Is it possible to increase the lifespan of hair follicles?

[u/Natural-Produce8443]

I read somewhere that the length of eyelashes and hair is related to the lifespan of the hair follicles. They fall out at after a certain time and therefore at a relatively fixed length. 1. Is that true? 2. Is it possible to increase the life of the follicle so the hair can be longer?

[u/veglove]

I believe what you're referring to is the terminal length of the hair, or the maxiumum potential length it can grow to. This is determined by the length of time that your hairs stay in the active growing phase (Anagen phase) of the growth cycle before they move to the Telogen (resting) phase and then the Exogen phase (shedding). For different parts of the body, that length of time spent in the Anagen phase is different, and that's why they grow to different lengths. For scalp hair, the length of this growth stage generally lasts anywhere between 2-6 years. For eyelashes and eyebrows, it's about 6-10 weeks. This is mainly determined by our genes and hormones. Obviously we can't control our genes, and hormones are complicated and govern so many functions of the body that manipulating them for aesthetic purposes like hair growth may come with some unwanted side effects. There may be medicinal interventions that can impact your hormones, but those typically aren't recommended for hair growth for aesthetic purposes, because with any medication there are risks of side effects, and the potential benefit needs to be weighed against the potential for harm. I'd be very wary of OTC supplements or medications that claim to improve hair growth, as they are either unable to affect the hormones, in which case they'd be ineffective (at best; supplements in the US are poorly regulated for quality and may include other unlabeled ingredients that can potentially cause harm), or if they do affect the hormones, then they could have much larger implications for your health, in which case it's important to consider it carefully with the advice of your doctor.

What we can do is support hair follicles to perform as well as they have the capacity to do within the limitations of our genes and hormones. This includes:

• keeping the scalp healthy, as the follicles are part of the scalp and may underperform if they are clogged or the scalp is inflamed
• eating well and making sure the follicles have enough nutrients (the body usually prioritizes the hair last compared to other organs and bodily functions if we don't have enough nutrients to keep everything running optimally)
• taking general care of our health, as there are many health conditions and illnesses that can have a negative impact on our hair and cause hair to switch into the telogen phase earlier than normal (Telogen Effluvium)
• taking good care of the hair itself to prevent damage that can lead to it breaking, which reduces the length of the hair. this is called length retention, which is a whole collection of practices that I detailed in another post here.

Sometimes we don't have control over each of these factors, and I think it's important to keep in mind the balance between quality of life and going out of our way just for the sake of hair growth/hair length.

[u/Natural-Produce8443 → u/veglove]

Thank you! This was incredibly informative and helpful! I read your comment on retention as well. Super cool! I’ll be making some changes.

[u/FarSalad7616]

Take my comment with a grain of salt because my info is from TikTok derms (but ones I trust, like Dr Sam Ellis who is the founder of Prequel), and you’ll want to do more of your own research. But I believe that a ketoconazol shampoo (Nizoral brand name) helps inhibit the hormone that triggers hair loss in those who are predisposed to male or female pattern baldness.

[u/veglove → u/FarSalad7616]

Several types of dandruff shampoos have been shown to help prevent oxidative stress (damage) that can contribute to hair loss, but dandruff shampoo is not typically a primary treatment for hair loss.

It seems that a lot of people experience mild dandruff without realizing it. So I consider periodic use of an antifungal shampoo good preventative medicine to keep the scalp healthy and performing optimally. Antioxidants can also help reduce oxidative damage.

FWIW, sun exposure also causes oxidative damage, so it's a good idea to keep the scalp protected from sun exposure. I felt that it's worth mentioning here because a lot of people don't think to do that even if they wear sunscreen daily.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ics.12736

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6369642/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34424549/

https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9284/10/4/104

[u/HaircareScience-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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[u/veglove → u/[deleted]]

I strongly recommend doing some deep reading about the negatives of this medication and talking to your doctor about it before starting it. Like all medications, prescribed or not, they come with risks of side effects that it's important to be aware of. If someone is experiencing hair loss, it might be worth tolerating the side effects. Outside of that situation, it might not be.

[u/Bendy_Beta_Betty → u/[deleted]]

But shouldn't be used near the eyes.

[u/FocusStrengthCourage → u/Bendy_Beta_Betty]

Yes, for eye lashes, definitely not. For scalp, it’s okay.

[u/QueenofCats28]

Yes, they do fall out at a certain time. They have life spans. According to the American Academy of Opthamology: Eyelashes grow, fall out, and replace themselves in a natural cycle every six to 10 weeks, just like the hair on top of your head. And there's no way to prevent this happening.