What Is a Hair Follicle?
A hair follicle is a small, bulb-like structure in the skin – also known as the root of the hair. Understanding what a hair follicle is and how hair follicles work is key to understanding hair loss. Each follicle is where live cells grow and divide to build the hair shaft. Blood vessels in the scalp deliver hormones and nutrients that cells need for structure and healthy hair growth.
Hair Follicle Definition & Function
By definition, a hair follicle is a tunnel-shaped structure embedded in the skin’s epidermis. Its primary hair follicle function is to produce and anchor the hair strand. On average, a human scalp contains around 100,000 hair follicles each one capable of producing hair throughout your lifetime when kept healthy.
Hair Growth Cycle
The hair follicle provides growth in 3 different phases including:
1. Anagen – This is the active growth phase. The follicle rapidly grows downward into the scalp.
2. Catagen – Also known as the transitional phase, the growth of the hair slows down and the follicle shrinks.
3. Telogen – is is the resting phase. The hair becomes detached from the follicle and a new hair starts the growth phase.
Maintaining a healthy hair follicle growth cycle depends on proper scalp nutrition, hormonal balance, and avoiding damage to the follicle.
Dead & Damaged Hair Follicles — What You Should Know
Not all hair loss is permanent. In many cases, follicles are not truly dead they are dormant or damaged. A dead hair follicle typically occurs when the follicle is scarred, severely inflamed, or destroyed by long-term infection. However, a damaged hair follicle can often be repaired with the right treatment approach if addressed early.
Signs of a damaged follicle include thinning hair, patchy loss, and slow regrowth. At Antech Hair & Skin Clinics, our hair specialists in Toronto assess the condition of your follicles and recommend the most suitable treatment from natural hair growth therapy to advanced scalp treatments.
Hair Follicle Problems
The most common condition experienced with hair follicles is called folliculitis. When hair follicles are inflamed, small pimples or red bumps can be seen around the follicles. This is a fungal or bacterial infection that can spread and the bumps or pimples eventually turn into crusty sores. This can affect hair growth and severe infections can lead to permanent loss of hair, destroyed hair particles, and scarring.
Maintaining good hair follicle health is essential to preventing such conditions. Mild infections can usually be cleared up using self-care measures, while more severe cases will require a trip to the doctor. In severe cases, an antifungal medication or antibiotic may be required.
Visit Antech Hair & Skin Clinic in Toronto
If you’re noticing that your hair is thinning out, it’s time to act promptly. Antech Hair & Skin Clinics also known as Antech Hair is a trusted hair loss clinic serving Toronto and Mississauga. Our team of experts at our hair loss clinic can help identify whether your hair follicles are damaged or inactive and guide you through the best recovery plan.
Visit antechhair.com to schedule a consultation, or come by one of our clinics. Learn more about our hair loss solutions and treatments available for thinning hair and follicle strengthening.
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