all about hair

Too often, people say, “My hair won’t grow” or “My hair is shedding.” Usually, neither of these statements is true. When one says, “My hair won’t grow,” he or she usually means it’s not attaining any additional length. This is almost always due to breakage – not lack of growth. The hair grows from within the scalp and adds on at the bottom, rather than the top. The human hair cycle is divided into three phases: anagen, the active growth phase of the hair cycle; catagen, the transitional phase between growing and resting; and telogen, the resting and shedding phase. Most humans have around 100,000 hair follicles on their heads. Roughly 5 percent (or 5,000 hairs) are resting at any point in time. Because they’re closer to the surface of the scalp, shampooing and perming will loosen these hairs and cause breakage.

Perming is commonly the cause of breakage. When the hair is permed too often, overlapping of the previously relaxed portion occurs; and thus, it breaks off. One can’t precisely apply the relaxer to the new growth without some overlap. Perming every 4-6 weeks is too often. It’s recommended that touch ups are done every eight weeks or longer.

In contrast to breakage, shedding is natural. Shedding is when the entire length of the hair with the root sheath attached, comes out. Human scalp hair grows for 3-6 years before shedding. The hairs shed in a mosaic pattern, rather than in waves or sheets unlike some animals. Hairs that are in the resting phase will usually shed over a two-month period (see diagram). Normal shedded hairs have a small white bulb on the scalp end. On average, one may shed up to 100 hairs a day. Shampooing and perming the hair will result in much more hair being shed than gentle combing or brushing. –wesley s. wilborn, md

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