If you notice some of your hair has fallen out, it’s perfectly natural to be concerned that something is wrong. However, you need to be sure you aren’t worrying unnecessarily. Learning a little more about the normal cycle of hair growth and loss can help to alleviate your fears, as well as giving you an insight into what constitutes ‘excessive’ hair loss.
Normal hair growth cycle
Hair normally grows in three stages:
• The anagen (growth) phase – lasting up to eight years. Around 85 per cent of all hairs on your head are in this phase at one time
• The telogen (resting) phase) – this is where 10-15 per cent of the hair and the follicle remains dormant for up to four months
• The catagen phase – the transitional phase, lasting around two weeks
On average, hair grows around 1.25 cm (0.5 inches) a month. This adds up to around 15cm (6 inches) a year.
Normal hair loss
As you will have noticed, everyone loses some hairs every day. These are the hairs that are at the end of the telogen phase falling out and being replaced by new hairs growing in the follicle. It is normal to lose around 50 to 100 hairs every day; if you notice considerably more than this falling out, you should make an appointment to see your GP.