The science behind hair Growth - Can Curly Hair Grow Long
- The average human has over 100,000 hairs on your head and you lose about 50-100 hairs every day from everyday tasks - washing, brushing, styling or simply walking around - hence the strand you find on your top or coat.
- New hairs are always growing and replacing the ones that fall out.
- Hair grows anywhere between two to six years and grow through a cycle.
- At any particular time, about 85% of your hair is in the Anagen phase, while the remaining 15% are in the Catagen and Telogen Phase
- In general, hair grows at a rate of about a half-inch per month. This is different for everyone and that is what your pop into the hair dresser/stylist every six to eight weeks
Some terminology you want to familiarise yourself with
- Hair Root - Where Hair Growth Begins. This is where cells are grouped together to make Keratin.They exist inside small tube-like places in the skin called follicles.
- Follicle - each follicle has tiny blood vessels at its base. The blood vessels feed the hair roots to keep them growing. Your hair follicles are also attached to sebaceous glands, often called oil glands because they produce oil that makes your hair shiny.
- Keratin - This is the protein that hair is made up of. Your toenails and fingernails are also made up of Keratin.
- Hair Cycle - The Anagen (active growth) phase, the Catagen (resting) phase is the phase where hair stops growing, which lasts four to six weeks, and the Telogen phase is the phase when your hair falls out . A new hair then begins to grow from the same follicle and the cycle repeats itself.
- Anagen Phase- The growth phase of your hair. Each strand of hair will stay in the anagen phase anywhere from two to eight years.
- Catagen Phase - The Catagen phase is the phase where hair stops growing.
- Telogen Phase - The resting phase of your hair before it falls out.
- Hair Shaft - The part of your hair that can be seen above the skin.
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