Understanding hair structure

Your hair is an important contributor to your total look. Given the right care, your hair can make you look great. If neglected, it can distract from your appearance.

Hair is an integral part of the structure of your skin, and like your skin, it changes with the passage of time.

A single strand of hair is made up of several components:

The hair shaft, the visible part of the hair, is dead. It grows from a narrow tube called a follicle, which is below the surface of the scalp.

The hair follicle sac, the portion of hair below the skin's surface, is a single structure which lives and grows at an average rate of 1/2 to 1 inch per month.

At the base of hair follicle lie papillae, which eventually form hair.

Sebaceous glands next to each follicle produce natural oil that keeps the hair lubricated and shiny.

The hair extends through epidermis into the dermis, from where it receives its blood supply and sensitivity.

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