Hair 101

By MONAT Global | October 15, 2014

Our hair is subjected to endless degrees of stress and trauma.  Sun and environmental pollutants to chemical processing and aging all affect how healthy or unhealthy our hair is. Everyone is looking for a way to prevent hair loss and make hair lusher, thicker, healthier and more attractive with minimal effort.

  • Has your hair changed in the last several years?
  • Have you lost hair recently or are losing hair now?
  • Has your hair color changed?
  • Does your hair look older, dull, brittle or flat?
  • Do you wish your hair were easier to style every day?
  • Are you seeing less volume and thickness?
  • Do your current hair products deliver on their promises?

Hair loss

Hair plays a vital role in our appearance.  It is not as complex as it looks. Hair is composed of strong structural proteins called keratin. Below the surface of the skin is the hair root.  It is enclosed within a hair follicle. At the base of the follicle is the dermal papilla. The dermal papilla is fed by the bloodstream which carries nourishment to produce new hair.

The dermal papilla plays a crucial role and is of great importance for the hair formation and growth cycle.

Each human head carries roughly 100,000 hair follicles. Each follicle can grow many hairs over a lifetime: on average, each follicle grows a new hair around twenty times. Hair grows about 3-4 mm/day.  Hair growth and loss are completely random. At any given time, a random number of hairs will be in various stages of growth and shedding. Over the years, the number of follicles capable of growing hair decreases naturally. The loss of these follicles is especially noticeable on the top of the head.

Research has shown that hair loss can be the results of several factors, though not fully understood.  The causes of hair loss can be genetic, due to hormonal changes or imbalances (childbirth, menopause), linked to nutrition (deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals), stress, diseases, medications, hair treatment (over styling and excessive brushing, dye, bleaching) and of course aging.

Hair loss can be permanent or temporary.

Hair loss sufferers will most of the time have the hair growth cycle disrupted by;

  1. loss of connective tissue surrounding the hair follicle caused by an increase of (DHT) hormone,
  2. an increase in the inflammatory process in the scalp
  3. oxidative stress increase
  4. an increase in free radical damage

Aging effects

Of course, aging has its effects. Aging decreases the number of hair follicles as well as the size of the follicles.  The smaller size follicles cause the hair shafts to become thinner.  This decrease in both the number and size of the follicles leads to the thinning of hair.

Although there are many factors that cause a decrease in hair, the good new is with the right care and treatment, it is possible to revitalize and stimulate the natural hair growth cycle once again.

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