Every strand of hair that grows from the root of the hair grows, develops, and eventually sheds. However, the hair follicle undergoes certain stages and produces new hair. It is considered normal to shed an average of 100 to 200 hairs per day.

The hair-covered skin surface of an adult person is about 1,000 cm2 and has an average of 100 hairs per cm2. A healthy adult has an average of 100,000 hair strands on the scalp.

In fact, our entire body (except the soles of the feet and the lips) is covered with hair, but they are so colourless and small that they cannot be seen with the naked eye since most of them do not contain melanin. The number of hairs in our body is more than ten times that of our hair. Chest, shoulders, back, armpit, and genital areas are areas where hair grows stronger.

Every hair follicle on the scalp experiences three stages of growth

However, these three stages are as follows:

• Development period (anagen). It protects the hair’s growth, liveliness, and shine. Hair in this stage grows for three years.
• Regression period (catagen). It takes three weeks. After the development period, the hair strand enters the regression period and loses its vitality, brightness, and strength. It stops growing and sheds, pushing the newly formed hair to the scalp.
• Rest period (telogen). It lasts for three months. After the regression period, the follicle enters the rest period. At the end of this period, new hair is formed by cell division. Therefore, this situation continues for life.

Hair falls out based on following each of these stages, and they come out again. The rate of hair in the catagen phase is 2%, and in the telogen phase, it is 14%. The hair growth times are distinctly different in different parts of the body. The fastest growth is 0.5 mm per day on the hair on the scalp of the head.

Our hair is in one of three phases called anagen, catagen, and telogen. Most of the hair—that is, approximately 84%—is in the anagen phase. This phase is the growth phase and takes an average of 2–6 years. Other periods are relatively shorter ranging between 2–5 weeks.

Hair Growth and Hair Loss

Compared to men, women have a higher rate of growth of scalp hair. Nutrition, especially in terms of protein, has a significant effect on hair growth. Factors such as vitamin deficiencies and hormonal disorders affect hair growth. The amount of water in the scalp hair is around 20%, and since it is low, the role of fluid is parallel on both hair growth and hair development.

Due to the relationship between 5 alpha-reductase and hair growth, hair may experience loss. Testosterone converts to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), thanks to 5 alpha-reductase enzymes. With this process, hair loss and opening of the scalp increases, which is the primary indicator of androgenic alopecia. Estrogen also has a significant effect on the development of hair like testosterone and delays the onset of the anagen phase.

It is possible to treat any hair loss type with advanced hair transplant methods. At Gold City Hair, we provide our patients with the latest hair transplant techniques for impressive results. Contact us for detailed information on hair growth and hair transplant procedures.