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. By the time a developing fetus reaches 22 weeks old, there are already 5 million follicles on the body. Interestingly enough, that is all of the follicles that will ever develop regardless of how long we live.

The Anatomy of Hair

Hair on the body is formed by a follicle in the skin that holds the shaft of hair that appears on our bodies. A follicle consists of various layers, each with its own specific function. In the base of the follicle we find the papilla. Capillaries are connected to the papilla and they supply blood to the cells which surround the bottom part of the hair strand called the bulb.

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. Next to the hair shafts runs the inner sheath that goes al the way into the oil glands, also known as the 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. The hair color is mostly determined by the pigmentation contained in this layer. The outermost layer of hair shafts is known as cuticles.Cuticles are comprised of a series of overlapping cells. The cuticle also gives luster and sheen to the hair.

The way hair grow

Hair on the scalp generally grows an average of 0.3 to 0.4mm per day or about 6 inches per year.

There are three distinct stages of hair growth.

The Catagen Phase

This phase is the transitional phase and it runs about two or three weeks. At any given time you will find approximately 3% of your hair in this phase. During this period the hair root sheath shrinks and attaches itself to the root with no actual hair growth taking place.

The Telogen Phase

This phase, known as the “resting period” is experienced by approximately 15% of your hair. The Telogen phase for scalp hair lasts for around 100 days and significantly longer for any 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.

Hair Growth Disorders

There are two hair growth disorders that affect humans. Hirsutism is a condition affecting mostly females. 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 of the conditions, mentioned above, can be treated.

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