Hair Growth Cycle
Hair information
Hair growth starts before we're born. The modern science assumption is that it is on our scalp to protect our head and especially to keep the warmth like fur for animals.
|
Hair growth is approximately an inch a month and is faster on the summer (because it's hot) and slower on the winner. The rate of growth is slowing down with age and sometimes leads to baldness or semi baldness.
The hair is made from a protein called Keratin, it does not contain any live cells and is being produced by little cells on the skin of our scalp. That is why we don't feel it when we have a haircut. Our fingernails and toenails are also made of the Keratin protein and also does not contain any live cells.
Every hair has a variety of cells that are in charge to create it. In this process the color of the hair (also known in nature as pigmentation) is also being set.
The thickness shape and color is determined by our DNA. – Yes, it runs in the family. It is true that with time the shape and color can change - for examle gray or white as we grow old, but it's still a part of our genetic code.
The skin on our scalp is covered with very small pockets called hair follicle or bulbs. Every one of these pockets is the base of one hair.
The papilla, which is in the center of the follicle, is connected to blood vessels which supports the hairs and the hairs follicle needs, like any other cell in our body.
Hair Facts
We have on our scalp 100,000 to 150,000 hairs and it is normal to shed 50 - 100 hairs every day.
Hairs are made of 28% protein (Keratin), 2% fat and 70% water. The Keratin is 85% to 90% of the hair wight.
The hair growing speed is up to 1 inch per month, on winter it's grows slower and faster on summer due to temperture changes.
Normally, every hair that falls is being replaced by a new one and last for up to 3 years. This cycle is called the hair life cycle.
Hair life cycle
This life cycle is divided to the following phases
- Growing (Anagen) phase - This is the first step and is 90% of the hairs life. This step is 3-5 years long in which the hair keeps growing.
- Transitional (Catagen) phase - The hair stops growing, and remains in this phase for two to three weeks before the next phase.
- Resting (Telogen) phase - In this phase the hair simply stay on your head for about three months and then falls out. Then the first phase starts and another one will replace it.
This life cycle continues during a life time of a person and it's important to say that new hairs are not being created, it the same hair in different phases of it's life.
A change in the hair life cycle can get the hair to be more time on the resting phase and less time on the growing phase. As a result the hair will look thinner and eventually the cycle will stop.
|
