Telogen Phase

Also Known As Resting Stage

Telogen phase hair is called "club hair" because it is only kept in its pore by means of the hugely enlarged follicle and a very thin strand of epidermal cells.

The telogen phase affects about 10-14% of scalp hair and lasts about 30-90 days. During this resting stage the follicle is about one-third of the total size and follicle depth that was reached during the full anagen phase.

The regressed follicle sits high up in the dermis and the hair is still firmly anchored inside the follicle. It receives no nourishment and it doesn't grow anymore. The hair is not shed until the end of the telogen phase.

Hair follicles stop all production of hair fiber and dump their last remaining cells onto the follicle.

The dumped cells cause the hair follicle (root) to become thickened out of proportion.

This big lump acts as an anchor to keep the hair root inside the tube of the hair follicle.

As the phase progresses the cells become more keratinized because the hair matrix cells cease their activily and die.

The hair is now very aptly called club hair. The follicle now strongly resembles an exclamation mark, or a club.

The dermal papilla is still connected to the shrunken follicle above it by the small strand of epidermal cells.

The Shedding Process

By now the dermal papilla has shrunk. It undergoes resorption while it moves deeper into the skin again. By now the dermal papilla is totally separated from the hair follicle.

Actually the two are only connected with the thin cord of invisible (to the eye) epidermal cells.

At this stage the hair can easily be dislodged from this cord by combing, brushing, showering, bathing, shampooing or normal daily hair care.

To combat ingrown hair it is wise to do daily skin exfoliation. Dry skin brushing keeps the skin from growing over the follicle opening.

If a hair can't leave the skin, it becomes an ingrown hair. When it becomes infected with fungus or bacteria folliculitis can even set in.

Telogen Hair Loss

During emotional stress or physical illness a greater percentage of hair follicles are in this resting, and therefore shedding, stage.

This is quite common after severe illness, emotional trauma, childbirth, chemotherapy (cancer treatment) etc. This is known as telogen hair loss and luckily isn't permanent.

When the stressor that caused the telogen hair loss to happen is removed or gone, the hair growth cycle will carry on as usual. The hair might grow back looking different to what it used to look before the hair loss incident.

New Anagen Hair Phase

And then the whole process starts again from scratch.

The shortened follicle grows down and again encloses the dermal papilla to receive nourishment from it.

The hair matrix becomes active again and a new hair is produced by the same follicle.

The newly formed hair ascends to the skin surface through the original pore.

Occasionally a new anagen phase hair grows beside a telogen club hair which has not been shed yet. A few follicles can also use the same pore opening in the skin.

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