Hair are inanimate appendages, but one of our most striking external features. They contribute a lot to the personal appearance and are often considered the figurehead of our state of mind. Understandably, then, damage to the mop of hair or loss of splendor affects the well-being of many sufferers.
How fast does hair grow?
Hair, formally speaking, is just dead matter – an appendage of the skin that is formed in the hair roots and eventually keratinizes. The flexible and tensile horny filaments are embedded in the hair follicle, at the end of which new hair cells are produced. These push the old hair cells up by about 0.30 millimeters per day. The outer hair layer is similar in structure to a pine cone and consists of various interlocking scales that are connected to each other.
Hair growth in humans occurs in different cycles, which means that some hairs grow while others are just dormant. Various factors such as age, season and hormone levels also play a major role.
Causes of hair damage
Although dead and largely superfluous – for many people hair is considered a symbol of beauty. But numerous influences can damage the hair. This is particularly noticeable in summer. If hair is attacked from the outside, for example by intense UV radiation, the scales shift.
The result: they no longer reflect light evenly in one direction, but to different sides. As a result, the shine is lost and the hair appears brittle and dull. If it is badly affected, it even becomes brittle.
Not only the sun, but also chlorine from the swimming pool attacks the hair structure, making it dull and rough. Blond hair can even turn greenish due to a chemical reaction when it comes into contact with chlorine. Salt water also damages the hair. The salt crystals reflect light, increasing the sun’s effect and thus the risk of hair damage. In addition, hot blow drying also affects the hair and makes it dry and brittle.
External “hair enemies” at a glance:
- Mechanical action: intensive combing, brushing or toupeeing, tightly tying back, especially always in the same place
- Chemical effects: Tinting, dyeing, bleaching, perming, frequent washing with alkaline shampoos, bathing in chlorine or salt water.
- Physical influences: Sun or UV irradiation, excessive heat effects from hair dryers.
Incorrect or unbalanced eating habits can also affect the hair, as well as acute and chronic diseases.
