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The catagen phase marks a brief but crucial turning point in your hair growth cycle, lasting 2-3 weeks. During this stage, your hair stops growing, your follicles shrink to one-sixth of their size, and your strands detach from their blood supply.
The catagen phase sits between the growth phase and the resting phase, preparing your hair to shed so new, healthier strands can form.
Although the process is completely natural, hormonal imbalances, stress, and nutritional deficiencies can affect hair growth. Understanding the catagen phase helps build awareness rather than worry.
When your hair stops growing and starts falling out, a fascinating transition occurs on your scalp. This natural process is known as the catagen phase.
The catagen phase is a short transition stage in your hair growth cycle, lasting about two to three weeks. During this stage, your hair stops growing, and your follicles begin to shrink. Although brief, the way your follicles regress determines how healthy, thick, and resilient your hair will become.
Understanding the catagen phase in the hair growth cycle
To better understand the catagen phase, think of it as a bridge between your hair's growth and resting phases. During this time, your hair gradually stops growing and prepares for shedding. In simple words, your hair follicle has switched off its growth machinery.
Basically, during this period, your hair shaft begins to detach from the blood supply that nourishes it. This prevents hair from growing and begins its transition into the resting phase.
Before we begin, it is important to remember that the catagen phase is a natural process of the hair cycle and is not a sign of hair loss. In fact, if not for the catagen phase of hair growth, you wouldn’t be able to shed old hair strands and make new and healthy ones.
Where the catagen phase sits in the hair growth cycle
To truly understand the catagen phase and its role in building strong, nourishing hair, let’s look at the four distinct phases of your hair growth cycle.
The anagen phase
We begin with the anagen phase, the longest and most active. The phase typically lasts anywhere from two to seven years. Here, your hair grows around one to two centimetres every month. The length of your anagen phase decides how long your hair will ultimately grow.
The catagen phase
From all the phases of hair growth, the catagen phase is the shortest, lasting for nearly two to three weeks. As mentioned earlier, in the catagen phase, your hair follicles shrink, completely halting hair growth and detaching themselves from the blood supply. This results in your hair’s base hardening and forming a club.
It is important to note that only about 1-2% of your scalp hair is in the catagen phase at any moment. However, the cellular changes happening at this moment are quite dramatic.
The telogen phase
The telogen phase will usually last between two and four weeks. During this time, your hair is completely separated from the blood supply. It is dormant with new hair forming beneath it, and is preparing to push out the old strand.
The exogen phase
Finally, there is the exogenous phase. This is when your old hair actively sheds from the follicle. The phase usually lasts for two to five months, during which you are likely to lose 50 to 100 hairs daily.
What is likely to happen during the catagen phase?
Now that we have gone over the various phases of the hair cycle, let’s break down the specific changes that occur during the catagen phase.
Follicle shrinkage
During the catagen phase, you will see a considerable amount of your hair follicles shrinking. In fact, it will reduce to about one-sixth of its size. This shrinkage is one of the hallmarks of the catagen phase. Here, your hair follicle becomes really small as it prepares to disengage from your hair strand.
Separation from the blood supply
A significant change you are likely to experience during the catagen phase of hair growth is the disconnection of the dermal papilla. The dermal papillae are specialised cells that sit at the root of the hair. They provide nourishment to your hair.
So, when dermal papillae are disconnected, it sends a signal to your hair that the growth phase has ended. Without a blood supply to your hair, it no longer receives the nutrients needed to continue growing.
Hair hardening and club formation
As the catagen phase progresses, the base of your hair hardens. This process is known as keratinisation. During this process, the proteins in your hair stabilise and harden to form a small, white club. The club protects your hair shaft until your hair is ready to shed. So remember, every time you see a white bulb at the base of your fallen hair, you are seeing a club formation.
Growth cessation
During the anagen phase, your hair undergoes constant cell division within the hair matrix. This area is where your new hair cells are being produced. However, when your hair cycle moves to the catagen phase, this cell division stops and halts hair growth entirely.
What are the factors affecting the catagen phase?
Now that we have understood what happens during the catagen phase, let’s look at some of the factors that affect the phase:
Hormonal imbalance
When you go through any hormonal changes in your body, your hair cycle can also be disrupted. If you suffer from high levels of DHT (dihydrotestosterone), which is also a by-product of testosterone, you can significantly shorten your anagen phase. The result is your hair follicles rapidly pushing into the catagen phase. People who suffer from androgenic alopecia face this, as their hair isn’t getting enough time to grow before it can shed.
The impact of stress
When your body is constantly stressed, your cortisol levels rise. This impacts your cells. It gives a signal to your hair follicles to trigger an early transition into the catagen phase. In fact, people who suffer from extreme stress can trigger telogen effluvium, where a considerable amount of their hair is prematurely pushed into the exogen phase.
So, the best way to manage stress is to:
- Practice yoga or meditate
- Use breathing techniques
- Seek counselling if needed
- Regularly exercise
- Get adequate sleep and rest
Nutritional deficiencies
Just like your body, your hair needs nutrients to be strong. As your hair is primarily made of keratin, a structural protein, you need to nourish it with the right nutrients constantly. When your hair doesn’t get the nourishment it deserves, your hair follicles are not able to sustain a healthy anagen phase. This makes it easy for it to slip into the catagen phase.
So, your diet should include foods that are:
- Protein-rich foods like lentils, eggs, dairy, fish, and nuts
- Iron-rich like spinach and legumes
- Zinc sourced
- Foods rich in B vitamins that aid in hair metabolism
- Foods rich in biotin to strengthen hair structure
Thyroid dysfunction
Your thyroid regulates your metabolism and hormonal balance. So, having conditions like hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can severely impact your hair cycle timing. Thus, if it is not functioning properly, hair growth will suffer. That is why it is critical to examine your thyroid when you experience unexplained hair loss.
Inflammation and scalp conditions
Any kind of fungal growth, chronic dandruff, or autoimmune inflammation can interfere with the signals of normal hair follicles. This, in turn, will accelerate your hair’s transition into the catagen phase. After all, an inflamed scalp is a stressed scalp, and stressed follicles don't perform well. So the best way to maintain a normal catagen phase is by keeping your scalp clean, balanced, and healthy.
When should you be concerned about the catagen phase?
Honestly, the catagen phase is not something you should worry about. But it is always better to consult a specialist if you notice any of these signs:
- Considerable hair shedding that has lasted for over four to six months
- Sudden clumps of hair loss
- Visible bald spots and patches
- Severe itching or scalp pain
Additionally, if you need an effective hair solution that doesn’t give you the harsh effects of chemicals, Traya’s Ultimate Hair Supplements Combo is worth considering. Built on a blend of Ayurveda, Allopathy, and Nutrition, the combo gives your hair the nourishment it needs without stressing your system. With 20+ herbs and essential nutrients, it helps address deficiencies and promote healthier hair growth.
Why the catagen phase can feel alarming (and why it shouldn't)?
Just because you are noticing a lot more hair on your brush, you don’t need to be alarmed. The panic is understandable, after all, your hair is tied to your identity and self-confidence. But the simple truth is that the catagen phase is a normal part of your hair cycle.
What really needs to be understood is whether the hair loss you are suffering from is a natural progression or something that needs a deeper understanding.
The catagen phase itself is brief. It is also the period when you'll start noticing the physical signs of transition. It is the reason you see a lot more shedding during this time. It’s easy to call it hair loss, but what you are actually witnessing is your body making way for new, healthier hair.
It is pertinent to remember that the catagen phase is your hair's natural transition stage. It is completely normal and necessary, and it happens to all of us. Probably happening to you right now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the catagen phase responsible for my hair loss?
No, the catagen phase is not responsible for your hair loss. In fact, the catagen phase occurs naturally as part of a programmed transition that happens to a very small portion of your hair.
The catagen phase only becomes a concern for hair loss when:
- Your anagen phase becomes shorter
- You have too many hairs entering the catagen simultaneously
- Your follicles begin to shrink with each cycle
When it comes to hair loss, your anagen phases keep getting shorter, and your hair will enter the catagen phase more frequently. This doesn't allow enough time for your hair to grow strong. This makes your hair strands progressively thinner and shorter, eventually leading to visible hair loss.
In the case of telogen effluvium, stress or illness, many hair follicles begin to enter the resting phase at the same time.
Can the catagen phase be reversed?
No, it cannot. Once your hair enters the catagen phase, it cannot go back to the anagen phase. After all, it's a biological process. What you could do instead is:
- Improve blood circulation in your scalp
- Eat the right nutrients
- Pick up habits that help regulate your stress levels and
- Address hormonal imbalances early
What triggers the catagen phase forward in men?
A common trigger in men is DHT sensitivity, where hair follicles are genetically predisposed to shrink. Genetic male pattern baldness also contributes by shortening the anagen phase and accelerating the transition to the catagen phase.
What triggers the catagen phase forward in women?
The main triggers in women usually include:
- Hormonal fluctuations, either due to postpartum drops, PCOS, or menopause
- Iron deficiency is more common among women and can directly affect follicle health during the anagen phase.
- Thyroid disorders are more prevalent in women and can accelerate the catagen phase.
Does age have a bearing on the catagen phase?
No, not directly, it doesn’t have any bearing in the catagen phase. With age, the anagen phase is affected. As you grow older, your anagen phase shortens. So over a period of time, as your hair grows in short periods, your hair becomes thinner and finer.
References:
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9917549/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9917549/
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-74612-3_5
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