The average human scalp contains between 100,000 and 150,000 hairs. These grow from the follicle or root, underneath the
skin. The hair is fed by blood vessels at the base of the follicle, giving it the nourishment it needs to grow. Each hair goes
through a growth cycle independent of the other hairs on the scalp.
In people without hair loss, approximately 90% of the hairs on the head are in Anagen, the growth phase, while the other 10%
are in Telogen, the resting phase.
The Anagen phase lasts between 2-6 years, after which the follicle goes through a brief transition phase called Catagen, and
enters Telogen, which lasts from 2-4 months.
After the Telogen phase, the hair falls out naturally and is replaced, returning the hair to the Anagen phase. Some hair loss
is a normal part of the hair growth cycle - on average, 50 - 100 hairs are lost from the scalp daily, but with Androgenetic
alopecia as many as 200 hairs can be lost every day.
The reason many hair re-growth products like Minoxidil cause temporary increased hair loss, known as, “Shedding” is because in order to return 90% of hair to the Anagen phase, they must go through the Telogen phase quickly and
then start in Anagen, this time with healthier, longer lasting hair growth.
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