One of the most confusing aspects of hair loss is the time lag involved. Marion Pezard points out that hair does not react instantly to what the body is going through. It follows a well-defined life cycle, consisting of several phases: growth, transition, rest, then shedding.
When significant stress occurs – whether it be an emotional shock, childbirth, illness or a nutritional deficiency – many hairs simultaneously enter the telogen phase, a resting phase. The hair is still there, but it is no longer growing. It is only two to three months later, as it transitions into the shedding phase, that the loss becomes visible.
In other situations, particularly when the cause is an androgen imbalance, it is not the resting phase that is the issue, but rather the growth phase, which becomes shorter. The hair then becomes finer and more fragile, and the hair can gradually lose density.
This mechanism explains why hair loss can occur even when the triggering event seems to be a distant memory. The body, however, has not forgotten a thing. Understanding this time lag is a first step towards letting go of feelings of guilt and avoiding inappropriate reactions.
