How does human hair grow?
All human hair goes through a growth cycle. The cycle includes the phases of anagen, catagen, and telogen and they can all occur at the same time but on different strands of hair. This is why some hairs shed when others do not - shedding is normal and it will happen. Read more about each phases by clicking on the words.
A way to enhance your hair growth and encourage the growth of healthy hair is to adjust your diet and lifestyle. Eat healthy balanced meals and exercise. When your body is lacking things it needs it will start to pull from other areas of your body - like your hair. For that reason a lot of people take vitamins (that they say are for hair growth) and those vitamins help keep the ENTIRE body balanced. The right foods and vitamins can promote hair growth BECAUSE they can help you with having a healthy diet. When it comes to your body - you get what you give it (for the most part). The importance of exercise in regards to hair growth lies in the ability of exercise to reduce stress.Being overly stressed can contribute to hair loss issues.
Other factors that can affect hair growth include hormonal issues, chemicals, nutritional factors, certain disease, and stress.
How fast does hair grow?
Knowing this information can potentially save you money on products that claim to grow hair. Hair grows between 0.5 - 1.0 inches a month. If you are practicing healthy hair techniques (moisturizing, protecting your ends, etc) then you should retain at least 6 inches a year with the slowest average growth rate.
Your hair grows but your length is evident by means of retention. Hair breakage, a contributor to the lack of length retention, will be discussed in a future post.
References
Hair Growth Guidelines to Promote Hair Growth
How Fast Does Hair Grow?
How Does Hair Grow?
HCCB = Healthy Hair Care Basics
