3 Stages of hair growth
![Hair growth stages](https://images.medicinenet.com/images/article/main_image/how-do-you-treat-dry-damaged-hair-at-home.jpg?output-quality=75)
Regardless of gender, everyone wants great hair. As it is rightly said, life is short, so why not live it with healthy hair! It is normal to lose some amount of hair every day, and this normal may vary from person to person. The problem arises when you lose more hair than you normally did or when the hair starts appearing thin. Understanding the normal hair growth cycle will help you understand the science behind losing hair. Hair has its natural growth cycle occurs in three stages that include:
- Anagen stage: This is the stage of active hair growth. It may last for around 2-8 years.
- Catagen stage: This stage involves the resting stage of the hair when it is preparing to shed. It may last for around 3 weeks.
- Telogen stage: The hair is held inside the scalp by a structure called the follicle. During the telogen stage, the hair gets expelled from the hair follicle. After the hair is shed, the hair follicle stays dormant for around 3 months. New hair will grow after this stage is over.
Causes of excessive hair loss
Excessive loss of hair can occur due to a variety of reasons, such as:
- Hormonal changes (during pregnancy, PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome, and hypothyroidism)
- Stress
- Nutritional deficiencies (iron deficiency anemia and vitamin deficiencies)
- Certain medications (medicines for high blood pressure or high cholesterol)
- Chemotherapy
- Inflammatory diseases affecting the scalp (eczema, boils, and psoriasis)
- Genetic causes
- Tying the hair too tightly
- Harsh hair products and frequent heat styling of the hair
11 Home Remedies to strengthen your hair
Addressing the underlying cause of hair fall is essential for proper management of the condition. You can take your dermatologist’s help for the same. Some of the ways you can try at home to strengthen your hair include:
- Have a healthy diet: Your hair needs adequate nourishment to grow. Thus, it is important to treat the cause of hair fall from within by taking a healthy diet rich in proteins, minerals, and vitamins. Following certain fad diets may lead to nutrient deficiencies leading to excessive hair loss. Some of the food items that you can include in your diet to get healthy hair include eggs, fish, berries, nuts, spinach and other leafy greens, jaggery, and fruits like avocados and oranges.
- Avoid applying too much heat to your hair: Applying heat to your hair during blow-drying or hair styling can strip away the natural oils and moisture from your hair, making them brittle and vulnerable to hair fall.
- Avoid washing your hair too often: A healthy and clean scalp is essential for healthy hair. Washing your hair too often, however, can make them dry and brittle. Restrict your hair wash days to 2-3 days a week.
- Avoid using harsh products for your hair: You may want to get a new look with new hair color or a new hairstyle. Always ask an expert to suggest to you the least damaging hair color and the aftercare needed after coloring or styling your hair.
- Practice stress-relieving rituals: Meditation, yoga, and music can make you calm and help control stress that may be causing your hair to fall.
- Multivitamins: A busy life may not allow you to get all the nutrients you need for healthy hair in adequate amounts. You may take over the counter multivitamins, or ask your doctor to suggest you appropriate multivitamins and other supplements for healthy hair. You may also take omega-3 fatty acid supplements, such as fish oil capsules to stimulate hair growth.
- Use oils to massage your scalp: You can use oils, such as olive oil or coconut oils, mixed with a few drops of essential oil like tea tree oil and peppermint oil to stimulate your hair follicles. Massage your hair gently for a few minutes and wash your hair after 30 minutes to an hour.
- Use hair conditioners: Hair conditioners add moisture to your hair and prevents hair tangling. Both live-in and wash off kind conditioners are equally effective.
- Avoid tight hairstyles: Tying your hair too tightly, such as in a bun, can make them prone to break and fall.
- Homemade hair mask: You can make a hair mask by mixing egg white, yogurt, and honey in a bowl and apply on wet hair. Wash your hair after 30 minutes to 1 hour. This will make your hair smooth, voluminous, and lustrous.
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water to nourish your body and your hair from within.
![](https://images.medicinenet.com/images/quiz/hair-loss/hair-loss-s1.jpg)
QUESTION
It is normal to lose 100-150 hairs per day. See AnswerJackson C. How to Grow Hair Faster: 10 Proven Ways for Healthier and Stronger Hair. Lifehack. https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-tips-make-hair-grow-faster.html
Top How Can I Strengthen My Hair at Home? Related Articles
Effective Ways to Stop Hair Loss in Men
Hair loss is one of the common problems in men. There could be many causes of hair loss that include diet, mineral deficiency, medications, stress, pollution, and genetics.Are Widow’s Peaks Attractive?
Widow’s peak refers to the V-shaped arrangement of your hairline in the center of your forehead. Widow's peaks can look really attractive.Do Hair Transplants Really Work?
A hair transplant is a procedure in which there is the removal of small pieces (punch grafts) of tissue from the hair-bearing scalp. This is called a donor area, and it is cut into smaller pieces to place these on a bald or thinning area of the scalp.15 Gray Hair Causes and Fixes
What causes gray hair, and what does it say about your health? Is it stress? Genetics? Medications? Learn how to remove gray hair, why some people go gray sooner than others, and find what hairstyles and dyes help you look younger. When you want to show off your natural gray, discover what shampoo gives you a shiny, silver look.Your Hair & Your Health
Is your hair or scalp trying to tell you something about your health? Learn more about dandruff, scalp psoriasis, ringworm on the scalp, folliculitis, scalp pimples, and medications and conditions that affect your hair and body.Hair Loss
There are many causes of scalp hair loss. This featured article covers the common ones such as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata, trichotillomania, and tinea capitis), telogen effluvium, and androgenetic alopecia (male-pattern baldness, female-pattern baldness).Hair Loss: Alopecia, Thinning Hair in Men and Women
Learn about hair loss (alopecia) in women and men. Discover hair loss causes and treatments like shampoos and drugs, as well as how to prevent hair loss.Hair Loss Quiz
True or false: Genetic hair loss comes from the mother's side of the family. Take the Hair Loss Quiz to learn about your hair. Learn what damages hair and what doesn't. Take the quiz!Hair Removal
There are many different types of hair removal: shaving, plucking, waxing, depilation, laser hair removal, oral medications, and electrolysis. Laser hair removal is one of the longest-lasting methods of hair removal. Unfortunately, no hair-removal technique is permanent when it comes to getting rid of unwanted hair.How Can I Make My Hair Soft and Silky?
The signs of healthy hair include thick, soft, and shiny hair. Having silky hair is something not every person is born with. Your hair may become dry and brittle if your diet is not healthy or if you use hair products that are not meant for your hair type.How Can I Remove Facial Hair Permanently at Home?
The only advanced technique for hair removal that can permanently remove unwanted facial hair is electrolysis. Methods you can try for hair removal at home include shaving, waxing, depilatory creams, prescription medications, and homemade masks.Is It Safe to Bleach Already Bleached Hair?
Oxidized melanin loses its color, making the hair look lighter. Bleaching significantly damages your hair. Whether you should rebleach your bleached hair depends on the health of your hair before and after bleaching.How Can I Make My Hair Grow Faster and Thicker at Home?
Hair needs nutrition. Grow hair faster and thicker at home by eating a diet that provides enough protein, selenium, vitamins, and other micronutrients and using home remedies.Premature Gray Hair Picture
Premature graying is genetically determined for the most part, David Bank, MD, tells WebMD. See a picture of Premature Gray Hair and learn more about the health topic.Surprising Reasons Your Hair Is Falling Out
Seeing clumps of hair in your brush every time you groom your tresses? Find out what might be behind your locks loss.What Are the Four Types of Hair?
Hair type and texture are determined by several factors including genetics. There are four main types of hair texture: Type 1 - straight, Type 2 - wavy, Type 3 - curly and Type 4 - tightly curled.