What kind of hairs are going down my drain after shampooing?

Hair Shedding: What am I seeing?

What kind of hairs typically go down the drain after shampooing one's scalp? Well, in nearly everyone these are hairs known as "telogen hairs."

Telogen hairs are hairs that have a long history. They were previously tightly rooted in the scalp and had spent many years growing (at which point they were called anagen hairs). But after years of growing without even a moment of rest, anagen hairs retire and become known as telogen hairs - and then drop out of the scalp. Telogen hairs lack a root sheath around the ends.