How Hair Actually Grows
A cycle, not a straight line.
Every strand on your head is moving through one of four phases at any given time — growing, transitioning, resting, or releasing. Hair fall isn't a malfunction; it's one phase of a cycle every follicle repeats, typically dozens of times over a lifetime.
Anagen · ~2–7 years
The Growth Phase
Around 85–90% of scalp hair is in this phase at any time. Follicles are actively producing new strand, cell division at its fastest.
Catagen · ~2–3 weeks
The Transition
A short window where growth stops and the follicle begins to shrink, detaching from its blood supply.
Telogen · ~2–4 months
The Resting Phase
The follicle sits dormant. The strand is fully formed but no longer growing — held in place, not fed.
Exogen · ongoing
The Release
The resting strand sheds, often as a new anagen strand is already beginning beneath it. This is the everyday hair fall — 50 to 100 strands daily is typically considered normal.