For any person, regardless of age and gender, hair is an adornment. They protect our head from overheating, hypothermia, but in order for them to look great and have a he althy appearance, proper care is necessary. And in order to properly care for and not damage, you need to know what hair consists of.
Hair base
Nature is arranged in such a way that after a haircut, hair grows in any case. But for some, this process happens quickly, and for someone a little slower. It depends on what condition they are in.
Find out what human hair consists of and what causes damage. A common cause of damage can be natural phenomena and improper care. Recovery in many cases occurs naturally, by growing new strands, but the use of special cosmetic procedures for recovery will also be important.
Hair structure
Before you try to apply procedures such as dyeing, perming, bouffant, you need to know what is made up of human hair on the head.
Hair has a structure similar to a tree, that is, it is a trunk, in our case, a rod, androot. The root is located under the skin, in other words, under the layer of the dermis, and ends in the hair follicle, and the rod, respectively, is located on the surface of the skin. In the hair follicle there is a hair follicle - it has the name of a follicle, the sebaceous glands are also contained there. They are responsible for shine and elasticity. In the case of a small secretion from the sebaceous glands, the hair loses its vitality and looks dull. Strong secretion is also not welcome, in this case the hair quickly becomes dirty and greasy.
We all feel the touch of the hair, torn hair sends a signal to the brain about the pain, and even in a moment of fear or cold hair stand on end. Nerve endings located in the root of the hair follicle are responsible for all these functions.
Human hair: chemical composition
Keratin protein is contained in the hair 79%.
Water - 15%.
Lipids - 6%.
Based on the fact that the hair mainly consists of keratin, and, as you know, keratin is a protein, consists of amino acids, enriched with trace elements and vitamins, its connection is a chain of cross-bridges of amino acid precipitation. Thanks to them, the hair becomes dense, elastic and elastic. In addition to all of the above, hair curls contain from 4% fatty substances such as cholesterol. Melanin is found in every body in different proportions and is responsible for pigmentation. Hair color depends on the chemical composition. The darker the hair, the more carbon and less oxygen in it, in light curls everythingvice versa.
The cuticle consists of plates of small thickness, and they go one after another. Wraps tightly around the cerebral cortex for protection. Young hair has approximately 10 layers, but these gradually decrease due to wear and tear. The top layer of the cuticle is covered with a lipid layer. It includes not only fatty acids, but also wax esters. It is very sensitive to the sun's rays, and frequent and long-term exposure to the scorching rays of the sun will lead to its destruction.
When we wet the hair, the cuticle scales rise from getting wet, and combing wet hair is not recommended to avoid damage. When it is necessary to comb them, you need to use conditioners, oils or gels that will glue the scales and keep them from damage.
Hair is a reflection of what we eat, keep that in mind when you crave something not so he althy. In addition, the environment also affects the curls. Now we know what elements the hair consists of, this will make it easier for us to care for them.
The principle of hair growth
Hair growth is individual for each person and proceeds in a cyclic form. One cycle lasts several years, followed by a rest of three months. During this period, the old hair follicles die off, this leads to hair loss, but new young ones grow in this place.
What does the hair on the head consist of and what are the main phases during hair loss:
- Anagen - is the most active of all. ATthis phase is the formation and structure of the hair.
- Catagen - is a transitional phase. In other words, the hair dies off, and lasts up to three months.
- Telogen - the final phase and calm. At this stage, the old hair falls out, making way for the new one. There are cases that at this stage the old curls fall out, and the new ones cannot break through, as there may be a disease of the skin, which leads to the loss of the bulb.
Some facts about the "hair growth" process
- No one can determine the exact amount of hair on a person's head. The history of mankind knows only that approximately one hundred thousand grows in one shift cycle.
- The hair of an adult and a child is different in density. The older the person, the denser they are with him. You can look at the picture of the hair of an adult and a child, and determine the density with the naked eye.
- One hair can grow up to a meter in length, then comes the resting stage, which can last up to three months, later new follicles appear.
- At one time, about 90% of a person's hair can be in the growth stage, and the remaining 10% - in the resting stage.
Hair and its properties
He althy curls are considered elastic and durable. When stretching such a hair for one fifth of its entire length, it will not break, and then return to its original state. In terms of strength, hair of this type is equated toaluminum, which allows them to withstand loads.
The article is devoted to the question of what human hair consists of, let's also look at why curls quickly absorb water. Human hair is arranged in such a way that it has the ability to absorb not only water, but also absorb water vapor, glycerin, animal and vegetable fats. Substances such as mineral oils, petroleum jelly are not absorbed, they remain on the surface. These properties are taken into account in the manufacture of therapeutic masks and various hair care products. The ability of hair to absorb water can be explained by many important properties for them. For example, as we already know, curls lengthen when wet, or during humidity in the environment. The hair can swell after absorbing approximately 10 to 25 percent of the water. The increased volume is an indicator of absorption capacity.
Hair structure and variety
It is worth noting that the structure and variety are related. Before analyzing what the hair consists of in relation to the variety, it is necessary to analyze which main types are distinguished:
- Vlulu hair.
- Long.
- Bristly.
Classified by fat content:
- Oily hair - they are characterized by the activity of the sebaceous glands. Identified oily sheen on the scalp, equated to rapid pollution and have a short period of untidy appearance.
- Dry - they are characterized by low activity of the sebaceous glands. Dryness on the scalp was revealed, the ends and the hair shaft itself quickly break.
- Normal hair - looks he althy, has a soft core, elastic. Skin condition is normal.
Transitional hair type, shaped like:
- Straight.
- Wavy.
- Curly.
The structure of each of them is practically the same, the main difference is the property of the follicle. You know what hair consists of, which means you should know that we are not able to change its root structure, its complete structure and, of course, the human scalp. All these above-mentioned characteristic properties are inherent in everyone genetically, so external influence is powerless. The only thing that can be corrected with proper care is the level of oiliness of the scalp and curls, hair loss and the disappearance of the follicle will also be reduced.
What hair is made of
That part of the hair on the human head, which is located on the upper part of the skin, is called the shaft, and which is hidden under the skin - the root. At the end of the root there is an extension, this is a fleecy bulb, where the main process of human hair growth takes place. Nutrition is provided by the follicle.
The rod has a structure of three layers. The first layer is the core of the hair, it contains dead cells. The second layer - the cortical substance, is responsible for the color of the hairline. And the third layer is the cuticle, it consists of keratinized cells that are superimposed on one another.
What hair and nails are made of
The nail consists of a nail plate, the basis of which is keratin. In other words, thisa protein that is also present in the skin, and hair is already formed from it. In nails and hair, the density of keratin is based on the presence of a large amount of sulfur. The amount of sulfur in the body can vary not only because of its presence, but also indulge in the hereditary line. Thanks to this, in many people the nail plate is denser and the nails become stronger from this.
Shine and elasticity of the nail plate gives a layer of fat and water. The nail has the property, like hair, to absorb water, thereby increasing the thickness of the nail plate. Therefore, with frequent contact with water, the hair becomes thicker and softer. The he alth of the nail gives the content of trace elements in it, such as chromium, phosphorus, zinc. Remember that with diets, nail growth slows down and, at the same time, blood circulation and metabolism are disturbed.
Substances responsible for the nutrition of human hair roots
Nutrition is important for hair roots, four amino acids are responsible for it:
Cystine - supplies sulfur to the hair, it promotes the formation of keratin. When eating vegetables, milk, meat, you can be sure of the abundance of cystine in the hair root.
Histidine - for the body as an anti-stress, helps to renew keratinized tissues. Found in foods such as soy, cheese, peanuts.
Tyrosine - ensures the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, protects hair from brittleness and loss, is responsible for the color of hair and skin. Found in foods: almonds,sesame seeds, avocado.
Lysine - necessary for the growth and restoration of tissue covers, is responsible for he althy hair curls. Does not accumulate in the body. Found in foods: lentils, soybeans, sprouted wheat grains, fish and meat protein.
Proper nutrition will give your hair a he althy and luxurious look.
