I sometimes hear from people who have mixed feelings about the hair they finally see growing back after an attack of aggressive shedding. On the one hand, they are relieved to see new growth. But on the other hand, the regrowth does not appear to be particularly thick and healthy. If anything, he looks somewhat thin and sickly.

You might hear a comment like, “My hair has been falling out for over four months. The other day, I was combing my hair back and saw little hairs coming out. I was excited because I thought this meant my hair was growing.” again”. . Later, I showed it to one of my friends. She has also gone through hair loss. And she said that she looked like a miniaturization instead of a new growth. Is this possible? The hairs are short and are in the areas where I have lost the most hair. I admit they look skinny. But what is the difference between miniaturized hair and regrowth?

Well, at the most basic level. The new growth should and hopefully will turn into normal, healthy hair once it has some time to gain length and grow out. Ideally, regrowth occurs on a healthy scalp that is not androgen sensitive and also has normal follicles to support it. When all of these things are in place, the hair (which may seem a bit thin at first) will turn into normal hair and should replace the hair that was shed quite nicely. Sure, it only grows at a rate of about half an inch per month, but over time, it will replace what was lost.

On the other hand, if the hair attempts to enter via the route of a follicle that has been compromised by its androgen sensitivity and has shrunk as a result, then this hair is bound to be compromised and damaged. And this is going to manifest in the appearance of that hair. Typically, the hair will be thin, fine, and lighter in both weight and color than the more normal hair on the scalp. This is miniaturized hair and is more likely to be in a high androgen area of ​​the scalp such as the temples, crown, or top of the scalp. That’s not to say that some people don’t lose all of their hair in severe situations and become thin or bald altogether. But since we’re talking about a woman here, you’d be more likely to see miniaturization in those select androgen-sensitive places on the scalp.

So how do you know that what you’re looking at is regrowth or miniaturization? Well, aside from pulling your hair out and taking a closer look, you can look at the totality of the situation and try to make an educated guess. If the hair is still short, there is a good chance that you are seeing new growth. Because while miniaturized hair can get finer, it won’t get shorter unless you cut your hair. So if you see hair that’s only a couple of inches long, chances are you’re seeing new growth. Now the regrowth can be miniaturized, but you’ll usually need to give it a couple of months to grow to be safe. Hair can grow a bit fine and thin and then thicken as it grows. This doesn’t always happen, but I wouldn’t call it weird either.

Also, if you’re a woman and your hair is androgen-free, like the sides or bangs, the chances are lower that it’s miniaturization. Of course, it’s not impossible to see that in these areas, but it’s definitely less likely.

Finally, if the hair is lighter in color, looks sickly, and is longer, then it may be miniaturization. Look at the hair around the area in question. You are more likely to see the entire affected area rather than just one or two strands of hair if it is miniaturization.

But to answer the original question, regrowth is normal (albeit short) hair that you will see grow back after a fall. Miniaturization is compromised and damaged hair that is the result of a hair loss condition such as androgenetic alopecia. Both can look a bit skinny when they first come in. But in a couple of months, the new healthy growth will look like normal hair in both color and diameter, while miniaturized hair usually won’t.