Hair Follicles – How They Grow

Hair is made up of two different structures: hair shaft and follicle, both of which are found below the surface of the scalp. The hair bulb, located beneath the scalp, consists of keratin protein and collagen. The ventral papillary muscle, which is underneath the hair shaft, takes part in the re-growth of hair.

Curly hair is one of the most attractive features of curly hair. It requires many styling tricks to make curls look good. One of them is by curling the hair in tight spiral motions, which tightens the curls and makes them look bouncy. These curls can be added with various adornments such as hair gels and hair sprays. Most women with curly hair love to use sprays on their hair to add more volume and texture to the curls.

The medulla is the innermost layer of the hair and it is responsible for housing the root of hair. The hair shaft passes through the medulla, while the innermost layer of the hair is untouched by the hair roots. The hair ends up at the outer layer of the hair shaft.

The hair ends up divided into many smaller strands called cuticles, which are further subdivided into the cortex, which is the thickest of them all, and the engine, which are the thinnest of them all. The hair grows from the follicles, which are found on the sides, back and front of the hair shaft. The cuticle layers determine the color of the hair. The lighter colored strands will grow straight, while the darker ones will have curls.

The innermost layer or cortex of the hair shaft is known as the papilla and it is made up of three layers. The middle layer is known as the medulla and it protects the papilla from any damage. There are two types of hair shaft:

The Hair Follicle is the one that is directly attached to the scalp with the use of a fiber or hair bulb. The other type is called the Ephelium which has no attachment to the scalp at all. The third type is called the Papilla and it is covered with a thin layer of skin. These hair follicles grow through the epithelium and it is attached to the back of the hair by tiny hair follicles.

Due to the different types of hair, there are various types of hair loss: Alopecia Areata or Baldness, also known as hair loss; and Telogen Effluvium, which is the shedding of hair at the outer root sheath. Alopecia Areata is the most common type of hair loss that is hereditary. It can be caused by various factors such as hormonal imbalance, stress, and excess consumption of fat. On the other hand, Telogen Effluvium is caused by an abrupt change in the lifestyle. It can also be caused by severe injuries and infections.

As mentioned earlier, hair is composed of keratin and these keratinized fibers trap dirt and oil and keep your hair clean. However, if the keratin is broken, it will become difficult for the hair to absorb dirt and oil and it will also get damaged easily. When the hair follicles become damaged, it can lose its natural moisture, causing hair to fall. When hair follicles are blocked, it can also prevent the body to produce hair shaft material such as hair, nails and skin. When the keratin is exposed, it can generate heat and this may lead to infection. You need to repair the hair shaft and replace the dead cells before you will be able to see hair growth.

The hair growth cycle of a strand of hair is called the anagen phase. In general, the anagen phase lasts between one to two years. During this period, the hair undergoes normal shedding and the hair shaft is replaced from one hair follicle to another. This process of shedding and replacement takes place three to four times per year. With this period, a new hair strand is formed by the anagen phase.

As previously mentioned, hair is composed of keratin and in fact, the hair strands resemble a tree with two roots. One of the roots, called the medulla, is responsible for taking in nutrients and water from the skin, while the other route, known as the papilla, stores this nutrient and water. When the papilla starts to dry and break, new hair starts to grow. Now, the question arises: Is it possible to speed up hair growth? Yes, there are several ways to do so. You need to know the specific mechanism involved here.

The hair follicles are filled with fluid, which contains stored mineral salts and amino acids. When the follicle becomes damaged, the fluid inside the follicle can expand to fill the entire follicle and thus, this causes hair shaft to become thicker. Since the fluids surrounding the shaft cannot expand due to its low level, the thinning process takes place until the root reaches the upper part of the shaft. Then, the upper part of the shaft is ready to absorb the existing hair. There you have it – the basic mechanism of hair growth!