Hair Growth Cycle: How Your Hair Grows and Falls Naturally

Have you ever wondered why your hair falls out sometimes, grows quickly at other times, or suddenly feels thinner than before? It’s all connected to something called the Hair Growth Cycle.

Your hair doesn’t just grow and fall randomly—there’s a natural process happening beneath your scalp every day. Learning about the hair cycle helps you understand hair loss, regrowth, and how to take better care of your hair.

Let’s explore this amazing process in a simple way.

What is the Hair Growth Cycle?

The Hair Growth Cycle is the life journey of every hair strand on your head. Just like we go through childhood, adulthood, and old age, every single hair goes through different phases—from growing to falling out.

1. Anagen (Growth Phase)
2. Catagen (Transition Phase)
3. Telogen (Resting & Shedding Phase)

Each strand of hair goes through these phases independently, which is why we don’t lose all our hair at once.

1. Anagen – The Growing Phase

This is the first and longest phase in the cycle. This is the active growth stage where your hair is growing longer and stronger.

• Hair is actively growing from the root.
• It lasts between 2 to 7 years, depending on your genetics.
• At any time, about 85–90% of your hair is in this stage.
• On average, hair grows about 1 cm per month during this phase.

Why It Matters:

The length of this phase decides how long your hair can grow. People with a longer anagen phase naturally have longer hair.

2. Catagen – The Transition Phase

This is a short period where the hair stops growing and prepares to fall.

• It lasts for about 2 to 3 weeks.
• Hair stops growing during this time.
• The hair follicle shrinks and separates from the blood supply.
• Only 1–2% of your hair is in this phase.

Why It Matters:

This is the phase where your body starts getting ready to shed old hair and make room for new strands.

3. Telogen – The Resting and Shedding Phase

This is when the hair is no longer growing and starts to fall out.

• Lasts for around 3 to 4 months.
• Hair is not actively growing anymore.
• The strand eventually falls out and a new one begins to grow.
• About 10–15% of your hair is in this phase at any time.

Why It Matters:

Shedding during this phase is completely normal. You may lose 50 to 100 hairs daily, which is considered healthy. After this, the hair follicle gets ready to grow new hair and re-enters the anagen phase.

Hair Shedding is Normal – Don’t Panic!

Losing 50 to 100 strands of hair per day is completely normal. It means your Hair Growth Cycle is working properly. It only becomes a problem if:

• You lose more than 100 strands per day regularly.
• You notice visible thinning or bald patches.
• Hair isn’t growing back as it used to.

What Can Affect the Hair Growth Cycle?

Sometimes, this natural cycle gets disturbed. Here are some reasons:

• Stress or illness
• Unhealthy diet (low in protein, vitamins, and iron)
• Hormonal changes (thyroid, pregnancy, PCOS)
• Chemical treatments or heat styling
• Genetics and aging
• Medical conditions or medicines

In such cases, your hair may enter the telogen (shedding) phase too early, leading to more hair fall.

How to Support a Healthy Hair Growth Cycle

Here are some simple tips to keep your hair growth cycle strong and balanced:

1. Eat a Balanced Diet

Include foods rich in protein, biotin, iron, zinc, and vitamins like B12, C, and D.

2. Use the Right Hair Products

Use mild shampoos and Hair Growth Serums with ingredients like Redensyl, Anagain, Procapil, and Biotin that boost the anagen phase and reduce hair fall.

3. Avoid Stress

Practice yoga, meditation, or deep breathing to lower stress, which can disturb your hair cycle.

4. Regular Scalp Care

Massage your scalp to boost blood flow and strengthen hair roots.

Fun Fact: All Hairs Are at Different Stages

At any given time, your head has about 100,000 hair strands, and they are all in different phases of the hair growth cycle. That’s why even if some fall out, others are growing back at the same time.

Final Thoughts

Understanding the Hair Growth Cycle gives you a better idea of what’s normal and what’s not when it comes to your hair. Hair fall is a part of life—but knowing how your hair grows helps you take care of it in the best way.

So the next time you spot a hair on your pillow or brush, don’t stress. It’s just your hair doing its natural thing! But if you notice too much shedding or slow regrowth, it's time to look at your diet, stress levels, and hair care routine.

Remember, healthy hair starts from the roots, and that includes understanding how it grows.