What exactly is hair?
When you see the hairs that collect in the shower strainer or on the comb, they don't look that remarkable. But like so much in nature, each strand of hair is a rather ingenious construction and the hair as a whole forms a rather essential part of our personality.
You can easily divide a strand of hair into two parts. Partly the part that we see, namely the hair shaft, which is also called the hair shaft. We don't see the other part and it is the hair root itself that is immersed in the hair follicle. Each hair follicle is surrounded by sebaceous glands and – quite amazingly – a muscle.
Ingenious construction
A strand of hair is structured roughly according to the same principle as the bones in our body. The most important building block is the protein keratin. Inside is a pith, and it is surrounded by a shell or bark that is really ingeniously constructed. It is this bark that both gives the hair its strength and strength while allowing the hair to absorb water. This bark (which in a nicer word is called cortex) also contains melanin which, among other things, gives the hair its color.
At the very end of the hair shaft is a layer called the cuticle. This surface layer contains lipids (fatty acids) that make the hair repel water.
Grows only in the root
The part of the hair that we see is not really a biologically active part. It is usually said that the visible hair is "dead". But under the skin, in the hair follicle, there is full activity. Namely, it is in the lowest part of the hair follicle that the actual growth takes place. It happens through a cell division, and when the new cells are formed they wander upwards and "die". Because there must be room for new cells, the hair shaft is slowly but surely pushed upwards - the hair grows.
Nutrition that the root needs
An important component is keratin. Keratin is the most important building block of the hair shaft, and this protein must be available to the hair follicle. Copper and zinc are important for the hair follicle to develop. Biotin, niacin and pantothenic acid are also important components, where biotin is considered especially important for men's hair growth.
You can get a lot through your diet, but if you are careless with the composition of your diet or eat irregularly, your hair may need the help of a dietary supplement.
