Normal Hair Loss
Hair is made up of fibers containing Keratin. Each fiber is twisted and has a coating on the outside that is made of this Keratin cell. The cells pool together under the first layer of skin and allow the hair to grow inside the follicle and out of the shaft into the open. This fiber is what becomes the hair itself and hardens as it comes out of the skin. Once the hardening occurs, the hair dies and only the root is living and growing new cells. Each cell pool is determined when you are born and never grows more than what is already there. The stages of hair growth will continue until such time as the follicle is unable to continue productively or life ends whichever comes first for the individual.
Stages Of Hair Growth
The hair will grow in three main stages. The first is the Anagen stage and is one that will continue between two and seven years. The hair is known to grow about half a foot in this stage per year and is dependent on how old the individual is, the health of the individual, and the genetics they possess. The Second stage of normal hair loss is called the Catagen stage and is a shorter time frame of two to four weeks.
The hair shaft is disconnected inside the follicle and makes its way out toward the opening of the skin. The last stage is called the Telogen stage and is the rest time between the disconnecting of the hair from the follicle and when it actually falls out. Once this happens, all three stages start over again and again. Normal hair loss will go through this cycle and not every follicle will be on the same schedule. You can have one hair follicle in stage two while another is beginning stage one and so on. Ten percent of the hair is at rest while the remainder is in stage one or two.
Normal Hair Loss Time Frame
When we are born, we are coated with many different levels of fine hair over the body. As time progresses, the hair becomes coarser and thicker and the color becomes darker. The texture changes along with the other differences. As puberty progresses, the line of hair is more predominant than ever before. During the twenties, the line of hair is more aged and brings an older look to the individual. As the age of the individual increases, the hair changes and evolves.
Some individuals start to gray fairly early and starts to thin in the thirty year old range. There are other individuals who never loose one single hair in their seventies. It will depend on the genetics you possess. It can be seen how you will do as an older adult with normal hair loss if you look at those in your family. Uncles and fathers are the ones to look at for the males and aunts are usually a sure indication for the ladies who might be loosing their hair.
Normal May Seem Extreme
Each time you loose hair in the normal processes of life, it could mean a loss of 100 to 300 strands of hair at a time. You will also loose hair as you brush it each day. Shampooing will also bring out a fair amount of hair that is in the third stage of the cycle. If you feel that the amount of hair coming out seems to be extreme to you, it would be a good idea to see a doctor so they can determine if there is another problem causing it. You might be suffering from diabetes or simple genetic hair loss. It could be a simple case of imbalance in the bodies systems and needs time to reboot. Doctors or dermatologists can also recommend other ways to deal with the hair loss and recommend some good products and procedures to get it back where it belongs.
