The hair provides the human body with many important functions. At any given time, the human body has thousands of hairs growing from it. All of your hair revolves around hair follicles, which are structures of the skin and are in a continuous cycle of growth and loss.
Structure
The hair follicle can be found in the epidermis, which is the outside layer of the skin. According to the Trichological Society, single shafts of hair grow from the follicle to the outside of the body. A follicle consists of a tube of cells, and for every single hair that you have on your head, there is one single hair follicle.
Function
In regard to health and hair growth, your hair follicles have a variety of important functions. The Trichological Society states that the follicle first uses the papilla to connect itself to the surrounding capillaries. This helps the hair grow by providing it with needed nutrients. The follicle is also responsible for holding the bulb of the hair. The cell division that makes the actual hair shaft occurs in the bulb. The hair follicle supports several other structures that help hair grow, such as the erector pili muscle, apocrine glands and sebaceous glands.
Anagen
The role that the hair follicle plays during each of the hair growth stages is one their most important aspects. There are a total three stages of hair growth. The first is known as the anagen phase. During this phase, the hair follicle offers support to the cells, allowing them to multiply and become actual hair, according to the American Hair Loss Association. The hair becomes covered in keratin as it moves up the follicle. Keratin is a natural substance that gives structure to the hair. The follicle allows the hair to be held in place until it is ready to enter the catagen stage.
Catagen
While hair is in the catagen stage, the hair is prevented from continuing to grow because the hair follicle shrinks. According to the Trichological Society, the hair growth stops when hair-forming cells block the nutrients that are necessary for the hair to grow from getting to the capillaries. While in the catagen stage, the hair is also blocked from the cells that are responsible for producing new hair. The catagen stage is about two weeks in length. After this stage, the follicle enters the telogen phase, which is the final stage of growth.
Telogen
The follicle is completely at rest when it is in the telogen phase. The American Hair Loss Association states that hair frequently falls out during this stage, since the nutrients that are needed to grow are no longer accessible. This stage can last for as many as 100 days. After this phase has been completed, a new connection is made with the capillary blood supply, beginning the growth of new hair. If for any reason an old hair fails to fall out during this stage, the new hair will push it out of the follicle as it grows.
Member Comments