Does Hair Regrowth Slow Down as We Age

Do you know what Meryl Streep and Glenn Close have in common? Aside from the fact that they are set to dethrone Michelle Williams after receiving Academy Award nominations for best actress this year, they have apparently thinner and shorter hair. This would make us marvel: Why do older women have thinner and shorter hair indeed? Some say that a shorter hair, whether it flatters or not, makes one younger-looking. There is another theory, however. It could be because the hair grows very slowly at this point in life. But does the hair actually grow slower as we age?

Hair regrowth slows down as we age. In fact, the hair grows fastest from age 15 to 30. Because the scalp hair follicles lessen, hair grows slower while the body ages altogether. This can even lead to eventual hair loss, mostly in men. But besides ageing, there can be other major factors that come into play such as androgenic activity and genetics.

In the normal hair growth cycle, the growth phase lasts for about two to six years. At another point in the cycle, the growth phase is followed by the transition or catagen phase wherein the hair is getting ready to detach from its roots. After this stage, the hair undergoes the telogen or resting phase wherein the hair finally falls out as a new growing hair replaces it in the follicle. The catagen phase lasts for only about 2–3 weeks while the telogen phase, 2–3 months.


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