The Search for a Baldness Cure

Fresh clues to what makes hair follicles go dormant are pointing toward potential cures for baldness.

Vitamin D and its receptors appear to play a role in hair follicle health and now there's new evidence that it could help treat common forms of baldness. Shirley Wang explains on Lunch Break.

Several research teams are working to figure out ways to spur existing follicles—the tiny organs in the skin that give birth to hair—back into action, or to make new, active follicles. New treatments based on this work likely are many years from the market, but these approaches could lead to the significant breakthrough of helping people who are already bald. By contrast, topical products available now, such as Rogaine, appear to be most effective in helping prevent further balding after it has started. And with current surgical procedures, healthy hairs can be moved into bald areas, but if they don't take, the operation might have to be repeated.

Behind the Baldness

Crucial to the hair-growth and balding process, scientists have found, are vitamin D and the microscopic receptors that bind to it in skin. These elements have become the focus for several research teams. (Supplements might offer health benefits for people lacking enough vitamin D, but they won't bring back lost hair, researchers say.)

Some researchers, including those from the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, have identified molecules besides vitamin D that appear to activate the receptor and hold potential for future treatments. In July, Japanese researchers demonstrated in animals that adding vitamin D helped the process of using stem cells to generate new follicles.

Vitamin D has long been known to be important for keeping bones and skin healthy. But research on its role in bone development has progressed much faster than has the research on skin and hair.

The vitamin D receptor is "crucial for the regeneration of hair," wrote Mark Haussler, a professor of basic medical sciences at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix, in a recent paper. He discovered the receptor in 1969.

Hair growth follows a cycle, with follicles typically producing hair for two to six years before the hair falls out and the follicle lies dormant for a period thought to vary from a few weeks to a few months. A replacement hair then emerges. At any point in time, some 15% of our follicles are sleeping, say researchers.

But for some people, this sleeping phase is permanent, and if enough follicles hibernate in the same skin area, baldness results. The message to grow hair appears to be guided by partner cells called dermal papilla cells. Stem cells in the skin that haven't matured yet can become regular skin cells or differentiate into hair follicles. Without the right chemical communication, existing follicles go dormant and stem cells that have yet to differentiate themselves may become skin cells instead of follicles.

Many scientists and several companies have tried to expand the number of follicles and normal dermal papilla cells while maintaining their functioning, but have failed.

The demand for better hair-loss treatments is great. Nearly $2 billion a year is spent world-wide in surgical procedures for hair loss, according to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery. One of the most common forms of baldness, called androgenetic alopecia—widely known as male-pattern baldness—affects 35 million men in the U.S., according to government data, and is related to the amount of certain hormones in the body. Estimates suggest 20 million to 30 million women also have alopecia, but they generally don't lose hair in a pattern like men do.

Chemotherapy-induced hair loss in cancer patients is also common, and in some cases, the follicles may die. Several other factors such as childbirth, crash diets and some medications can also lead to hair loss, though the exact reasons why follicles are lulled to sleep isn't well understood.

Current treatment options include products such as Rogaine and Propecia, which work best for prevention, says Rashid Rashid, a dermatologist at the Mosaic Hair Transplant Center in Houston. Hair transplants—when hairs are moved from one area of the scalp to a bald area—are the other main option. This can be done more quickly than ever now, says Dr. Rashid, but the new hairs fall out after a couple of months and might not regenerate.

“Follicles don't grow hair well outside the body, so although they can be grown in a lab, they don't tend to produce hair.”

Hair-regeneration research poses several challenges, researchers say. Follicles don't grow hair very well outside the body, so even though the cells can be grown in dishes in a lab, they don't tend to produce hair.

Much of the research in the field is focused on vitamin D. The receptor—the lock to which the vitamin D key binds—activates hair growth, rather than the vitamin itself, says Marie Demay, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, who pioneered much of this work.

Biochemist Yuko Oda and a team at the VA Medical Center San Francisco and the University of California, San Francisco, recently found a molecule, called MED, that appears to suppress the actions of the receptor. In a study published in December in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, they found that mice grew less hair after the gene that codes for MED in their skin was knocked out, suggesting a target for gene therapy.

Dr. Demay and colleagues last year found another molecule called LEF1 that also activates the vitamin D receptor, and can do so without the presence of vitamin D. The next step will be to demonstrate that activating the receptor in this way would actually produce hair, says Dr. Demay. If these molecules activate the vitamin D receptor, they change the "fate" of the cells into hair cells, Dr. Oda says. The work was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Researchers at the University of Tokyo recently added vitamin D supplements to the medium in which they were growing dermal papilla cells, hoping to spur more uncommitted stem cells to become active follicles.

In rats, the scientists found more stem cells were coaxed into becoming follicles when vitamin D was used in the final phase of growing the cells than those not treated, says Kotaro Yoshimura, a professor in the department of plastic surgery who was the senior author on the paper. In addition, more of those follicles matured to produce hair, raising the hope that this might lead to improved hair transplants in the future. The study appeared in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine.

Currently, hair transplants can only get single hair from one follicle "but we want to make 1,000 hairs from one follicle," one after the next, says Dr. Yoshimura. They are now teaming up with two other sets of researchers and planning a clinical trial.

A challenge for researchers is that vitamin D has many functions in the body, such as improving bone growth. Taking too much vitamin D can have negative side effects such as calcium accumulation in the blood causing weakness or kidney problems, according to the Mayo Clinic. So it is important that any potential treatment be finely targeted. "We're really aiming to manipulate vitamin D or vitamin D receptors only in the skin," Dr. Oda says.

However, the majority of Americans don't get the recommended daily dose of the vitamin. For some, getting their full amount—from foods such as fatty fish or from being in the sun—may generally improve health and aid hair growth, Dr Haussler says.

Corrections & Amplifications 

Mice grew less hair after a gene that codes for a molecule called MED in their skin was knocked out in an experiment. An earlier version of this article incorrectly said that knocking out the gene led to more hair growth. Also, an earlier version of this article incorrectly said hair transplants need to be continuously repeated and that transplanted hairs don't regenerate. In addition, an earlier version said Mark Haussler was a professor in physiology, chemistry and biochemistry at Arizona State University in Phoenix; and Propecia was incorrectly described as a topical treatment.

Pick the Perfect Haircut

Check out my picture down on the bottom of this page. I have along face and a high forehead (I was once dubbed 'IMAX' by a frat guy in college). In my lifetime, I've had short hair, shoulder-length hair and long hair.

Of all the hairstyles I've had, a shoulder-length cut with side-swept bangs (like Nicole Richie's hairstyle, pictured here) looks best on me. It works with my face shape AND my hair texture, which is the key to all great haircuts.

Consider Your Face ShapeThe secret to great haircuts is two-fold: first you must consider yourface shape and secondly, you need to choose a cut that works with your hair's texture. Find out what your face shape is.

Just as there are flattering styles for all face shapes, there are also unflattering styles. Get the scoop on which cuts work and which ones don't with your face shape in The Best & Worst Styles for Every Face Shape.

Choose a Cut That Works With Your Hair TextureEach one of us can classify our hair: Dry, coarse, curly, thin, stringy, limp, oily, wavy, fine. If you have thin, stringy hair that tends to fall limp, your hair will look fuller the shorter it is. Coarse, curly girls need to weigh hair down with length: The shorter you go, the higher the frizz and fluff factor. Same thing with bangs. If you have curly, coarse hair, bangs are an invitation to frizziness. Straight hair can fall flat, but cutting in layers adds body. And no matter your hair type, damaged hair never looks good. Cut it off.

The Most-Flattering Haircut on EveryoneI was struck a couple years ago by a passage in my favorite beauty bible, Confessions of a Beauty Editor. The writer, Linda Wells, stated that almost everyone at Allure Magazine where she works has shoulder-length hair. Turns out shoulder-length hairstyles are universally the most flattering on nearly everyone.

long hair can make a long face appear longer. Short hair can make a round face appear rounder. Short hair is especially dangerous on super curly hair. If you are petite, you could look like a 15-year-old with super long hair. But shoulder-length hair looks good on all women no matter their size, face shape or age.

Learn more about "The Perfect Haircut"

Who Can, and Can't, Go Long?Long hair generally means below the shoulders. Women who generally shouldn't go long are super-short people (you'll forever look age 12) and women with long, narrow faces (like me, wahhh). Women who look fabulous in long cuts have oval or square faces. That said, anyone with hair below their breasts is taking a risk of looking outdated.

There is One Long Cut That's Universally FlatteringThe 'v-cut' is long in the back and shorter along the sides. This cut works because the length is in the back and not around the face. Lip and chin-grazing layers on the side add to the sexy allure.

The Basic Dos and Don'ts For Short HairShort hair comes in a variety of lengths. In order to figure out which length works for you, consider your best and worst assets and your height. Super short hair on very tall women can look too masculine or it can look very powerful (depending on how you see it). Short hair on women with round faces can make the round face appear fuller. If you have a round face, grow your hair longer than your chin. If you have a pointy chin, avoid hair that falls right at the chin. If you have great eyes, consider short hair with side-swept bangs (like these) that hit right at the eye. 

Why You Should Consider UpkeepIf you're like me and you hate going to the salon or if you tend to put it off for months on end, ask your stylist for a cut that will grow out nicely. Eva Scrivo of Eva Scrivo Salon in NYC told me a great haircut should last 3 months.

Uh-Oh, What About That Forehead?Small forehead? Consider bangs that start further back on the head and that are as long as possible.

Big forehead? Bangs are flattering because they cover up the 'IMAX' screen. Side-sweeping bangs are the most flattering look for you. According to 'Confessions,' bangs are flattering when they are longer at the temples than in the middle.

best hairstyles for fine hair or thin hair: stay ahead of hair loss with strategic cuts, styling tricks and color most liked

Before we get specific about the best cuts and color solutions for fine, thinning hair, you need to know that hair loss doctors do not expect you to stop coloring your hair (if you do) or resist using heat to style it. What they do suggest is being strategic about chemical processing and styling:

• You might consider downsizing your color routine from double process with highlights to just highlights or going closer to your natural color.
• You may want to give up a few inches (do you really need stringy hair hanging down your back?) to get extra fullness and volume.
• But ditch the tight ponytails and cornrows — that kind of traction is non-negotiable.
• Hair loss specialist Dr. Catherine A. Orentreich of the Orentreich Medical Group in New York City adds, “If you get a salon straightening treatment, opt for the Brazilian keratin one, not the Japanese method, which is more destructive to the hair shaft.”

Hair basics

Let’s get a few basics straight about hair. Hair is dead — the part that is alive is under your scalp in the follicle. The hair that we style and color — the hair shaft — is made up of a protein called keratin. The outer layer of the hair shaft is called the cuticle and when that is smooth, resilient and strong, your hair looks healthy. The cuticle covers the inner cortex and medulla of the hair and is composed of layers that overlap like a tiered skirt.

When you blow-dry your hair in a certain way and add a styling product, the layers of the cuticle get fluffed up instead of being smooth — and your hair appears fuller. There’s one pro I’ve worked with for years who knows this topic cold: celebrity hair (and makeup) artist Jim Crawford, who specializes in women over 50. His clients include Helen Mirren, Susan Sarandon, Cybill Shepherd, Isabella Rossellini, Valerie Bertinelli, Shirley MacLaine and Christine Baranski – all known for their trademark hair. Jim insists that most celebs do not have great hair. “You always see them after pros have worked to transform their thin, fragile, chemically fried hair.

Most bring hairpieces matched to their hair to the set or ask me to bring them along. Thinning hair, bald spots and receding hairlines can be camouflaged – trust me, I do it all the time.” Crawford relies on one of these four basic cuts to create the illusion of more hair and hide sparse areas. At least one will work for you.

The four best cuts to flatter thin hair

A short, classic bob

This blunt, chic, chin-length cut is a foolproof disguise for hair that has all-over thinning and/or skimpy areas at the crown or back or the head. You can add full side-swept bangs to camouflage a skimpy hairline. It’s low-maintenance and can get blown up easily for a fuller look with a blow-out and styling lotion. It’s versatile and can be worn on or off the face. Inspirations: Jackie O, Cybill Shepherd, Kim Cattrall, Christine Baranski, Anna Wintour, Ellen Barkin.

A short, choppy bob

Add irregular length layers and pieces for a fuller look. The tousled, shaggy look can give the effect of more hair and texture. It’s especially valuable for women wanting to camouflage thinning at the crown or back of the head. Inspirations: Meg Ryan, Diane Sawyer, Glenn Close, Helen Mirren.
A mid-length, shoulder-grazing cut angled in long layers around the face
This length is as long as a woman with thin hair should go, but it has the feel of longer hair. Have your hairdresser remove all weight from the ends so the hair moves. Inspirations: Susan Sarandon, Sharon Stone, Iman, Jaclyn Smith, Suzanne Somers.

A short, layered crop with bangs

This look is gamine in spirit but sophisticated and still sexy. If you have a great neck, fairly crisp jaw-line and your thinning is most obvious along the front hairline this cut can be an ally. Inspirations: Annette Bening, Judy Dench, Shirley MacLaine.

Once you have the right cut for you, there are two more secrets to building in fullness:
Using the right blow-dry technique
Choosing the right texture styling product.

Professional styling secrets for thin hair

Here are Jim Crawford’s behind-the scenes styling tricks:
Quickly rough dry your hair with your blow-dryer on a high heat setting using your hands and fingers to lift and move the hair. You want to be fast as possible and not use any brushes.
Your goal is to eliminate 80 % of the water in your hair before applying styling product. The reason? If you leave water in your hair when you apply volumizers, the result is diluted.
Don’t worry at this point about frizz or perfection, just get it nearly dry.
Then spray on a styling lotion or a mousse to build in body. These formulas are light, non-greasy and provide just enough lift and texture. You must avoid all waxes, gels, pastes, polishers, styling creams, shine boosting mists and silicone serums. They will weigh your hair down, make it oily and revealing sparse areas. Even if the label on one of these seven products says volumizing or for fine thin hair or body-boosting, ignore them — they are not for you.
Finish the look by continuing to rough dry once the styling spray or mousse is in you hair. Then just polish the ends with a round or flat brush as a final step in your blow-out.
An alternative finish is to continue to blow dry using your hands to direct the hair in the direction you want it to go. When your hair is totally dry, very lightly and quickly run a flat iron or a barrel iron from mid-hair shaft to ends only. Don’t run the iron over and over through the hair or linger over a spot.

Hair color tricks for thin hair

“Women feel more comfortable now discussing thinning hair issues with their colorist and hair stylist,” says New York City color guru Beth Minardi of Minardi Salon. “You need to take charge of the problem from a medical and cosmetic standpoint to really get an effective result. Think of each strand of hair as a fiber. At twenty it was like a stand of yarn, by 50 it’s more like thread.”

Use permanent color to thicken hair.

Thinning hair can be improved by using a permanent hair color which penetrates the outer cuticle of the hair and swells the hair shaft. Minardi urges women to “Take advantage of the thickening benefits of permanent color. It fattens each individual hair so cumulatively your hair feels thicker.”

Variations in tone create depth.

Some women experiencing thinning hair decide this is the moment to go blonde or if they are already blonde to go lighter. A big mistake, according to Minardi: “If you go too blonde when your hair is thinning, your hair will look transparent and sparseness at the scalp actually will become more visible. Instead, go for variations in blonde tones with a dark blonde or even light brown base and lighter brighter shades on top to create depth and the illusion of more hair. Brunettes should do their variation aiming for a tone on tone multi-color effect too, keeping the darkest color at the scalp as your base. A solid allover color will reveal any thinning or sparse areas while a multi-color look adds camouflage and creates the illusion of thicker hair.”

Color-camouflage a thin hairline.

How about the sparse or thinning hairline area where color seems to grab more quickly? As Minardi explains, ” Brunettes with thin hairlines usually notice their color going darker-nearly black in that area and here’s why: color grabs more easily where your hair is thinnest. Highlighting around the hairline in brown on brown shades to vary the color helps in this instance. If you’re a brunette who colors her hair at home, go a shade lighter than you think.

HOW TO MAKE THIN HAIR THICKER

Many people are struggling with their hair, especially when they have thin hair. Men and women are fearful, when they discover that their hair is thin or thinning.

The first thought is balding. And balding implies ‘old’.
One can arrest such fears, if they know what to do. And the first thing is to understand the reason for your hair’s condition, before you choose the right shampoo to treat your hair.

Reasons For Thin Hair
One of the more common reasons for thin hair is an itchy scalp. As the itch comes on, you tend to scratch, and scratching can damage your hair or make it brittle, causing thinning.

Another reason for thin hair is the lack of moisture in your hair, making it dry. When your hair is dry, it is brittle, and your hair can break and fall off easily, causing thinning.

Thinning hair could be caused by certain medications consumed by you for treating another health condition, which may be temporary unless you have some sickness or disease that causes hair fall. Sometimes, stress and other types of trauma can also bring on hair loss. Other medical conditions that can impact hair loss to cause thin hair is radiation treatment. Chemotherapy or radiotherapy can expose your hair cells to lots of radiation effects; thinning hair is one of them.

It could be a genetic problem; it is a feature that you have inherited from your parents’ genes to suffer from baldness which is called androgenetic alopecia. A high percentage of people with thinning hair or balding problems are diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia; the figure is 95%. You are not the only person with such hair problems.

The genetic factor is one where your hair follicles are made more sensitive through a specific gene which your parents passed to you. That gene excretes an androgen known as dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. It causes your hair follicles to shrink until they fall from your scalp. But there is help to overcome hair thinness.

The Right Shampoo
First and foremost, it is very essential to understand the type of hair you are having. If you are not sure or do not know, consult a dermatologist; even your hair dresser should be able to assist you with the necessary information.

Maybe, you have been picking up the wrong shampoo in the market. Most of the time, these commercial shampoos are not as good as those in a salon, which carry higher quality shampoos, though they may cost more than those from the supermarkets or drug stores.

Always check on the ingredient list on the packaging, before purchasing any shampoo. There may be too much silicone ingredients in that bottle of shampoo, which is not beneficial to your hair. Instead of perking up with a shine, these silicones will weigh down your hair and make it look lifeless and dull. Choose the shampoo having natural ingredients and that can counter your hair issue, such as dandruff or brittleness.

Volume Enhancing Agents
Another way to aid thinning hair is through the use of volume enhancing agents, which can counter the negative ingredients in shampoos. These agents offer protection to the hair against the sun rays and heat to prevent dryness.

Approved Medications
The best way to cure alopecia is through the right medications. There are only 2 types of medications that are FDA approved to treat alopecia. Thorough testing has been performed to conclude the results and proportions of the medications. Hence, they form the most secured and safest treatment to renounce thin hair. It should also discourage you from buying other hair treatment products that are not validated.

The FDA approved medications for treating alopecia are Minoxidil and Finasteride. Minoxidil is found available in Rogaine. Finasteride experiences greater success in treating balding and thinning than Minoxidil but it has some side effects such as impotence and erectile dysfunction plus other unfavorable sexual effects.

Hence, Finasteride is not recommended for those who are still young and planning for a family. It should also not be used by those who are still sexually active. Although Minoxidil may work slower, it is still an effective and tested medication. It would be a safer option for most people.

Other solutions
As a last resort, some who are really desperate with thinning and balding problems will consider surgical procedures that include hair transplants. Laser surgery is a new hair loss treatment which is costly and risky. These options should be considered very carefully with your doctor before embarkation.

Natural Remedy
It is crucial to bring your hair back to its full health to enjoy its former glory. Hence, the key factor is to have your hair grow on its own again. It is a waste of time, money and effort resorting to medications, hair plugs, surgeries and false promises which are temporary and costly solutions.

Your health can be adversely impacted with non-tested methods and medications. It could probably be a simple cause of insufficient rest and necessary nutrients that is causing the balding and thinning.

Hence, check on your diet for the necessary vitamins and minerals which your hair needs to get on the right path of healthy growth. Understand your hair type better and learn what is good for your hair. If you need to apply creams or use shampoos and conditioners, choose those that contain natural or organic ingredients only to avoid having harsh chemicals impacting your hair follicles.

Change your lifestyle to increase your exercise routines or be more active in sports to allow better blood circulation around your body and scalp which enriches your hair follicles. Then they become stronger and will not fall out so easily.

Conclusion
There are many good solutions to balding and thinning hair. Look carefully for the right and the best solution. It could be a simple action like a change of shampoo. The right shampoo is very essential for good hair growth and health. The right hair care product can provide the needed moisture for a fuller hair look. You may need to change your hair products according to the season.

your hair overview

When you think of your hair, you probably think of the hair on your head. But there's hair on almost every part of your body. (Some places that don't have hair include the lips, the palms of the hands, and the soles of the feet.)

Some of the hair on your body is easy to see, like your eyebrows and the hair on your head, arms, and legs. But other hair, like that on your cheek, is almost invisible.

Depending on where it is, hair has different jobs. The hair on your head keeps your head warm and provides a little cushioning for your skull. Eyelashes protect your eyes by decreasing the amount of light and dust that go into them, and eyebrows protect your eyes from sweat dripping down from your forehead.

Hair Comes From Where?
Whether hair is growing out of your head, arm, or ankle, it all rises out of the skin in the same way. It starts at the hair root, a place beneath the skin where cells band together to form keratin (the protein that hair is made of). The root is inside a follicle(say: fol-ih-kul), which is like a small tube in the skin.

As the hair begins to grow, it pushes up from the root and out of the follicle, through the skin where it can be seen. Tiny blood vessels at the base of every follicle feed the hair root to keep it growing. But once the hair is at the skin's surface, the cells within the strand of hair aren't alive anymore. The hair you see on every part of your body contains dead cells. That's why it doesn't cause pain when someone cuts your hair with scissors!

Nearly every hair follicle is attached to a sebaceous (say: sih-bay-shus) gland, which is sometimes called an oil gland. These sebaceous glands produce oil, which makes the hair shiny and a bit waterproof. Sometimes, like during puberty, these glands can pump out too much oil and a person's hair may look greasy. Time for a shampoo!

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow!


You have more than 100,000 hairs on your head, but you lose some every day. About 50 to 100 hairs fall out each day while you're washing your hair, brushing or combing it, or just sitting still. But don't worry, new hairs are constantly replacing those that have fallen out.

Each hair on your head grows for about 2 to 6 years. Then it rests for a few months and finally falls out. It is replaced by a new hair, which begins to grow from the same hair follicle. This cycle of hair growing, resting, falling out, and being replaced helps to maintain just the right number of hairs on your head.
Hair Comes in Many Colors

What kind of hair do you have — black and curly, blond and straight, or some other combination? Hair color comes frommelanin (say: mel-uh-nun), the substance that gives hair and skin its pigment. The lighter someone's hair, the less melanin there is. A person with brown or black hair has much more melanin than someone with blond or red hair. Older people lose the melanin pigment in their hair as they age, making their hair look gray or white.

Often, a person's skin color goes with the color of his or her hair. For example, many blondes have light skin, whereas many people with darker skin have dark brown or black hair. And don't forget genes (genes are what you inherit from your parents): Usually, a kid's hair color is determined by one or both parents' hair color.

When it comes to type, your hair follicles make a difference. Some hair follicles are structured in a way that produces curly hair, whereas others send out straight hair. Follicles also determine if your hair will be thick and coarse or thin and fine.
Taking Care of Hair

With hair, the main thing is keeping it clean. Some people wash their hair every day, but others do it just once or twice a week. It depends on your hair and what kind of things you've been doing, like exercising or swimming.

When you wash your hair, use a gentle shampoo and warm water. Lather up using your fingertips, rather than your fingernails. You might use a conditioner or a shampoo containing a conditioner. This can take the tangles out or your hair and make it look smooth. But depending on your hair, it can also make it look flat and oily. Rinse your hair with plenty of clean water. Dry it gently with a towel and use a wide-tooth comb to untangle it.

Be kind to your hair — wet or dry — by being gentle when you comb or brush your hair. Don't yank on knots too hard and don't wear your ponytails and braids too tight. This can irritate your scalp. And if you use curling irons or blow-dryers, be careful and ask for adult help when needed. You don't want to burn yourself.

Here's an easy way to have great-looking hair: Eat a healthy diet. It's not as weird as it sounds. A nutritious diet helps your body from the inside out!

What exactly is hair made of and how does it grow?

Hair Growth - Hair Construction

A: The best way to answer this question is to reverse the two parts. First, your hair grows from follicles within the skin. The part of the hair inside the follicle (below the skin's surface) is known as the hair root, while the portion you see protruding from the head is the hair shaft. At the base of the hair root is the hair bulb where nutrients are received and new cells are formed.

Also within the hair follicle are the dermal papilla (a cone shaped protrustion at the base of the follicle which feeds blood - and therefore nutrients - to the hair bulb), the sebaceous gland (or oil gland) which lubricates and keeps the hair healthy and shiny, as well as the arrector pili, a tiny muscle anchored to the follicle. The arrector pili respond to stimulus (fear or cold) causing them to contract and make the hair stand up straight.

Taking nutrients from the dermal papilla, the hair bulb generates new hair cells. As these cells move up through the hair root, they mature through a process called keratinization, fill with fibrous protein and lose their nucleus. When the cell loses its nucleus it is no longer alive. By the time the hair emerges from the skin it is merely fiber made of keratinized proteins.

The fibrous protein emerging from the hair follicle as the hair shaft has a specific construction. It forms a strand with three layers: an outer covering of overlapping keratin scales called the cuticle, a middle layer of keratinized protein fibers called the cortex, and, usually, a central 'core' of round cells called the medulla. A medulla is almost always found in coarse hair, and often is absent from naturally blonde hair and very fine hair.

In fact, your hair is approximately 91 percent protein, and is made up of long chains of amino acids. These chains are found within the fibers of the cortex of the hair. The amino acids of these chains are made up of the elements carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur (are also the building blocks of the skin and nails) and are joined together by peptide bonds. Long chains of these peptide bonds are called polypeptide chains.

The polypeptide chains are in turn joined by side bonds. There are three types of side bonds: salt bonds, hydrogen bonds, and disulfide bonds. The salt and hydrogen bonds are most prevalent, but are weaker and are broken by heat and moisture. It is the action of salt and hydrogen bonds that allow the use of wet roller sets and curling or flat irons to change the amount of curl in the hair. Disulfide bonds are fewer, but are much stronger. When you get a permanent wave service, or a relaxer, it is the disulfide bonds that are broken and reformed to give you the change in the amount of curl. Each type of side bond accounts for about one-third of the hair's strength.