The Science Behind Hair Growth: How Biology Works with Hair Restoration Treatments

Most people take hair growth for granted. It gets longer, some falls out here and there, and you have to get it cut occasionally to keep your style fresh. For folks who experience male pattern baldness, patchy growth, or excessive thinning, the science behind hair growth and loss becomes much more important. Once you understand the cycle that every follicle and strand goes through, you can begin to know how hair restoration procedures and transplant surgery can make a real difference.

The Hair Growth Cycle 

All human hairs go through the same growth cycle. It is faster for some and slower for others. As we age, it often does not process through the stages as quickly or vigorously as before.

Anagen Phase – This is the growth phase for your hair. Each follicle is firmly planted in the skin and is actively receiving nutrients and oxygen through the blood stream. Your hair strands use these things to get longer at a rate of approximately .5 inches per month. Anagen lasts from two to eight years for each follicle. This is a long span that is affected by age, health, stress, and other factors.

Catagen Phase – This in-between stage involves no growth at all. The hair is no longer receiving nutrients, but it is still firmly affixed to the scalp. It lasts about four to six weeks.

Telogen Phase – This two to three-month long stage is all about losing hair. The ‘dead’ hair loosens and eventually falls out of the follicle to make way for a new one that is already being formed below it.

Of course, every individual hair follicle acts on its own timeline. This is why you continuously lose a few strands of hair every day and grow new ones. Things like genetics, various diseases and disorders, hormone issues, medication side effects, and stress can all affect it. When the cycle is disrupted or begins to slow down, hair restoration treatments can provide many benefits.

How Hair Restoration Methods Help

Medical restoration options work on a cellular level to reduce hair loss, boost hair growth, and maximize the results of your hair growth cycle. First, there are several things anyone can do to improve the anagen phase and make more strands grow and stick around for longer. Good nutrition matters. Manage stress. Talk to your physician about alternative medications or other treatments for disorders that affect hair growth.

After you do all those things, speak with a specialist at a reputable center like Hero Institute. There are options ranging from basic supportive shampoos and treatments to transplant surgery. Things like the ingredient minoxidil stimulate growth in the anagen phase and slow down the telogen phase to minimize loss. If baldness already exists, however, it will not do much.

Hair transplants with bio-enhancement offer a unique option. Besides direct transfer of healthy follicles to new locations on the scalp, other options like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections can boost results. These injections of the body’s own growth-boosting material can improve results overall. It is just one of the options you should discuss when you make an appointment with a hair restoration specialist.