WTF: What The Follicle? Maximizing Hair Growth

What is a hair follicle and why should you care? Well, the hair follicle is a tunnel-like structure that sits in the outer layer of the scalp skin.  Essentially, it is a tiny factory that produces a hair strand. Knowing what it is will help us keep these tiny factories humming to maximize hair growth!

Hair growth phases

Hair follicles operate independently of each other. And at any one time, the hair strand that resides in one can be in one of four phases:

• Anagen (Growth) Phase – this is when the hair is actively growing. The cells in the hair bulb multiply rapidly pushing the hair shaft upward. This phase lasts between three to five years.
• Catagen (Transition) Phase – This is a brief time of a few weeks when the growth slows and the follicle shrinks, and the hair detaches from the blood supply. This lasts for 10 days and accounts for ~3% of the hairs on your head at any one time.
• Telogen (Resting) Phase – The hair remains in the follicle but is not actively growing. About 10-15% of hairs on your head are in this phase at any one time. This phase lasts for about three months.
• Exogen (Shedding) Phase – This is when the hair heads for the exit and sheds. This is a natural part of the hair’s life cycle, and the follicle is ready to start the process all over again with a new hair. We lose about 100 hairs per day through shedding.

Hair growth rates

For most of us, the big question is, how can we maximize the anagen phase? We want our hair to grow as long as possible, right? Well this won’t be popular, but the length of this phase and the rate at which hair grows is genetically determined. Most hair grows at the rate of ½ inch per month but could be less or more. Blame Mom and Dad for however slow or fast your hair grows. Aging also affects hair growth cycles:

• Anagen phase gets shorter
• More hair in telogen phase can make for decreased density and thinning hair
• Hair strength affected by reduced follicular activity

Thanks, menopause.

Maximizing the hair follicle from the inside

Genetic and hormonal change limitations aside, there are some things we can do to help our anagen phase work as hard as it can. We need to meet our body where it’s at and support the growth cycle that we have. Here are some tips:

• Eat your protein! Hair is made of keratin, a kind of protein. We need protein building blocks (amino acids) to make the keratin and keep the follicles humming along.
• Manage your stress. Stress can trigger more shedding.
• Balance your diet with lots of vegetables and healthy fats. They will provide vitamins and minerals that the follicles need to maximize hair growth.
• Stay hydrated. Your hair is made up of 25% water and drinking it is necessary for that newly emerging hair to have structure and strength. Water also balances the scalp ecosystem and improves blood flow that carries nutrients to the scalp. Insufficient water can lead to hair entering the telogen phase prematurely.

It really is true—we are what we eat, and hair is no exception.

Hair is dead 😵

Did you know that hair that you can see is actually dead? Yep, once it emerges, what goes into your body doesn’t affect it much. This is when your hair habits and products come into play.

Think of a human chain going over the edge of a cliff. The person at the end of the chain has been holding on the longest and has the least amount of strength. That poor person…they’ve been holding on, and withstanding being tugged and rubbing against the rocks and exposed to the elements the longest. As you can imagine, the end of the chain is all beat up and may lose their grip. The same goes for the ends of your hair.

Protecting your precious ends

The ends of your hair have been manipulated the most–touched, combed, braided, and brushed. Over-manipulation is a major cause of breakage and may keep you stuck at one length for an extended period.

Keeping your hair off your clothes will help get those tresses past shoulder length. Coils rubbing on rough surfaces on a regular basis can cause tangling and breakage. Wearing a bonnet at night or using a satin pillowcase is common knowledge. That said, here are some not-so-obvious culprits:

• The backs of chairs and sofas
• Headrests in cars and on planes
• Hats and scarves

The inherent structure of coily hair has many breakpoints along the strand. This is why growing it long can be a challenge. A so-called ‘protective style’ may not be so protective if it takes a lot of manipulation to do it. You can’t set it and forget it–hair and scalp need to be maintained. Here are some additional tips:

• Detangle in the shower with your fingers
• Practice the four pillars of moisture maintenance consistently (get free guide here!)
• Lessen manipulation by settling on easy styling 80% of the time, that is repeatable weekly and protective, like twists/twist outs, braids/braid outs, or wash and go’s.
• Be cautious of faux braids. Their rough surfaces can shred your real hair leading to split ends and breakage.
• Trim hair when you notice tangling at the ends.

Hair growth realism

Not everyone can grow hair to their butt. You see, the anagen phase and the rate of growth is genetically determined. If your anagen phase is, say, three years, then the maximum growth you can achieve in that three years would be your terminal length. The goal of these tips is to maximize your personal growth rate that is wired into your DNA. But also, to maximize your length retention through your daily and weekly styling habits.

Be wary of influencers that say they achieved growth with hair oils or other topical hair solutions. An exception may be things that increase blood flow to the scalp like tea tree or peppermint oil. Scalp massages can help increase blood flow to the scalp (and feel good too!) Just be gentle 😊

Remember, meet your hair where it is at. Your goal for hair growth should be a two-pronged approach from the inside out. You want to achieve a balance of putting the right building blocks into your body, and smart styling choices once that hair is produced. Once this happens, your hair will thrive and be at its best.

Want to dive deeper into coil care but are overwhelmed by conflicting advice? Consider 1:1 coaching. I can help you develop your own personalized regimen to meet your hair goals, based on where you are now. Click below for more details!

Transitioning to natural? Join me on a free call to discuss your specific challenges. I have a new program coming called The Confident Coils Blueprint that will take you from transition to coil mastery! Let’s chat.