Hi, I'm Angela. One of the first things I learned in cosmetology school, and something that has been reinforced over 20 years behind the chair, is that real confidence comes from understanding.
Last month, my client Sarah came in absolutely panicked. She had a grocery bag full of hair she'd collected from her brush over two weeks. She put it on my station and said, "Angela, something is seriously wrong. I'm losing all my hair."
I looked at the bag and then at her. Her hair looked completely normal. Full, healthy, beautiful. I said, "Sarah, how long have you been collecting this?"
She said, "Two weeks."
I did some quick math in my head. Losing 50 to 100 hairs a day is completely normal. Over two weeks, that's 700 to 1,400 hairs. When you see it all collected in one place, it looks terrifying. But it's actually just your hair doing exactly what it's supposed to do.
Her whole body relaxed. She said, "You're telling me this is normal?"
That's when I realized how much anxiety comes from not understanding how hair actually works. When my clients at The Bespoke Crown understand the real biological processes, not the myths, they make smarter choices and worry less.
You don't need a science degree, but knowing the basics helps everything make sense. It turns confusion into clarity, and that's a powerful feeling.
Your Hair's Three Life Stages
Think of each hair on your head as having its own journey with a clear beginning, middle, and end. This is its growth cycle.
Anagen: The growth phase
This is the active, growing stage. It's the longest phase by far, lasting anywhere from two to seven years. Your genetics determine how long your anagen phase is, which is why some people can grow hair down to their waist while others find it stops around their collarbone.
My client Jennifer has been trying to grow her hair long for years. Every time she comes in, she asks why it won't grow past her shoulders. I finally explained to her that her anagen phase is probably shorter, about three years instead of six or seven.
She was so frustrated. She said, "So you're telling me my hair will never be long?"
I said, "Not naturally, no. But that's what extensions are for. We can give you the length your genetics won't."
That changed everything for her. She stopped fighting her hair and started working with it. Now she has beautiful long hair with extensions and she's not stressed about it anymore.
Catagen: The transition phase
This is a very short transitional stage that lasts only about two to three weeks. During this time, your hair follicle shrinks and detaches from its blood supply, and hair growth stops. It's the brief pause before the final stage.
Telogen: The resting phase
After the transition, the hair follicle rests for about three to four months. The old hair is no longer growing, but it stays in place while a new hair begins to form beneath it. At the end of telogen, the old hair sheds naturally to make way for the new hair, and the whole cycle begins again.
This is why it's completely normal to lose 50 to 100 hairs every single day.
Sarah, the client with the grocery bag of hair, now texts me whenever she gets worried about shedding. Last week she sent me a photo of her brush and said, "Is this normal?" I wrote back, "Completely normal. Your hair is doing exactly what it should."
She wrote back, "Thank you. I don't know why I still panic about this."
I get it. When you don't understand what's happening, everything feels scary.
Why You Sometimes See More Shedding
Have you ever noticed a period where your brush seems to be collecting way more hair than usual?
My client Diana came to me last spring absolutely convinced she was going bald. She'd been collecting massive amounts of hair from her shower drain for about a month. I looked at her hair and it looked fine. Still thick, still healthy.
I started asking questions. "Have you been sick? Any major stress? Any big life changes?"
She thought about it and said, "Well, I had surgery about four months ago. But that was months ago. Why would my hair be falling out now?"
That was it. That's the key. When you see a dramatic increase in shedding, it's usually because a shock to your system pushed more follicles than normal into the telogen resting phase all at once. Things like major stress, giving birth, significant illness, or surgery can trigger this.
Because the telogen phase lasts a few months, you experience that dramatic shedding long after the event that caused it. This delayed timing is what confuses so many women, but it's a perfectly normal biological response.
I explained this to Diana and I watched her entire face change. She said, "So this isn't permanent? My hair is going to be okay?"
I said, "Your hair is already okay. This is temporary. It's your body's response to the surgery. It will stop."
Three months later, she came in for a trim and the shedding had completely stopped. She said, "I can't believe I was so panicked. Thank you for explaining what was actually happening."
What's Driving Your Hair Growth?
Several factors are at work behind the scenes, telling your hair follicles what to do and when to do it.
Your unique genetic blueprint
Your DNA dictates the maximum length your anagen phase can last. This is your personal hair potential, and it's something that can't be changed with products.
I learned this the hard way early in my career. I had a client named Margaret who desperately wanted long hair. She came in every six weeks religiously for trims, used all the right products, did everything perfectly. But her hair wouldn't grow past her shoulders.
I kept telling her to be patient, keep taking care of it, it would grow eventually. After two years, it still hadn't grown. She finally said, "Angela, I don't think this is working."
I felt terrible. I'd been giving her false hope. That's when I really dug into understanding the anagen phase and genetics. Some people's hair just doesn't grow long naturally. It's not their fault. It's not my fault. It's just genetics.
I apologized to Margaret and explained what I'd learned. Then I said, "But I can give you long hair with extensions if you want it."
She got extensions and was thrilled. She told me later, "I wish you'd just told me from the beginning that my hair wasn't going to grow long. I wasted two years waiting for something that was never going to happen."
That taught me to be honest with clients about what's actually possible, not what they want to hear.
Hormones and your hair
Hormones are powerful messengers. Estrogen tends to extend the anagen phase, which is why many women enjoy thicker, fuller hair during pregnancy. Other hormones, like androgens, can shorten the growth cycle. Any imbalance, like with thyroid issues, can disrupt the entire process.
My client Rachel had the most beautiful thick hair I'd ever seen when she was pregnant. She came in for a trim when she was about seven months along and said, "My hair has never looked this good in my life."
I said, "Enjoy it while it lasts. After you have the baby, you're probably going to shed a lot."
She didn't believe me. Three months after she had her daughter, she called me crying. She said, "Angela, my hair is falling out in clumps. What's wrong with me?"
I said, "Nothing is wrong with you. This is completely normal postpartum shedding. All that hair that stayed in the growth phase during pregnancy is now shedding at once."
She came in for a consultation and we talked about her options. She ended up getting a hair topper to help her feel more confident while her hair cycled back to normal.
A year later, her natural hair had completely recovered. She texted me a photo and said, "My hair is back! But I'm keeping the topper for bad hair days."
Age, health, and stress
As we get older, our growth cycles naturally slow down. Hair may not grow as quickly or reach the same lengths it once did. Your overall health plays a huge role too. Nutritional deficiencies or underlying health conditions can absolutely impact your hair.
And stress is a big one. It can prematurely push hair follicles into the telogen phase, leading to that delayed shedding we talked about.
Why Follicle Health Is Everything
Here's a fact that surprises many of my clients: you are born with all the hair follicles you will ever have. We can't create new ones. This is why our focus should always be on keeping the follicles we have as healthy and productive as possible.
Over time, follicles can shrink in a process called miniaturization, causing them to produce finer, weaker hair. This is common with genetic thinning.
My client Caroline from Linden Estates has been dealing with this for about five years. Every time she comes in, her part is a little wider. Her hair is still there, but the individual strands are getting finer.
She said to me last year, "I feel like I'm watching my hair disappear in slow motion and there's nothing I can do about it."
I said, "You're right that you can't stop the miniaturization if it's genetic. But you're wrong that there's nothing you can do. We can add volume and fullness with a mesh integration system that works with your natural hair."
She got the system six months ago and she texts me selfies constantly. Last week she sent me one from Village Pointe Shopping Center with the caption, "I forgot what it felt like to flip my hair. Thank you."
That's why I love what I do.
How Living in Omaha Affects Your Hair
Here in Nebraska, our weather can be a real challenge for hair. The bitter cold of our winters can slow down circulation in the scalp, which might mean your follicles aren't getting the full nutrition they need. Then, the intense summer heat and humidity can be a form of stress on the body, potentially pushing more hair into that resting phase.
I notice seasonal shedding patterns with almost all my clients. Fall is when I get the most panicked calls about hair loss. But it's usually just the seasonal cycle responding to summer stress.
Why Understanding Biology Changes Everything
Understanding your hair's biology helps set realistic expectations. Products and treatments can optimize the health of the follicles you have, helping them produce the absolute best hair they are capable of. But they can't change your genetic code.
This is why the hair restoration solutions we provide at The Bespoke Crown are so effective. We aren't trying to manipulate your biology or asking you to wait months and months to see if a follicle responds.
We add beautiful, high-quality hair that integrates perfectly with your own, giving you the volume, length, and confidence you want right away. Our custom hair systems and extensions work with your natural cycles, providing an immediate, gorgeous result while your own hair continues its journey.
If you're tired of guessing and want to understand what's truly possible for your hair, let's talk. My goal is to give you clarity and create a personalized plan that makes you feel incredible.
Come see me, Angela, at The Bespoke Crown. You can find our salon at 3839 South 148th Street, Suite 152, in Omaha. Give us a call at (402) 647-0086 to book a private consultation, and let's start your journey to confidence together.