The Science of Hair Loss (Alopecia): Evidence-Based Facts You Should Know

Your hair is a fundamental part of how you see yourself, and how you show up in the world. It’s not just a collection of strands; it’s an everyday piece of your confidence. When your hair feels right, you simply feel more prepared, more secure, and ready to face the day.

Healthy hair occurs continuously on a well-regulated growth cycle consisting of four phases: anagen (growth), catagen (transition), telogen (rest), and exogen (shedding).¹

Anagen Phase ^1,2

Anagen phase is the active, highly mitotic growth stage where the hair shaft is produced. It lasts about 2 – 8 years and the duration of anagen is directly corresponds to hair length. Healthy hair grows about 0.35 mm per day (~0.5 inch per month or ~15 cm per year).

With age, both the length of anagen and the proportion of follicles in anagen decline, leading to progressively finer and weaker hair. In healthy individuals, the anagen-to-telogen ratio typically ranges from 14:1 to 12:1.

Catagen Phase^1,2

Catagen phase represents the transition from anagen to telogen, lasting about 2 weeks. In the catagen phase, the hair follicles regress and detach from the dermal papilla where hair no longer growing and is preparing to enter the resting phase.

Telogen Phase^1,2

Telogen phase represents the resting phase that last about 2-3 months. While the old hair is resting, new hair begins to develop at the base of the hair follicle, eventually pushing old hair out. The average person has around 100,000 hairs on the scalp and shedding 100–150 strands per day is completely normal.

However, when this balance shifts, noticeable hair thinning or shedding occurs resulting in two of the most common disruptions known as effluvium and alopecia.

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What Is Hair Loss and What Causes It?

Generally, hair loss can be differentiated into 2 forms: effluvium and alopecia.

Effluvium²

A condition of increased hair loss or excessive shedding of telogen hair, where patients may describe as their hair “falling out”.

Telogen Effluvium (TE) - Sudden Shedding of Hair ^1,2,3  

• Reactive process triggered by metabolic stress, hormonal changes (after childbirth), infection, surgery or even medications (beta-blockers)

• These triggers caused large number of hairs (25-50%) in the anagen phase abruptly enter the resting telogen phase

• Anagen-to-Telogen ratio may drop to 8:1

  
  

  

Alopecia ² 

A condition of hairlessness, where patients may describe or present areas of complete hair loss or baldness.

Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA) – Hormone-related Hair Loss^{4, 5}

• Most common cause of hair loss impacting 70% of men & 40% of women by age 50

• Caused by progressive shortening of hair growth and decline in hair follicle size

• Patients displayed higher level of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) with increased androgen receptors

• Involves loss of terminal hairs and replacement with small vellus hairs

• Anagen-to-Telogen hair ratio may decrease to 5:1

Male Pattern Hair Loss²

Men will classically present with receding temporal hairlines, describes as hair thinning and loss in an “M” shape

Female Pattern Hair Loss⁴

In women, it typically affects the crown and bitemporal scalp areas without affecting the frontal hairline

Alopecia Areata (AA) – Autoimmune related Hair Loss⁶ 

• Immune system mediated hair loss whereby the body’s immune system attacking the healthy hair tissues

• Affects the hair follicles in the anagen phase (growth) causing circular bald patch that may or may not overlap

• Characterized by Anagen-to-Telogen ratio of 6:4 or 5:5 

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The Ultimate Natural Hair Superfood

A natural, branded ingredient derived from a specific variety of apple known as the Annurca Apple originated from Campania region, South Italy.

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)

• An apple variety protected by European Union in terms of the cultivation, harvest and production methods

• The unripe apples were harvested while green and then sun-dried until it turns red resulted in higher concentration of apple polyphenol known as Procyanidin B2

Established Evidence for Hair Growth

Developed by the University of Naples Federico II in Italy, AnnurtriComplex® has been extensively evaluated through multiple studies, including both animal research and human clinical trials. Discover the scientific findings here.

Find Out More

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