Hair growth 101 is vital for you to understand if you are serious about growing your hair.

If you know how your hair is formulated and how it grows, then you will know what to do when the most common hair problem happens.

HAIR GROWTH 101 FOR BLACK WOMEN & BACKGROUND ON HAIR

Hair is part of the integumentary system and plays has an immense impact on our psychology. 

It is a made-up of two parts: the hair root and the hair shaft.

What is hair? 

Hair is a protein and it grows from the follicles which are that small tube or pocket located in the skin or scalp which contains the hair root.

Decade after decade, the main topic of interest around hair has been hair growth. 

It is not easily understood.

THE HAIR GROWTH CYCLES:

When hair grows, it occurs in cycles and each cycle has three phases: a beginning and an end. 

Throughout one’s life, the cycle is repeated over and over. 

That is why our hair is ever changing and needs daily treatments to be revitalized.

There are 3 phases of the hair growth cycle and we will discuss them below starting with. 

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THE ANAGEN PHASE

The anagen phase aka growth phase. 

This is when new hair is produced from new cells within the hair follicle. 

It is a fast-growing phase, and is the fastest production of hair cells than any other normal cell production in the human body. 

The average growth of hair on a healthy scalp per month is ½ inch. 

This rate of hair growth in this phase varies on different parts of the body, between sexes and with age. 

Naturally, women tend to grow more scalp hair than men. 

Ages 15-30 are prime years for hair growth, and it slows down rapidly after the age of 50.

The anagen phase lasts from three to five years and about 90 percent of your hair can be in this stage at any given time.

THE CATAGEN PHASE

The catagen phase. 

This phase is a transition phase between the first and last phases. 

This phase gives a signal to the end of the anagen phase, and it lasts anywhere from one to two weeks.

During this phase a lot happens. 

The follicle canal shrinks and detaches from the dermal papilla. 

The bulb of the hair disappears and the root end will form a club hair and is ready for the last phase.

The telogen phase aka the resting phase. 

This phase is the final stage in the cycle, and it will last until the hair sheds from the root. 

This process lasts three to six months. 



Only about ten percent of the hair is in this stage at any given time so you do not lose your hair all at once. 

At the end of the telogen phase, the hair enters the anagen phase again and the hair growth cycle repeats once every four to five years.

THE TELOGEN PHASE

The telogen phase aka the resting phase. 

This phase is the final stage in the cycle, and it will last until the hair sheds from the root. 

This process lasts three to six months. 



Only about ten percent of the hair is in this stage at any given time so you do not lose your hair all at once. 

At the end of the telogen phase, the hair enters the anagen phase again and the hair growth cycle repeats once every four to five years.

It is my goal that after reading this blog post you have a better understanding of hair and how it grows.

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