Understanding Hair Transplants and Hair Loss - Pacific Hair

Human Hair : Growth Cycle
Anagen Catagen Telogen
ACTIVE
GROWTH PHASE
2-6 Years
Figure #5
Club Hair
TRANSITION
PHASE
1 - 2 Weeks
Figure #5 illustrates the four growth cycles of a human hair . Note that human hairs
generally grow for two to six years in the anagen phase, and then shift into the catagen
and subsequently telogen phase . The telogen phase usually lasts about three months .
During telogen, the hair becomes loose and falls out, and the hair follicle withers up and
virtually disappears . This is shown in the illustration of return to anagen . Miraculously,
after about three months, the hair follicle regenerates
Hair Fiber : Characteristics
(from the interaction of two types of stem cells, those
from the bulge area around the sebaceous gland, and
others from the epithelial layer .) Following this, the regenerated
hair follicle generates a new hair, which then
grows for two to six years .
Figure #6 illustrates the differences in hair shaft characteristics
between straight hair, curly hair, and very
curly to wooly hair . Note it is simply a difference in
the shape of the cross-sectional area of the actual
hair shaft. In other words, round hairs generally grow
straight, and oval hairs grow in various degrees of
curliness .
Figure #6
U n d e r s t a n d i n g H a i r T r a n s p l a n t s a n d H a i r L o s s
Dermal
papilla
RESTING
PHASE
5-6 Weeks
Secondary
germ cells
RETURN TO
Anagen
Hair Matrix
forming new hair
RESTING
PHASE
5-6 Weeks
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