The Life Cycle of a Hair
Hair and body hair appear already during intrauterine development – already at this time we have a given quality and density of hair, which can change rapidly during life . New hair follicles are not formed during life, on the contrary, they rather decrease. The main factor affecting the quality and density of hair are genetic and hereditary factors. Girls who have had fine and sparse hair since childhood will not have thick hair, because it was genetically inherited from their parents, grandparents and other ancestors.
In order to even understand the growth cycle, we must first understand the development of hair itself and the types of hair on the human body.
Types of hair on the human body
- Lanugo – The first hair fiber produced by the hair follicle – follicle. It arises in the 18th week of intrauterine development. These are long, fine, thin hairs that cover the body of the baby's fetus. They grow at the same rate and are the same length. They fall out a month before birth and are replaced by vellus.
- Vellus – 1-2 cm long, fine, colorless hairs found all over the body except the palms, soles, eyelashes and lips. Vellus hair follicles do not affect hormonal activity and are not connected to sebaceous glands.
- Terminal Hair – Grows from larger hair follicles. It is coarser, stronger, contains pigment (melanin) and comes in different lengths. It is divided into:
and) short type: eyelashes, eyebrows, ear and nose hair
b) long type: hair on the head, beard, hair in the armpits, around the genitals, in men also on the chest and legs.
During a person's life there is hair follicle capable of changing hair type. During puberty, hormones change from vellus to terminal hair around the genitals, armpits, chest and chin. There is also the opposite change from terminal hair to vellus, for example: in male pattern baldness, which we will talk about later.
How does hair develop?
- In the beginning, there is an exchange of information between two germ layers: between the skin (epidermis) and joint (dermis).
- In the lower part of the epidermal tissue, fibroblast cells cluster together, resulting in the formation of a germinal node.
- Later, further cell division occurs and the germinal cone is formed.
- First, 3 distinct buds of cells form in the cone on the same side below each other. Additional organs of the hair are formed from them - first an apocrine (sweat) gland, below it a sebaceous gland, and the hair straightener (muscle, which makes the hair stand up when it's cold, the so-called goosebumps).
- Further cell division creates a follicle - a sac in which the maternal zone, the so-called matrix, is formed. Hair fibers are formed in the matrix and melanocytes are formed - pigment cells that produce the hair dye melanin.
- A hair sheath is also formed here, which covers the hair.
- Finally, keratinization occurs here = hardening of the hair. First the lanugo, then the vellus, and finally the terminal hair grow out of the pouch. The hair root is the part of the hair system that is located in the hairline. Its lowermost, expanded part is called the hair bulb. In it, the cells of the skin connect with the papilla in the joint and create a contact surface, which transmits information about the development and growth of the hair shaft.
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The hair bulb has two parts:
- Hair papilla
- Matrix – already mentioned mother zone
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The hair papilla is a basic part of the hair root and its task is to nourish the hair, because through it nutrients flow from the blood vessels to the hair bulb + it forms a storehouse of information about the hair.
The matrix is located above the hair papilla and has 3 basic areas:
- Growth area – reproduction and formation of hair cells (keratinocytes) takes place here, and pigment cells melanocytes, which produce the hair dye melanin, are formed here.
- Shaping area – 3 basic parts of the hair shaft are created here: cuticle, cortex, medulla.
- Area of keratinization – keratogenic zone, keratinization occurs here, and therefore strong, hard, keratinized hair is formed.
How does hair grow?
During a person's life, hair is located in growth cycle, which has 3 phases and they repeat continuously one after the other. They are the cause of natural hair replacement. It is necessary to distinguish between what is a natural replacement and what is a hair problem.
Each hair is at a different stage of growth, so it is not possible for all hair to fall out at once and start growing again. 50-100 hairs may fall out per day, which cannot be described as rapid shedding. Morbid shedding occurs when you pull literally tufts of hair from your head several times and notice that the hair has thinned very rapidly.
1. Anagen phase - growth
- The hair bulb (the lowest part of the hair root) is firmly pressed against the hair papilla; it is a storehouse of information about the hair, nutrients get into it with the help of blood vessels.
- The basic parts of the hair gradually begin to form: cells of the cuticle, cortex and medulla.
- Melanocytes begin to produce melanin, which gives hair color.
- The division of cells causes them to move upwards, and thus the hair grows.
- The growth phase lasts an average of 2-6 years, in some cases up to 10 years - but it depends on many factors and it is this phase that determines the maximum length the hair can grow to.
- Approximately 86% of all hair on the head is in this phase.
- We say that hair is alive - it grows.
- The hair follicle (follicle) is located in the middle part of the skin called the dermis, and the hair growing from it passes through the skin to the surface.
- We can forcefully pull out such a hair (this is for information only, don't do it) while feeling a slight pain. When we run our finger over the hair, we find that both ends are smooth.
2. Catagen phase - transitional
- Lasts approximately 1-2 weeks.
- The keranocytes of the bulbs degenerate and die.
- Melanocytes stop producing hair dye.
- The coils that lead into the hair gradually become clogged until they become clogged. The hair is no longer able to receive nutrition.
- Cell division stops and the hair cannot grow.
- The bulb gradually separates from the papilla, which means that the hair dies.
- About 13% of all hair on the head is in the transition phase.
- Hair does not grow and we say it is dead.
- Such hair is easy to recognize: if you run your finger over it, you will feel a small lump at its end (at the root).
3. Telogen phase - rest
- The hair moves up to the skin and remains in the mouth of the sebaceous gland until it falls out. It is only "tucked in" and we pull it out slightly with a stronger brush stroke or during washing.
- The papilla leaves its original position, slowly moves upwards and comes into contact with the rest of the bulb.
- This phase lasts 2-3 months and 1% of all hair on the head is found in this phase.
During the next 2-5 months, the hair system prepares for new hair growth. You can say in layman's terms that hair does not grow, but that would not be entirely true: the growth cycle cannot be stopped. It appears this way to us because a few hairs fall out and wait for a new hair to grow. However, this does not happen with all hair, only with those that have just fallen out. With them, the follicle is ready for the birth of a new hair, i.e. it is empty. Then the cycle repeats again. There is an exchange of information between the two germ layers. The activity of the papilla, which is placed higher than before, is restored - it receives nutrients and new hair begins to grow. During a person's lifetime, 1 hair follicle can produce 20–30 hairs.
On average, 120,000 hairs grow on a person's head. Fair-haired people have more hair, about 140,000, but they are finer and thinner, which is why it seems to us that they are few.
The darker the hair, the coarser the hair, but there are fewer of them.
Factors affecting hair growth and loss:
1. Hormones
They are the main factor influencing the quality and density of hair genetic and hereditary factors. Sex hormones and possible disorders/fluctuations associated with them are largely responsible for hair growth and development.
Androgens (male sex hormones) begin to form already at puberty and cause beard growth. Men's hair is considerably coarser and better quality than women's, but with age (mostly around 20-30 years of age) they begin to lose this quality rapidly due to hormones.
At a later age, hormones are responsible for the emergence of male pattern baldness - androgenic alopecia. This autoimmune disease manifests itself in such a way that over time the coarse terminal hair becomes a thin vellus hair, the so-called fluff. These hairs are extremely fine, beginning to fall out, and devoid of melanin. Hair loss will be seen on the crown and growing corners around the forehead. Up to 90% of Male pattern baldness is genetic and many men suffer from alopecia after the age of 50. Because alopecia is caused by hormones and genes, these symptoms can only be suppressed, but not completely cured (but there are exceptions).
Of course, it is very individual and depends on genetics. Some men have beautiful thick hair even after 40 or 50 years of age.
This disease can also manifest itself in women by increasing the level of androgens. Female sex hormones (estrogens) and their levels change throughout life. Estrogen levels increase during pregnancy. Estrogen prevents hair loss. After childbirth, the level of estrogen drops and a large amount of hair falls out at once - which, in addition to the change in the level of estrogen, is of course also associated with a decrease in nutrition and an increase in stress. After giving birth, the quality of the hair can change beyond recognition. Some women may also have crooked teeth or develop acne that no woman would expect after puberty.
During the transition period, estrogen gradually decreases and can drop so much that alopecia occurs. In men, alopecia is immediately recognizable, but in women, the causes are less known. It is manifested by the thinning of the legs, where the skin suddenly shows through much more.
A woman begins to feel the loss of this hormone various physical and psychological problems that can only make hair problems worse. As a result of the lack of estrogen, there is a loss of water from the skin, which externally manifests itself as the formation of wrinkles and accelerated aging of the skin. It can also have an impact on the scalp, which can be dry, cracked and with dandruff.
In the female body there are Androgens are also represented to a small extent. By using hormonal birth control or switching to the wrong birth control, the level of androgens can increase because the body does not accept them. This can lead to male pattern baldness (mustache, beard) - in other words, our fine hair around the chin and above the lip can suddenly become coarse, male hair. This disease also occurs in women from the age of 40 and above, and genetic predisposition also plays a role in this.
Hormones also fluctuate during puberty, when girls experiment a lot with their hair. This is when the first period begins and the body gradually changes.
Deteriorated quality or loss of hair is quite likely to be observed even during irregular menstruation. Some women notice it already after a week of delay in menstruation, for others the delay is in the range of months.
2. Lifestyle/lifestyle
Both hair growth and hair loss are processes that are conditioned by the overall health of the organism. Our hair, skin, teeth and nails are a mirror of the internal state of the organism. The organism can scatter a lot of things, e.g.:
- indigestion
- thyroid problems
- various inflammations in the body
- bacterial/infectious diseases
- intolerances and allergies to food or plants
- weakened immune system
- various diets
- lack of drinking regime
- too fatty and sweet foods
- lack of sleep
- excessive stress
- lack of minerals and vitamins
- use of medicines or antibiotics
The body fights with the given problem and can give us that signals that all is not well. It often happens that the given problem does not manifest itself significantly on the outside. I know people who have overcome mononucleosis and didn't even know it. Their body fought it and overcame it without showing any outward symptoms at all. These people then discovered it by complete accident while solving another health problem, which could be linked to hair loss.
People often have problems with anemia and the thyroid gland (either hyperfunction - increased activity, hypofunction - reduced activity), which is also linked to hormones.
The body lacks the most essential vitamins: vitamin D during winter, others lack iron, magnesium, zinc, omega 3-6-9 fatty acids, etc. all year round. They do not eat fruits, vegetables or healthy fats from nuts , which is largely reflected in the condition of the hair. Instead of water, they drink sugary drinks or coffee, which dehydrate the organism and the organism lacks the absolute basis – water.
3. Chemical/thermal interventions
Women often experience rapid changes in the quality and density of their hair after various chemical interventions. Some don't realize that dying/bleaching is the reason for hair problems but they boldly waste money on cosmetics and complain that it doesn't help them. Every chemical intervention damages the hair, while its damage is irreversible. If we repeatedly expose the skin and hair to strong concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, the hair will not last.
I also appeal to women who color their hair - or worse, bleach it - at home and they have no idea about the correct technological procedures or about what concentration of active substances is correct. If the bleaching mixture using a strong concentrate is left on the head for too long, the hair may be damaged enough to pull it out when washing. You will have whole clumps of hair left in your hands. It's the worst thing you can do to your hair.
To top it all off, the bleaching mixture has a very high pH. The skin is then dry, dehydrated, with a disturbed protective barrier of the skin. The skin can begin to stretch under the influence of these chemicals and the hair cannot be held in the hair follicle.
Every day I read the same sentence: " Please recommend me some product that will save my hair. They don't grow, they stopped at one length and I have to dye/bleach them.”
There is no miracle hair productif there was, women would have exactly zero hair problems. You can't rely on the product when you subject your hair to ironing, bleaching, bad cosmetics, careless care on a daily basis, and to top it all you have a lot of stress, you eat irregularly, you don't sleep much and so on.
You must be aware that if you want to use natural cosmetics, it may have a minimal effect when coloring and bleaching your hair. The active substances that get into the hair from natural cosmetics and regenerate the hair, you in turn destroy with chemical intervention. If you've been dyeing/bleaching for years and your hair has thinned rapidly, you don't even have to ask why. One chemical intervention is all it takes for hair to recover for months, if not years. It is necessary to stop and start loving your hair as it is, whether it is brown, red, blonde, curly or straight. They are all unique and beautiful. No coloring, straightening or curling is necessary, which will further damage the hair and make you unhappy.
I also want to comment on the sentence: " My hair doesn't grow, it's the same length”. If the hair is subjected to dyeing/bleaching, poor care, cosmetics, the ends of the hair are dry, thin and hydrated (because the peroxide/ironing evaporates the water), it is prone to breakage. You may see beautiful regrowth, but the length of your hair remains, for example, up to your breasts. This is because the ends are so weak that they simply break and fall off.
In a month, for example, you will grow 2 cm, you can see it beautifully on the regrowth, but in the meantime, the 2 cm will fall off from the ends. And you are where you started.
It happens that even 3-5 cm fall off from the ends at once - hair shortens itself. That is why it is necessary regularly to cut the ends (about every 3-4 months as needed). A 1-2cm shortening is enough to avoid split ends.
Example: In 3 months, your hair will grow by approx. 6 cm (approx. 2 cm/month). You go to the hairdresser and she cuts your hair by 2 cm, but you still have the 4 that you grew. This way the hair will grow, and you will get rid of the thinnest and weak ones. The ends of the hair are the oldest part of the hair, and they need to be taken care of all the more.
All I can say about heat treatment is that I had a client who found it normal to iron her hair every day for two straight years. Every day when she ironed it, her hair would fall out so much that she would throw out clumps of hair every time. She only recovered when her rather beautiful, curly hair was suddenly thin, frizzy and straight with no shine and the ability to curl back into curls.
The truth about Brazilian Keratin
It is becoming popular in a big way Brazilian Keratin, but I don't understand why. Should I put something that issynthetically produced in my hair, flat iron it at 200 degrees and trust the words on the package that it will protect my hair from heat? The hair is coated, an iron heated to an extreme temperature is run over it several times, the water evaporates from the hair. What on earth is good about it? There is no proof that it actually protects the hair from heat in any way - rather it has an effect like silicone. Glossy and smooth on the outside, scaly and weak on the inside.
For me, it's just a marketing move, which is not a cheap thing in hairdressing salons, plus you have to go for renewal every few months "so that the effect is not lost". A lot of women have a really bad experience because they lost their hair.
4. Wrong cosmetics
The use of chemical cosmetics can have devastating effect on skin and hair. The silicones present cannot be washed out of the hair and skin, so they build up and build up on the hair. They form an impermeable film around the hair and on the skin - that is, they prevent nutrients from penetrating the skin, and the hair becomes thinner.
Silicones are supposed to give a feeling of softness and shine, but that's it only a short-term effect that comes and goes as quickly. Silicones can gradually fill the follicles of the hair, causing the supply of nutrients to the hair to be minimal or non-existent. The hair then dies and falls out. The silicone layer prevents hydration from penetrating the hair - the length of the hair will be dry, frizzy and prone to breakage.
It is necessary to realize that everything we put on the skin is automatically absorbed into the body through it. The transition from chemical cosmetics to natural ones may not only trigger oiling of the hair, but also shedding due to cleaning the scalp. Hair follicles that were clogged with silicones could hold dead hair, preventing new hair from growing. As the skin begins to clear, the dead hair falls out because it was just "glued" to the hair follicle. It may happen that the first time you use natural cosmetics, you will find larger clumps of hair in the drain than usual. Don't panic -this hair was long dead and was preventing new healthy hair from growing.
5. External factors
It also has an effect on hair loss and growth change of season or weather in general. Hair grows more when it's warm, while it goes into a slower growth state in winter. Hair looks better in autumn - after all, even trees shed their crowns. In summer, the sun (UV radiation), salt in the sea and chlorine can weaken the hair. It is then dry, thinned and can easily fall out or break. Chlorine and salt in the sea are irritating, they can dry out or crack the skin. Dandruff may begin to form, the skin becomes excessively oily, itches more, and you may also experience increased hair loss.
6. Improper Care
Poor skin condition - if your skin is suffering from psoriasis, psoriasis, dandruff, hair scales or you have very dry hair and sensitive skin, I recommend that you address these issues first. Hair loss is often the result of these problems.
Hairstyles – pulling too much into high ponytails can significantly weaken the hair around the forehead, which is significantly weaker than, for example, the hair on the crown. The hair around the forehead could begin to fall out and the forehead line would shift and the so-called corners would increase. The same goes for tiny braids when the skin is extremely stretched - it can start to crack and form dandruff. Hair extensions/ hair clips - this strain is not natural or healthy for the hair. Not only can the hair break at the junction of the attached hair, but it can fall out due to the constant pulling. For fine and thin hair, this can end in disaster.
Careless combing, changing shampoos and styling products- dry shampoo, head injury, scalp burns, inflammation of hair follicles are factors that affect hair growth and loss.
How to prevent shedding?
- Quality cosmetics - no changing cosmetics or experiments.
- Masks/Wraps/Henna - by mixing oils or homemade ingredients.
- Head massage – when washing with a quality shampoo, after washing hair with tonic + whenever you remember during the day (dry).
- Do not weigh down your hair unnecessarily with pulled back pigtails, hair extensions or hair clips.
- Avoid thermal and especially chemical treatments.
- If the shedding is associated with diseases (alopecia, seborrhea, etc.), visit a dermatologist or trichologist and follow his treatment procedure.
- Don't forget that a healthy body and mind = healthy hair.
- Vinegar dressings – mix a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with half a liter of water and pour it over your hair after washing; acts as a powerful hair tonic that balances the pH level.
- Herbal toppings - either herbal teas (chamomile), green tea or treat yourself to a broth made from fresh/dried herbs (rosemary, nettle, horsetail, lavender, chamomile).
- Replenish vitamins – complex B vitamins, zinc, magnesium, iron, omega 3-6-9 fatty acids, etc. (it is individual for everyone).
- Treat yourself for a moment of peace from tension and stress, get enough sleep, drink enough.