Throughout your life, a single hair follicle will go through about 20 complete cycles of hair growth, according to P&G Beauty & Grooming. There are three stages in the hair growth cycle: anagen, catagen and telogen. Many of the specifics of hair growth are determined by individual factors, including genetics, and typically change as we age.
Anagen
Anagen is the stage in which hair grows. Within your hair follicle, a hair is formed and nourished by small blood vessels. As the hair grows, it will emerge from the follicle and become visible. How long your hair will continue to grow is determined primarily by genetics and where on your body the hair is located. At any time, about 85 percent of your hair is in the growing or anagen stage, according to Follicle.com.
Catagen
During the catagen phase, your hair transitions from growing to resting. The blood vessels that nourished your hair while it was growing will detach themselves from the bulb at the base of the hair. The hair follicle will shrink as the follicle and blood vessels prepare for the next growth stage. This transition hair with attached bulb at the base is called a club hair. According to the website Surviving Hairloss, about 2 to 3 percent of your hair is in the transition or catagen stage at any time.
Telogen
During the telogen phase, your hair rests. Hairs remain in your follicles for about three months until they are shed naturally. As the anagen phase begins again and a new hair develops and grows, the older club hair will be pushed out of the follicle if it has not already fallen out on its own. At any given time, between 10 and 15 percent of your hair is in the telogen phase, and you can expect to shed between 50 and 100 hairs every day, according to the website Surviving Hairloss.
About this Author
Stephanie Crumley Hill is a childbirth educator who for more than 20 years has written professionally about pregnancy, family and a variety of health and medical topics. A former print magazine editor, her insurance articles for “Resource” magazine garnered numerous awards. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Georgia.
