How Hair Growth and Hair Struction

Ask any woman which aspect of her appearance she would most like to change and, chances are, she would opt for a new head of hair. Straight-haired women would readily change their swinging bobs for a head full of corkscrew curls. Blondes will insist that they would nave more fun as redheads, and those with brown hair will claim their lives would improve with a halo of golden tresses.
When it comes to hair, you actually don’t have to settle for what nature has given you. It is possible to change hair style, color and even texture to give yourself a completely new and different look. All it takes is a little knowledge, a lot of confidence and, in certain instances, the advice and help of a professional. What is important, though, is that no matter what its color or style, your hair should always look its nest. That way, it will truly become your crowning glory.

The Structure of Hair

Hair grows from a pocket called the follicle that is located below the surface of the skin. Each hair is made up of a soft inner core, the medulla, which is surrounded by the main core-the cortex. This core is protected by the cuticle, which is a transparent layer of tiny, overlapping scales.

The cortex is responsible for the strength, thickness and flexibility of the hair. It also contains the pigment melanin, which determines the natural coloring.
The sebaceous glands, located at the top of each hair follicle close to the scalp surface, produce sebum, or oil, that is vitally necessary to healthy hair. The oil secreted from the glands coats the hair in a fine layer, providing sheen and elasticity. Depending on the rate of sebum production-which varies from person to person hair will be dry, greasy or normal.

How hair grows ?

Hair grows at a rate of about 1.25 cm (1/2 inch) per month, and the average person sheds about 100 hairs each day. Considering that there are between 100,000 and 150,000 hairs growing on the head at any one time, and that these are constantly being replaced, there is little need for concern when you discover hair on the brush or after shampooing.

There is a definite cycle of hair growth. This cycle may last for up to six or seven years between the first growth of a hair and its shedding, although the average is more like three to five years. When the cycle is over, the follicle shrinks and goes in to a rest period for several weeks. After the rest period the follicle opens up again to encourage new hair growth. As you get older, it is inevitable that the hair thins as some follicles wear our. And the production of sebum-which is most active during the teenage years, slows down with age.

When a hair stops growing because it has completed its natural cycle, it travels up the follicle and is shed. The follicle shrinks and goes through a rest period for several weeks until a new hair is formed, and the cycle starts again. Hair grows and are shed at different times, so the process usually goes through a rest period for several weeks until a new hair is formed, and the cycle starts again. Hair grows and are shed at different times. So the process usually goes unnoticed. A healthy head retains approximately the same number of hairs at any one time. The cortex, or core, decides the texture and color of the hair. Products designed to bring about permanent change, such as bleaches, tints and perms, must penetrate the cortex to restructure a hair’s characteristics.