The eyelash growth cycle consists of three main phases: the anagen phase, the catagen phase, and the telogen phase. The details are as follows:
- Duration: This is the active growth period of the eyelashes, typically lasting about 30 to 45 days.
- Process: During this phase, the cells at the base of the eyelash follicle divide rapidly, and new eyelash cells are continuously produced. The eyelash grows longer and thicker as these new cells are added to the existing structure. Nutrients are supplied to the growing eyelash through the blood vessels in the follicle, supporting its growth and development.
- Duration: The catagen phase follows the anagen phase and lasts for approximately 2 to 3 weeks.
- Process: This is a transitional stage where the growth of the eyelash gradually slows down and eventually stops. The cells in the eyelash follicle stop dividing, and the follicle itself begins to shrink. The blood supply to the follicle is reduced, and the eyelash detaches from the actively growing part of the follicle and moves upward.
- Duration: The telogen phase lasts for about 3 to 4 months.
- Process: In this phase, the eyelash is essentially in a resting state. The follicle remains dormant, and there is no active growth. Eventually, the old eyelash will naturally fall out, making way for a new eyelash to start growing from the follicle in the next anagen phase.
The eyelash growth cycle is a continuous and dynamic process, and different eyelashes on the same person may be in different phases of the cycle at any given time. This is why we don't usually notice all of our eyelashes falling out or growing at the same time.
