Just wondering, as the title of the thread asks, does a hair that typically grows longer (i.e. a male’s chest hair compared to lets say his eye brow hair) stay in the anagen phase longer? Just wondering cuz im getting my upper arms/shoulders done and its been 6 weeks since my last treatment. The new hairs are about a 1/3rd the lenght of the hairs slightly above the elbow area which isnt being treated. My logic tells me that the treatment area is still in anagen phase as it hasnt reached the ‘matured’ lenght.
Thanks
I’ve searched for teh answer as much as i could on the forum but it doesnt seem to be discussed.
I think your logic makes sense to me. If the hair gets 2/3 longer, then one could deduce it is still in the growth stage. I, myself, have waited 5 to 6 weeks between some treatments for that same reason. However, I don’t know if that is the best thing to do, especially if you haven’t had a full clearance. I think, once you’ve got a full clearance, then 3-4 weeks between treatments is good. By then, there will be enough hair to treat and acheive subsequent full clearances. If you wait too long, then it takes more time to get those full clearances. But, if you’ve got the time, then it might make some sense. I think I would defer to some experts as James Walker or DFahey to answer this questions with a whole lot more authority.
Good guess, kashmoney, about longer hair means longer anagen phase.
Each and every hair follicle undergoes a cycle of activity - The hair grows to a maximum length, then hair growth ceases and the hair is shed and replaced. Put simply, there are three cycles :
Anagen, a long period of growth
Catagen, the transitional period from growing to resting lasting 2 to 4 weeks
Telogen, a period of inactivity lasting 2-4 months
The duration of these phases varies with the individual’s age, nutritional status, hormonal factors, etc. The duration of anagen determines the final length of the hair and thus varies according to body area; catagen and telogen duration vary to a lesser extent depending on site.
Hair follicles in different areas of the body produce hairs of different lengths. Length is dependent on the duration of the anagen cycle. For example, scalp hair follicles stay in the anagen stage for two to eight years and produce long hairs, whereas eyebrow hair follicles do so for only two to three months and produce short hairs. Normally this cycle of hair activity and inactivity continues for the duration of the individual’s life, but external factors can influence and inhibit hair activity and in some cases lead to physical destruction of the hair follicle. Improper tweezing can cause scar tissue to develop in the eyebrow area and lead to thinning of the brows.
There is a certain amount of time that a hair follicle stays in the growing phase and thus, there is also a limit to how long the hair can grow. Singer Chrystal Gale scalp hair was almost to her ankles. She is an example of one who had a long growing phase. Human scalp hair stays in the active anagen phase of growth for 2-6 years, as compared to other sites like on the leg (which stays in the anagen phase for 19 to 26 weeks), on the arm (from 6 to 12 weeks), and in the mustache area (from 4 to 14 weeks).
If you tweeze a couple of hairs on your arm where you have observed that they are not as long as the ones below them, you may see good moist roots. They are ripe for electrolysis. After a clearance, I like to treat an area every 3-6 weeks so as to get certain advantages, such as treating a hair that is fragile and young. There is little curve to worry about, they are nice and straight and haven’t had a chance to get sturdier. Like BRR said, it takes more time on the table to get full clearance if you wait too long, so stay on a good schedule because it is easier to take down a seedling than it is a big, old oak tree.
