7 Things Your Hair Follicles Are Actually Doing Right Now

By the Edge Naturale Editorial Team · Medically reviewed by Shelia Davis, Edge Naturale Medical Team · Last updated June 2026

Quick answer: Each hair follicle runs its own independent cycle of growing, resting, and shedding, on repeat, for your entire life. Understanding that cycle is the first step to knowing whether your thinning edges can come back, and what actually gives them a fighting chance.

Why should I care how follicles work if I just want my edges back?

Fair question. Here is the honest reason: most edge products fail not because of bad ingredients but because women use them at the wrong phase of the follicle cycle, or they are trying to rescue a follicle that has already been damaged below the surface. Knowing what is happening underneath the skin tells you what you are actually dealing with.

I learned this the hard way after years of tight sew-ins. My edges were gone for so long I thought they were just... done. They were not. But I had to understand what was going on inside before anything I put on top could help.

What exactly is a hair follicle?

A follicle is a tiny tunnel-shaped structure in your skin. At the bottom sits the dermal papilla, a cluster of cells that controls whether your hair grows at all. The papilla connects to blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nutrients. No blood flow, no growth signal. It is that simple.

Your scalp has roughly 100,000 follicles total, and each one operates independently. The follicle next to a shedding hair might be in full growth mode. They are not synchronized, which is actually good news for regrowth.

What are the 7 things follicles are doing, week by week?

Think of the follicle cycle less like an on/off switch and more like a calendar your scalp keeps without asking you. Here is what each phase actually involves.

Week 1 through roughly Week 2: Waking up (Anagen entry)

The dermal papilla sends a chemical signal that tells stem cells in the follicle bulge to start dividing. This is the beginning of anagen, the active growth phase. You cannot see anything yet. Nothing is coming through the skin. But the machinery is running.

Weeks 3 through 260 (roughly): Active growth (Full anagen)

Scalp hair stays in anagen for anywhere from two to seven years. During this window, follicle cells divide fast, pushing the hair shaft up and out. Scalp hairs typically grow about half an inch per month on average, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Edges tend to have a shorter anagen window than the crown, which is why they max out at a certain length even under perfect conditions.

This is the phase where what you put on your scalp matters most. Circulation, gentle handling, and a clean follicle environment all support the papilla doing its job.

Around Week 261: The slowdown signal (Catagen)

The follicle gets a signal to stop. It shrinks. The dermal papilla detaches from its blood supply and moves upward. The hair stops growing but stays anchored. Catagen lasts only two to three weeks. This is not damage. It is normal.

After catagen: Rest (Telogen)

The follicle parks the old hair near the surface and rests for about three months. No growth. The papilla waits at the bottom. This is the phase that confuses so many people, including me when I was trying to figure out why nothing seemed to be happening even though I was being consistent.

Postpartum shedding happens here. Stress pushes follicles into telogen early and all at once, so when they finally shed, it looks dramatic.

After telogen: Shedding and reset (Exogen)

The resting hair releases. Most people shed 50 to 100 hairs a day according to the AAD, and that is healthy. The follicle is not broken. It is resetting for the next cycle.

The critical gap: What happens when the follicle is traumatized

Tight braids, lace glue, heavy extensions, and chronic tension do not just pull hair out. Over time they damage the dermal papilla and the connective tissue around the follicle. The American Academy of Dermatology recognizes traction alopecia as a condition caused by repeated tension on the hair. Early-stage traction alopecia is often reversible. Prolonged tension that causes scarring of the follicle tissue is much harder to address, which is why catching it early matters so much.

If your edges are thinning but you still see fine, short hairs, follicles are likely still active. If the skin looks shiny and smooth with no hair at all, that warrants a conversation with a board-certified dermatologist.

The comeback: Anagen re-entry

A healthy follicle loops back into anagen and starts again. Supporting this re-entry is where topical care can genuinely help. Scalp massage increases blood circulation to the dermal papilla. Ingredients like peppermint oil have been shown in a 2014 study published in Toxicological Research to increase follicle depth and circulation in animal models, though human clinical data specific to edges is still limited. The goal is getting nutrients to the papilla so it gets the signal to start the cycle again.

This is where a product like the Follicle Enhancer fits into the routine. Massaging peppermint, argan, jojoba, and coconut cream into the hairline supports circulation and keeps the scalp environment clean and moisturized during a phase when follicles need every advantage they can get.

What actually damages a follicle versus just the hair shaft?

How long does it take to see results once a follicle restarts?

Even after the anagen signal fires, you will not see hair at the skin surface for several weeks. Then you will see a tiny, fine hair that takes months to get any real length. If you are being consistent with your scalp care and see baby hairs at the hairline after six to twelve weeks, that is the follicle doing its job. Do not panic if progress feels slow. The biology is slow.

Can I speed up the cycle?

Not really, no. You cannot force a follicle through catagen or telogen faster. What you can do is make sure nothing is blocking the next anagen entry. That means reducing tension on the hairline, keeping the scalp clean, eating enough protein and iron, managing stress where you can, and giving the scalp consistent gentle stimulation through massage.

This article is for education and is not medical advice. If you are worried about hair loss, see a board-certified dermatologist. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Edge Naturale products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.