How to Increase the Anagen Phase of Hair Growth

The maximum length of time hair spends in the anagen phase, otherwise known as the active growth phase, varies from person to person depending mainly on genetics. Yet, various things can disrupt the time our hair spends growing, like our health, diet, stress and hormones. For example, an increase of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in our system during menopause leads to follicle miniaturization. 

When this happens, our once-healthy follicles start producing thinner, weaker hair. DHT and other issues can disrupt the growth phase for some of our strands, cause fragile hair and even result in permanent hair loss. But there are ways to counteract this issue and increase our hair's time in the active phase. 

How Long Is Hair in the Anagen Phase?

All the hair on your body goes through three main stages, or phases, in its life cycle: anagen, catagen and telogen. Some experts refer to the hair fiber release as a fourth phase called exogen. 

Your hair remains actively growing in the anagen phase for two to six years. During this time, cells at the root of your hair divide rapidly, continually adding to the hair shaft. This causes hair to grow toward and through your skin's surface one half inch every 28 days or so.

Most of our hair, about 80 to 90%, is in this growth phase. The maximum time our follicles spend in this phase is genetically determined, which means that some people have a more prolonged growth phase than others. However, other things can shorten your anagen phase.

What Can Shorten Your Anagen Phase?

Besides menopause and genetic factors, some other potential reasons your hair could leave the growth phase sooner than it should include:

• High stress levels
• A calorie-restricted or an extreme diet
• Medical treatments
• Hormonal imbalance
• Over-styling
• Wearing hairstyles that are too tight
• Traumatic events

These factors may disrupt the growth process within your follicles. However, by stimulating your follicles and increasing nourishment to your scalp, you can maintain hair growth for a longer time.

What Stimulates Follicle Growth?

Hair grows from the bottom of your follicles and is nourished by microcirculation in your scalp. In addition, blood travels to your strands and supplies oxygen and nutrients to the hair roots, which helps your hair grow. Though there is no magical remedy that will instantly increase the anagen phase of hair growth, there are steps that you can take that can help it remain there longer:

Try Caffeine-Infused Products

Most of us like the energy kick that caffeine provides. And according to a 2014 medical study, it may also help promote hair growth. The study states that caffeine may help encourage new hair growth at the cellular and molecular levels and prolong anagen duration. The study also showed that female hair follicles were proven to be more sensitive to caffeine than males.

To experience the effects of caffeine on your scalp and follicles, try these nourishing products from Better Not Younger. Each solution contains caffeine to stimulate microcirculation and improve blood flow to your strands, helping to keep your hair in the anagen phase longer:

• Superpower Fortifying Hair and Scalp Serum: Award-winning Superpower Fortifying Hair and Scalp Serum is clinically proven to condition skin at the roots while rebalancing scalp oils. It also inhibits hair thinning and counteracts follicle fatigue to support healthier hair.
  
  
• New Dawn Activated Charcoal Cleanser: In addition to caffeine, New Dawn is packed with a proprietary blend of ingredients including birch extract, lactic acids (AHA) and activated charcoal. It detoxifies, rebalances and deep cleans your follicles for your healthiest hair.
  
  

• Lift Me Up Hair Thickener: Caffeine paired with follicle-nurturing ingredients like biotin, ceramide and niacinamide support scalp health while instantly giving your mane a thicker, shinier appearance instantly and over time.

Improve Your Diet

Female pattern hair loss is a common condition that affects millions of women, especially those in their 40s, 50s and 60s. To help counteract this hair loss and thinning, be sure to eat a balanced diet with foods including:

• Carrots: Carrots are loaded with hair-nourishing biotin, which promotes hair growth.
  
  
• Salmon: Salmon has vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, which reduces dryness and improves hair quality.
  
  
• Avocados: Avocados are high in vitamin B12 and can boost follicle health and strand quality.
  
  
• Oysters: Zinc helps your hair remain in the growth stage. If you have a zinc deficiency, it could be caused by inadequate levels of vitamin A.
  
  
• Eggs: Eggs have plenty of protein and biotin, which can increase the time your hair is in the active stage.

Up Your Vitamin and Mineral Intake

As we age, our blood circulation decreases and our bodies cannot synthesize nutrients like they once did. When we are deficient in vitamins and minerals, our body prioritizes them by sending them to vital organs and systems. As a result, our skin, hair and nails can pay the price by becoming thinner, drier and more brittle. To supplement your diet and ensure you’re getting the proper nutrients for thicker, more vibrant hair, try these delicious yet nutritional supplements from Better Not Younger:

• Significant Other Hair Skin & Nails Supplement + Retinol Boost: Help nudge your hair back into the growing phase with these chewable supplements. Taken daily, they supply your scalp and body with follicle-friendly micronutrients like folic acid, zinc, biotin and vitamins B, C, D, E, biotin, folic acid and zinc, as well as extra vitamin A to be converted into retinol for more elastic, healthier-looking hair and skin.
  
  
• Power Within Skin & Scalp Collagen Gummies: Enriched with collagen types I and III, Power Within boosts your body’s collagen levels to support skin and scalp elasticity and suppleness while improving the strength and vibrancy of your hair. It also fights follicle damage, maintaining the growth and integrity of your hair.

Stimulate Scalp Blood Flow with a Massage

A daily scalp massage has been shown to increase hair thickness and density and to wake tired follicles by stimulating circulation to the skin. So, take a few minutes a day (or ask your partner) and give yourself a scalp massage. 

Use your fingertips or Better Not Younger’s Superpower Liquid Comb and Massaging Serum Applicator to massage your scalp from front to back. With or without the Superpower Fortifying Hair & Scalp Serum, the Liquid Comb provides a relaxing massage that helps stretch your follicles, keeping them in the anagen phase and improving scalp health.

Increase the Anagen Phase for Your Hair with Better Not Younger

Your scalp is where your hair follicles live. There are nearly 100,000 hair follicles on our scalp, and most of them are actively growing hair. 

To keep more of your tresses in the active anagen phase, take care of your scalp by getting a daily dose of sunshine, drinking plenty of water, consuming a healthy diet and using perfectly formulated hair- and scalp-care solutions from Better Not Younger. Find out more by reading The Better Blog or try our products by visiting our Shop page.

Tell Us: What tips have you tried to increase the anagen phase of hair growth? Share in the comments below!

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