It may come to a surprise to many of you that even a strand of hair is an amazing complex part of your body. Hair begins appearing on the human body while it is still in the womb. A 22 week old fetus already has about 5 million hair follicles. Interestingly enough, that is all of the follicles that will ever develop regardless of how long we live.
The Anatomy of Hair
Hair consists of a follicle in the skin that holds the shaft of hair that appears on the body. A follicle consists of various layers, each with its own specific function. In the base of the follicle we find the papilla. The papilla is connected to the capillaries that supply blood to the cells around the bulb (the bottom part of the hair strand).
Surrounding the follicle are two sheaths, inner and outer, which are designed to both protect the hair shaft from damage, and to help it grow out in the proper direction. Inner sheaths run next to the hair shaft, ending in the oil gland (sebaceous). The outer sheath also runs into the glands but they end in the erector pili muscle. When the erector pili muscle contracts, it causes our hair to stand erect.Hair shafts are comprised of three layers, consisting of dead protein cells, called keratin. The innermost layer, known as the medulla, is not always present in every hair shaft. The Cortex is the second layer and it provides the bulk of the hair shaft. Hair pigmentation can be found in the cortex, determining the color of our hair. The outermost layer of hair shafts is known as cuticles.Cuticles are comprised of a series of overlapping cells. The hair’s luster and sheen comes from the cuticle.
The way hair grow
Scalp hair grows at an average rate of only 0.3mm to 0.4mm per day, adding to a mere six inches per year.
Hair growth’s three distinct stages.
The Catagen Phase
This transitional phase runs about two to three weeks. Approximately 3% of our hair would be in this phase at any given time. During this period there is no hair growth and the out portion of the hair root sheath then shrinks and attaches itself to the root.
The Telogen Phase
This phase, known as the “resting period” is experienced by approximately 15% of your hair. The resting phase lasts for around 100 days for the hair on your scalp and a lot longer for other hair on your body.
The Anagen Phase
During this phase of activity the hair cells start to devide and new hair growth occurs. This phase usually lasts for anything between two and six years. People who experience shorter growth periods often have trouble growing their hair long.
Growth Disorders
There are two hair growth disorders that affect humans. Females are mostly affected by a condition called Hirsutism. The condition is known for excessive thick and dark hair growth in in typical male areas. The areas may include the face, chest, areolae or the area around the nipple. Hypertrichosis is the other common condition, causing excessive hair growth in areas of the body where visible hair is not normally present. Both Hirsutism and Hypertrichosis can be treated.
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