50 and 100 hairs in a day.
How Can I Tell What Phase of Hair Growth I Am In?
Typically, your hair will be in several phases all at once. In fact, if it is not then there is a problem. An excess of any phase (except anagen) is indicative of a problem that needs to be addressed. The most common way for the individual to determine this is to notice an increase in hair shedding.
At LA FUE Hair NYC, We Can Determine If Your Shedding Is Normal or Hair Loss
When you are concerned that your hair growth has slowed or you are experiencing hair loss, we can help you find the cause and determine the best solutions. We provide topical treatments, suggestions for lifestyle changes to better care for your hair, and hair replacement options. To get started restoring your hair, contact us today.