How long does a follicle stay in sleeping mode before dying forever

[Sanjeev]

Does anybody know how long does a follicle remain in sleeping phase before it permanently dies. I am asking this just to see if it makes any sense for me to apply minoxidil if the follicles are already dead. Is there anyway a physician can see if they are in sleeping pahse or gone forever.

[Sanjeev]

Does anybody know how long does a follicle remain in sleeping phase before it permanently dies. I am asking this just to see if it makes any sense for me to apply minoxidil if the follicles are already dead. Is there anyway a physician can see if they are in sleeping pahse or gone forever.

[MrJobi]

Hi Sanjeev

 

I think the hairs will just miniturize but not die.. Not sure on this one but if you look at a N7 he does have little peach fuzz on his head.

[Bill - Seemiller]

I would actually like to hear a doctors thought on this. I have read two contradictory responses to this question.

 

One is that the hair follicle completely diminishes and the other is that the follicle remains is an extremely miniaturized state.

 

If the latter is true, the hope to regrow these hairs with a "cure" of sorts remains and not have to go the route of hair regeneration/multiplication if/when available. Though certainly this may be an option.

 

If the former is true, regrowing a nonexistant follicle will not be possible since nothing short of a transplanted hair or derma papilla cell can create a follicle. Hair regeneration/multiplication may be an option when/if available.

 

Just my thoughts...

 

Bill

[scooping around]

I believe Billero is right, the miniaturized hair never completly dies or stops growing, but becomes so thin that it is no longer visible. If you look at any NW7's head, you'll notice that there is still a bit of really thin hair left that does not provide any scalp coverage at all. If you take a magnifying glass, I'm sure you will find the hair that are no longer visible to the naked eye.