Just like any other cell in the body, our hair also undergoes a cycle of changes or growth, maturation, and death. This is just a normal biological process that maintains the integrity of our body. By replacing old cells, our body renews itself by continuous cell replacement. In our hair, there are different stages of hair maturation. These are the anagen, catagen, and telogen stages. The hair growth cycle is characterized with a prolonged hair growth, but with a very short resting phase. After the resting phase, the hair quickly falls off and gets replaced.
Anagen Stage
This stage is the time when your hair starts and continues to grow. This may last for about 3 to 5 years or more, depending on the genetic predisposition of the person. This time is the best part where your hair may respond to proper care with hair products. However, chemicals for hair styling may cause damage and rapid transition of your hair to the next stage of hair growth.
Catagen Stage
This stage is marked as the transition period of your hair from the growth phase to the resting phase. The resting phase lasts for 1-2 weeks. This time, the hair starts to get structurally weak that makes it break easily.
Telogen Stage
This is the shedding stage of the hair that is dead and ready to fall out. This usually lasts for about 3-4 months and constitutes only 10% of the time of the whole cycle. Shedding of hair occurs diffusely in your scalp that is why there are no bald patches in your head. The hair follicle is them renewed and grows thus initiating the beginning of the anagen stage once again.
The anagen stage comprises most of the whole cycle. If it were not, we should be mostly bald throughout the year. That is why most of the hair that you can grab from your head is probably undergoing the anagen stage. The hair strands that is in the catagen stages are also lesser than those undergoing the anagen stage. The thinner and weaker hair that you may notice is the ones in the catagen stage. The telogen stage hairs are those that are falling off from your head.
In the normal life cycle of the hair, we lose fifty to a hundred strands of hair each day. This may be more noticeable during the morning or when you brush or wash your hair. There is no need to be alarmed with your hair loss unless you are experiencing thinning of the hair. If you notice that the strands of your hair are getting thinner in diameter, you should consult a physician. Moreover, some of causes of hair loss can be accompanied or be a result of another medical condition, other symptoms such as joint pain, rashes, weakness, fatigue, and hormonal imbalances accompanied with hair loss should be addressed clinically. Other medical conditions such as pregnancy, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, lupus erythematosus, and stress are the most common causes of hair loss aside from hereditary pattern baldness.
If you are losing more hair than you should, you must consult a physician as soon as possible. The hair loss may just be a minor manifestation of a more relevant disease.