It depends. “If a follicle has closed, disappeared, scarred, or not generated a new hair in years, then a new hair wouldn't be able to grow,” Fusco says. But if the follicle is still intact, yes, it is possible to regrow the hair—or to improve the health of the existing thinner hairs.
Evidence is presented to support a new concept that miniaturization is an abrupt, large-step process that also can be reversed in 1 hair cycle, as has been shown clinically, with confirmatory histologic evidence, in patients with pattern hair loss responding to finasteride treatment.
Apply Minoxidil to Your Scalp
Research shows that it's particularly effective at promoting hair growth when it's used with finasteride. Hims offer minoxidil online, either as minoxidil liquid or minoxidil foam, or with other proven hair growth products in our Hair Power Pack.
If you damage your hair follicles after an injury, they can repair themselves and your hair will grow back. It could take up to four years before you see new hair growth out of damaged hair follicles, depending on the severity of your injury.
Can Inactive Hair Follicles Grow Back? It is possible to 'reactivate' dormant/dying hair follicles, though it can take a bit of time.
Fully destroyed hair follicles cannot usually come back to life without surgical intervention, such as a hair transplant. However, you can revive damaged or dormant hair follicles. Only when the follicles are extremely, deeply damaged does it become irreversible.
Hair loss or thinning: A damaged hair follicle will be unable to create a strong piece of hair. Consequently, hair will become thin, brittle, and weak. You might notice that it's breaking more frequently than it would or altogether falling out. Breakage can be a direct result of this.
While there is no way to change the texture of the hair follicles, there are many ways to make the hair appear thicker and reduce breakage and hair loss, such as eating a nutritious diet and scalp massage. Thin or thinning hair is common and can affect anyone.
Now, scientists have uncovered a new mechanism behind hair loss: When stem cells in hair follicles are damaged by age, they turn themselves into skin. Over time, this happens to more and more stem cells, causing hair follicles to shrink and eventually disappear.
Topical drugs.
The FDA has approved minoxidil (Rogaine), available over the counter, as a hair loss treatment for both men and women. It helps thicken hair follicles and promotes hair lengthening. It comes in a liquid or foam that's applied to the scalp.
Hair miniaturization can come from genetics in genes that come from your parents. These genetics determine whether you are more sensitive to hair follicle miniaturization than others. Little can be done about this. Hair follicle miniaturization can also appear because of hormones.
A natural supplement designed to boost hair growth can help. For example, biotin and folic acid supplements are common hair-loss treatments. 8 Even multivitamins can strengthen hair growth, Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, told Health.
Follicular Phase
Eventually, a dominant follicle forms (it's bigger than the other follicles) and a mature egg develops inside it. All the other follicles shrink and eventually disappear.
Hair follicle miniaturization is the hallmark of male pattern hair loss (MPHL), female pattern hair loss (FPHL), and alopecia areata (AA). AA has the potential for complete hair regrowth and reversal of miniaturization.
Subjecting mice to mild stress over many weeks increased corticosterone levels and reduced hair growth. Hair follicles remained in an extended resting phase. Together, these findings supported the role of corticosterone in inhibiting hair regrowth.
Severe and prolonged hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can cause loss of hair. The loss is diffuse and involves the entire scalp rather than discrete areas. The hair appears uniformly sparse.
Despite its popularity in the media and amongst consumers, biotin has no proven efficacy in hair and nail growth of healthy individuals. Only 1 study has shown decreased levels of biotin in healthy individuals, though this data was confounded by multiple factors, including patient history.
Telogen effluvium is a common type of hair loss that affects people after they experience severe stress or a change to their body. Symptoms include thinning hair, usually around the top of your head. Treatment exists to reverse hair loss, but hair will typically grow back in three to six months without treatment.
Alopecia areata is a disease that happens when the immune system attacks hair follicles and causes hair loss. Hair follicles are the structures in skin that form hair. While hair can be lost from any part of the body, alopecia areata usually affects the head and face.