What is Hair Structure? The Breakdown and Its Functions
As there is structure in our everyday lives, business, and workplace, hair has structure as well. Let’s explore these parts of the hair and its functions.
The Hair Shaft:
This is the obvious part that we all see coming out of our scalp. It has three layers called the cuticle, cortex, and the medulla. The main function of the hair shaft is protection, it protects our scalp from environmental damages such as sun rays and pollution. It also traps air to help regulate the temperature within our scalp, which keeps it nice and warm in colder temperatures.
The Hair Root:
This part is not visible and just like the term “root”, it is within the root of our skin that runs deep in our scalp, all while attaching to the shaft.
The Hair Bulb:
This is at the base of the hair that shapes like a bulb. According to the National Library of Medicine, “new hair cells are constantly being made in the hair bulb, close to the papilla.
The Papilla:
This is like the heart of every hair follicle, it is situated just beneath the hair bulb and it helps supply the right nutrients to and pushes blood through the hair root.
Hair Follicle:
Everything mentioned before is situated in the hair follicle, it is like an anchor hair to the scalp or skin. It is attached to the sebaceous glands, arrector pili muscle and of course the dermal stem cells. The hair follicle's main function is to promote hair growth, form new blood vessels, and other various skin components.
Sebaceous Glands:
A microscopic gland that produces sebum, or in other words it produces oil to be released into our hair or skin.
Arrector Pili Muscle:
This tiny muscle pulls on the hair follicle, causing the hair to stand upright, which is also known as ‘goosebumps’.
Helpful Articles:
In brief: What is the structure of hair and how does it grow? - InformedHealth.org - NCBI Bookshelf
What goosebumps are for | National Institutes of Health (NIH).