Hair Transplant Answers: How Does Hair Grow?

 

Even though not everyone will readily admit it, hair is something we all care about a lot. One survey about men’s biggest fears found that hair loss is by far the most prevalent. And another survey found that a full 60% of people struggling with hair loss would rather have their hair back instead of friends or money. Although that may sound extreme, it shows just how much anxiety hair loss creates.

 

Getting to the Root (Pun Intended) of Hair Loss

 

Before we dive into the best way to deal with hair loss, it’s important to understand why this condition occurs. When the general public talks about hair, they’re referring to what’s known as terminal hair. Terminal hair is what we all see on each other’s heads. However, what many people don’t realize is for every single terminal hair, there’s actually a visible hair shaft and an invisible hair follicle. While the hair follicle may not be readily visible, it’s arguably the most important part of hair loss. The reason is the follicle surrounds the hair root. It also has a component known as a papilla that’s responsible for feeding the bulb. Since the bulb is the only living part of hair, it’s what drives growth. The bulb’s cells divide faster than any others in the entire human body. The way that terminal hair becomes longer and more visible is when the cells in the bulb divide, they push up older ones. As those cells die, they create what we all refer to as hair. Even though hair just looks like a string, looking at it under a microscope reveals that it has a core medulla that’s surrounded by a cortex and then protected by a cuticle.

 

 

The 3 Phases of Hair Growth

 

The last thing you need to know to fully understand hair growth (and subsequently loss) is that this process takes place in three phases. The phases of hair growth are anagen, catagen and telogen. Anagen is the active growth phase, and the one that 90% of hair is in at any time. Catagen occurs when the follicle stops producing hair and lasts for 2 to 3 weeks. And while the telogen phase lasts for 2 to 4 months, less than 1% of hair is in this phase at any specific time.

 

Combating Hair Loss with a Hair Transplant

 

Because hair growth is such an intricate process, it’s easy to understand why successfully transplanting hair requires a surgeon with specialised knowledge and skills. If hair isn’t transplanted exactly right, the outcome isn’t going to be favourable. Since deciding to go forward with a advanced hair transplant is a big decision, the best thing to do is discuss this topic with a qualified surgeon. By scheduling a consultation, you’ll be able to confirm that you are a candidate for this type of procedure, as well as get answers to all the questions you have about it.