What Is The Hair Growth Cycle & How Can You Get Longer Hair?

Hair growth and hair shedding may seem like a normal process, but your hair is a complex mini-organ.

The hair cycle contains four different stages that every hair goes through.

Many researchers all over the world have studied the hair cycles to better understand what causes hair to behave differently.

The four stages are called anagen, catagen, telogen and exogen.

The first three are responsible for the growth and maturation of the hair. The last one is responsible for shedding of the hair from the scalp.

Read on to learn more about these different cycles and learn how to grow longer hair.

 

 

1. Anagen: The Growth Phase

If there was one phase to rule them all, it's anagen.

Anagen is responsible for hair growth and lasts anywhere from 2-7 years in most people.

While every hair on your body goes through an anagen phase, it differs depending on location.

The anagen phase for eyebrow or body hair is much shorter than the anagen phase on your scalp.

During the anagen phase, your hair follicles continue to build more of the hair shaft, which pushes your hair out. This causes your hair to "grow".

In this phase, your hair will keep growing until it reaches the end of it's cycle and falls out on its own.

For most people, 85-90% of the hair is in the anagen phase.

The anagen to telogen ratio is used frequently by researchers to determine hair loss severity.

 

2. Catagen: The Transition Phase

The catagen phase begins when the anagen phase ends. During catagen, your hair separates from the hair follicle which strips it of the blood flow and nutrients required for growth.

The separation causes the hair to slow down growth, signaling the start of the maturity phase of the hair. This phase usually lasts 10 days.

 

3. Telogen: The Resting Phase

The telogen phase is where your hair neither grows not falls out. Your hair is separated from the hair follicle and it sticks around. For most people, the telogen phase lasts around 3 months.

During this phase, your hair follicle cells start to produce a new hair to replace the hair that has been detached. Stem cells and follicle cells are enrolled in the process of creating the new hair.

 

4. Exogen: The Shedding Phase

During exogen, your hair falls out as a result of being pushed out by the new hair growing in it's place. Mechanical forces such as brushing or washing your hair also play a part.

Many experts consider the exogen phase to be a continuation of the telogen phase. This phase could last anywhere from 1-3 months.

 

How To Get Longer Hair

The anagen phase is extremely important for hair growth. The longer your hair stay in the anagen phase, the longer they will grow.

We hear women complain that their hair won't grow long anymore. That's because their hair growth cycle has been shortened.

Many hair growth promoters help extend the hair growth phase. A few examples of hair growth promoters are topical caffeine, minoxidil, adenosine, melatonin and more.

Our FullyVital hair growth system contains many hair growth promoters that keep hair growing - thus helping you get thicker and longer hair.

 

Key Takeaways:

The four stages of hair growth are anagen, catagen, telogen and exogen. These four stages last for different lengths of time and control your hair growth and shedding.

To keep your existing hair from falling and to get longer hair, make sure to use a combination of growth promoters.

Consider our FullyVital hair wellness system to get a powerful mix of hair growth promoters for thicker, longer hair.

Keep growing!