The hair shaft and the hair follicle are the two main structures of your hair. Basically, the hair above the skin is considered the hair shaft and below the skin lies a tunnel-like structure, or the follicle, where the hair grows. Hair growth is cyclic and is influenced by many things, including genetics, hormones and anatomical location on the body. Hair growing on the scalp can be in one of three different stages: anagen, catagen or telogen.
Anagen phase
The first phase of the hair growth cycle is the anagen phase. The anagen phase, according to the American Hair Loss Association, can last for two to six years and is characterized by rapidly dividing cells in the root of the hair. Hair growth is continuous during this phase, with hair growth averaging about 1/2 inch every month.
Catagen phase
The catagen phase is a transitional portion of the hair growth cycle. During this short phase the hair detaches from its blood supply and the club hair begins to form. The American Hair Loss Association projects that about 3 percent of all hairs are in this phase at any given time, with this part of the hair growth cycle usually lasting two to three weeks.
Telogen phase
The last stage is called the telogen phase which is characterized by a resting period that lasts for about three months. "During this phase, the hair follicle is completely at rest and the club hair is completely formed. Pulling out a hair in this phase will reveal a solid, hard, dry, white material at the root," according to information published by the American Hair Loss Association. The hair cycle begins again when a new hair forms and pushes the club hair out of the follicle.
Nutrition for healthy hair
Normal hair loss is usually considered between 50 to 100 hairs a day. As indicated by the Mayo Clinic, nutritional deficiencies that can contribute to hair loss are those of inadequate protein or iron, along with poor nutrition caused by crash diets, fad diets and eating disorders. Fad diets are those that emphasize certain food groups at the expense of others. Losing weight is best done gradually by exercising and eating healthily.
Misconceptions
"A balanced diet is as important for healthy hair growth as it is for good health," states the Mayo Clinic. However, they also state that it is a misconception that taking more of certain vitamins can reduce hair loss. A multivitamin supplement will usually suffice if nutritional deficiencies are causing or exacerbating a case of thinning hair.
Member Comments