Hair growth cycles

For proper and successful hair removal, a person must know the cycles of hair growth, to understand why there may be re-growth in a couple of days after hair removal.

It must be noted that hair growth can differ greatly from one person to the next - but the same physiology of hair growth is followed by all healthy people.

When waxing should be done

If you wish to follow the perfect way to plan your hair removal, waxing should be done in the following manner:

In month one, you should wax on day 1, day 15 and day 30.

Thereafter you should wax monthly for five months and then in your seventh month you will again repeat the first cycle; days 1, day 15 and day 30, followed again with monthly waxing.

At Dermaxime beauty salon we do not offer laser hair removal treatment, but rely on the old tried and tested waxing method. Some people are reluctant to have waxing done since they are of the idea that it is an extremely painful procedure.

To be frank, it is not a pleasant sensation, but the discomfort is not unbearable and is, in the opinion of some of our clients, far less painful than other hair removal methods. If a person suffers from ingrown hair after waxing, a special lotion can be applied to the area waxed to help prevent this situation.

But to get back to the hair growth cycle of humans - it is divided into three cycles:

• Anagen

• Catagen

• Telogen

The time it takes to complete this three-part cycle varies according to the site at which the hair grows.

The difference in cycle times varies dramatically from one area to the other as mentioned above - for hair found on the scalp the anagen phase duration is on average three to four years (but can in some cases be as long as nine years) with the catagen phase taking about two to three weeks and the telogen phase being about three months.

Comparing the times above, it is interesting to note that hair found on other body sites is typified by much longer telogen phases (can take up to nine months) and shorter anagen periods (being from four to seven months). However the catagen phase normally remains very constant ranging from three to four weeks.

But to confuse the matter even more - eyelashes can complete the three-part cycle in approximately four months.

The hair growth cycles in humans are not synchronized - as in some animals where a winter coat is shed - and all three phases can be present at any particular area under review.

In facial and body hair, where a person is looking at hair removal, the cycles play an important role and the timing should be well planned.

The hair bulb position also varies according to the phase it is in - anagen hair bulbs are located in the subcutaneous fat, while catagen bulbs are found in the dermis, and the telogen bulbs are located in the mid-to-upper dermis.

Anagen

The anagen cycle of hair growth is the growing phase and this period for facial and body hair may be as long as two to three weeks.

The anagen cycle can be subdivided into three sub-cycles - that being:

• Proanagen

• Mesanagen

• Metanagen

The proanagen stage marks the initiation of hair growth but then rapidly progresses through to the mesanagen and to the metanagen stage.

Catagen

This cycle is a period of regression or transition, and the hair is getting ready to shed.

When the hair enters the catagen phase the dermal papilla condenses with the cells becoming inactive. Without dermal papilla cell stimulation the hair fibers, as well as the root sheaths stop growing.

Telogen

During this cycle the hair rests and no growth is experienced.

When entering the telogen phase, the dermal papilla becomes isolated in the dermis and the hair fiber is easily pulled out when washing or combing. When the hair goes from the telogen to anagen (growing) phase, and the old hair fiber has not fallen out, it will be pushed out by the new hair fiber growing underneath.

We hope that this short explanation on hair growth cycles gives you a better idea why repeated hair removal has to be undertaken to achieve a smooth hairless body.