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A single strand of hair may seem like a straightforward thing, yet its origins are anything but simplistic. There is a little system under the scalp that gets nutrition, talks to hormones, makes melanin, and alternates states of growth and dormancy. Such is a hair follicle.
Hair follicles provide a new perspective on hair care. The hair strand that you see can be washed, treated, styled, but not before it is grown beneath the skin.
An amazing blow-dry will make your hair look better, but it will neither awaken the dormant follicles nor accelerate biological processes of growth. You can care for your hair properly now.
What is a hair follicle?
Hair follicle is a tube-like cavity of the skin through which a hair shaft emerges. It is widely spread all over the body, but the follicles' size and productivity differ significantly. For example, follicles located in your scalp generate thicker hairs as opposed to follicles that grow thin hairs in most other places.
The lower part of the follicle is called the hair bulb. The cells are actively dividing here; the hair strand grows from this part of the hair follicle. The dermal papilla in the bottom of the follicle joins this structure with the network of tiny blood vessels, which provides the necessary oxygen and nutrition to live cells producing hair.
There are also special cells called melanocytes functioning around the hair bulb. They produce melanin, which is a substance that determines the color of your hair (from black to blonde and reddish).
The hair follicle is associated with the sebaceous gland, which is responsible for sebum secretion – the natural oil that provides lubrication of your skin and hair. Deficiency of this oil may lead to scalp dryness, while too much sebum may cause greasiness of the roots and accumulation.
Also, a small muscle called arrector pili is attached to the hair follicle. Its contraction causes goosebumps in response to coldness or emotional state of the person.
The shaft of the hair is its visible part. It is different from the cells located inside the follicle, which is why there is a difference between conditioner and follicle feeding: you may soften the hair shaft with a conditioner but not the follicle.
Split ends may be trimmed to keep the hair shafts healthy but will not affect the growth speed of the roots at all.
How a follicle generates a hair shaft?
Follicle is a small production studio rather than a passive opening in the skin. There are dividing cells at the base of follicles. As new cells get forced up to the surface, they mature, become filled with keratin, and finally lose their nuclei resulting in hair fiber.
Strand is developed in layers. Medulla forms at the center, although mostly only in thick hair. Cortex, surrounding medulla, gives hair strand elasticity, strength, and color. Outermost layer, called cuticle, is made of protective cells that overlap each other, looking like roof tiles.
Smooth cuticle reflects light better and makes the hair shine more. Cuticle with defects looks raised and makes hair look rough, tangled, and dull. This is why hair care is so much focused on protecting the strand even though it is produced by follicle.
Shape and angle of follicle affect natural hair texture. Relatively round follicle produces straight hair, whereas curved or oval follicle causes wavy, curly, or coily hair. Texture is a complex characteristic defined by genetics, follicle anatomy, and shape of strand.
Rate of growth can be different as well. Genes, age, hormones, nutrition, overall health, and follicular cycle can affect it. Scalp hair usually grows at the rate of one centimeter per month, yet there is no universal speed.
Long hair does not grow faster than short hair. They may stay longer in active growth phase or just suffer less damage at the ends. Two people with equal follicular activity may have very different hair lengths if they have different hair care routines, strand strength, and follicular cycles.
That is why scalp and strand should be cared for equally. Follicle produces strand, but it is strand attachment and integrity that determine hair length.
Life cycle of hair
Hair does not grow indefinitely. Every follicle has a life cycle, going through stages of growth, regression, resting, and shedding. As the cycles of neighboring follicles are not synchronized, you have growing hair and shedding hair at once.
|
Phase |
What happens |
Typical duration on the scalp |
What you may notice |
|
Anagen |
The follicle actively produces a strand |
Several years |
Hair gains visible length |
|
Catagen |
Growth stops and the follicle contracts |
A few weeks |
Usually no obvious change |
|
Telogen |
The follicle rests while the strand remains in place |
A few months |
The strand is no longer growing |
|
Exogen |
The old strand releases from the follicle |
Varies |
Normal daily shedding occurs |
The anagen phase is the active growth phase. The more time spent in anagen by the follicle, the longer will be the length of the strand produced. The majority of scalp follicles will usually be in anagen at all times.
The catagen phase is short and is characterized by reduced cell activity, the reduction in size of the lower part of the follicle and separation of the strand from its growth mechanism. It is short but vital because it prepares the follicle for rest.
In telogen, the follicle is generally resting. Rest should not be understood to mean lack of biological activity since a lot can happen in preparation for the next growth phase.
The exogen phase involves the loss of old strands. Brushing, washing, or stroking your hair can cause old strands ready to fall off to detach themselves from the scalp.
Loss of a certain number of strands daily is natural and is influenced by factors like the amount of hair, how frequently you wash your hair, how you style it, and whether you easily trap shed hair in curly hair.
It should worry you only if there is an abnormal shedding, which goes on for long, results in visible thinning of the hair or happens alongside pain, scaling, redness, or bald patches. In this case, there could be either many follicles moving into other phases or another problem with the scalp.
Hair follicles and their problems
Hair follicles can be influenced by inflammation, infection, immune reaction, hormonal changes, genes, medication, sickness, or physical stressors. Various conditions can present similarly, which is why a diagnosis of an unexplained hair problem cannot be based on appearance alone.
Folliculitis refers to an inflammatory process in the hair follicles. Folliculitis might result in the development of pimple-like formations, soreness, itching, or pus. Possible causes of folliculitis are microorganisms, friction, shaving, constrictive clothes, and occlusion.
Androgenic alopecia is a form of progressive hair loss. In people genetically predisposed to hair loss, particular follicles grow smaller, and finer and shorter hair is produced. The pattern of the process can differ among the people, but usually, the process develops gradually.
In the case of alopecia areata, the immune system attacks hair follicles. Alopecia areata usually results in formation of smooth patches of hair loss with clearly defined borders. However, the presentation of the condition might be different. The follicles can still function well enough to produce new hair.
Telogen effluvium is a term used to describe increased hair shedding after a stressful situation. Physical or psychological stressor can trigger telogen effluvium. Infection, hospitalization, child-birth, lack of certain nutrients, changes in medications, and emotional shock are some of possible causes. Delayed nature of hair cycle change leads to late onset of increased shedding.
Traction alopecia is hair loss due to pulling on the hair follicles. Pulling happens in the case of tight hairstyles like ponytails, braids, or hair extensions. Such practices can damage the delicate follicles, especially those located along the hairline. Early manifestations might be reversible upon changing hair care practices, but continued damage can lead to irreversible hair loss.
The right way to dry your hair safely
While a hair dryer acts on the surface of your scalp and visible hair shafts, it cannot stimulate dormant follicles or speed up their biological activity. You may, however, consider drying thoughtfully to make the process comfortable for your scalp and less stressful for the shafts around each follicle.
1. Wash your hair following your scalp's requirements. Remove sweat, excess oil, and product build-up but don't scrub harshly. Use massage with the pads of your fingers and wash your hair properly.
2. Condition your hair shafts. Apply conditioner to the mid-lengths and ends unless your product is meant for the scalp. Gently detangle your hair without pulling the root too hard.
3. Press excess water out of the shafts. Use a soft towel and press instead of rubbing. Rough movements are likely to tangle your wet shafts and put avoidable pressure on them.
4. Apply heat protection. Apply it to the sections that you are going to dry. Heat protection helps to decrease stress on your hair shaft but it doesn't make unlimited heating safe.
5. Manage airflow and temperature. With the Laifen SE 2 hair dryer, you will get fast airflow that will be helpful to dry your hair roots and lengths. Start with a medium mode and change it if necessary.
6. Move the hair dryer constantly. Hold it away from the head and avoid focusing hot air on the same place. Move the airflow from roots to ends while blowing out.
Can hair that has experienced follicular damage regrow?
The capacity of a follicle to regrow hair will depend on what kind of damage it has experienced. Temporary rest, progressive miniaturization, or scarring are quite different things.
Where there is just one strand that was forcibly pulled out and where the follicle itself remained untouched, there can be regrowth of another strand. After the shedding caused by the temporary disruption of the hair growth cycle, follicles often regain their capability of producing hair once the disrupting factor subsides. This process might take some time, as the follicle has to get back into anagen stage and the new hair needs to grow long enough to be visible.
Where the follicle itself is damaged and replaced with scar tissue, regeneration in the same spot might not occur. This is why persistent inflammation, scalp injuries, and constant pulling should never be ignored.
There is no shampoo, any oil, haircut, and even blow-out that could create new follicles. Any claims of being able to revive hair in any kind of hair loss conditions should be taken with a grain of salt, since hair treatments that work for some problems will not work for others.
It is important to maintain hair health overall. You should eat right, be gentle with your hair, avoid putting it under constant tension, have it clean, and protect from heat and chemicals. These things cannot change genetics, but can reduce preventable damage.
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