In order to treat hair loss successfully, it is necessary to know about hair. This article discusses general facts about human hair, hair structure and growth.
The average human adult body has an astounding 5 million hairs of which 100,000 to 150,000 are on the scalp. True blondes have more hair on the scalp - 140,000 hairs than brunettes (105,000 hairs) or redheads (90,000 hairs). Hair is made up of a protein called Keratin. Keratin is also a constituent of our nails.
* Hair around the world
Hair color and texture differ around the world. Asians have jet-black hair whereas Scandinavians have varying shades of browns and reds to the pale blonde. There are generally three racial groups with three types of hair.
1. Oriental - People from Japan and China have straight and black hair.
2. Caucasoid - This group is varied and a mixture of several racial groups. The hair colors range from black to blonde. The hair can be wavy or straight.
3. African - African people have black hair that is tightly curled. It is woolly and dry. Heat or chemicals can easily damage this type of hair.
* Hair structure
Some part of hair is hidden under the skin, while the rest is seen outside the body. The part of hair hidden under the skin is the hair follicle. There are tiny blood vessels at the base of the follicle that provides nutrition to the hair.
Sebaceous glands secrete sebum that keeps the hair shiny and waterproof to some extent. At the root of the hair follicle is the papilla, which is where the hair grows. Hair follicles are formed when the baby is still in the womb.
After birth, there is no new growth of hair follicles. The hair strand itself consists of three layers. The outermost layer called the cuticle is thin. The middle layer called the cortex is thick. The cortex provides the hair its strength, color and determines whether hair will be wavy or straight.
* Hair Growth
The hair grows at the rate of 12 millimeters every month. Hair grows the best between 10 AM to 11 AM and again between 4 PM to 6 PM. It is also generally known that hair grows faster in summer than winter. Hair grows the best between the ages of 15 to 30 and slows down from the age of 40 onwards. Both genders start natural hair loss in 50s.
Hair rejuvenation takes place on a daily basis. Hair grows and sheds. You normally shed 50 to 100 hairs per day. Any loss above that or visible patches of baldness are a cause for worry and can be classified as hair loss.
Find out what causes hair loss, and discover latest techniques and ideas for effective hair loss treatment.
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04 July 2008, 14:00
The Attraction of Pigtails
Very young girls wear their hair in pigtails because their mommies do their hair for them. Of course, this is because the hairstyle is easy and moms just want their little girls to look cute. When girls get older, the pigtails hairstyle is sometimes selected out of choice. This certainly goes for teenagers, but it is also true for young women as they mature into their 20's, and sometimes beyond. This begs the question, "Why?" Why do young women sometimes choose to wear their hair in pigtails?
The possible reasons for pigtails being a hairstyle of choice are many, some more obvious than others. When the weather is hot, getting the hair away from the head is a cooler way to go, and pigtails help immensely. When a girl is short on time and needs to get her hair ready in a jiffy, pigtails are quick and easy. Ladies might wear pigtails as a fashion statement. Or they might wear them because they want to look young, playful, cute, or sexy. (And yes, pigtails can be both cute and sexy at the same time.) Another possibility for pigtails is when a young lady wishes to present herself as an enigma. "Is she a good girl pretending to be bad, or a bad girl trying to look good?" And then there's the best reason for a young woman to wear pigtails: she wants to be a Pigtail Dream Girl at PigtailDreams.com! But seriously, pigtails are an attention getter, and the more mature the woman wearing pigtails, the more attention those pigtails get.
So, why do pigtails attract attention? Let's start with reasons for men liking pigtails. (OK, not all males enjoy pigtails, but most do, even if secretly.) Pigtails represent youth and, in our society, youth is attractive. As I said above, pigtails are cute and sexy, and what man doesn't enjoy a female showing off something cute and sexy? Some men fall for the enigma thing: "Why is this lady wearing pigtails? What is she up to?" Other men, myself included, see a woman in pigtails and think, "Wow, this lady is truly special." But pigtails also attract the attention of other females, who pretty much react the same way that men do, but with additional possible thoughts like, "She's such a child!", "What a slut!", or "Wow, I wish I had the guts to wear pigtails."
So, we see here that there are oodles of reasons for pigtails to be appreciated by pigtail wearers and pigtail observers alike. But I will close with what pigtails mean to me. To me, an adult female with her hair in pigtails screams confidence. This is a lady who is fun-loving, outgoing, bold, and confident. She likes what she has, but knows what else she wants, and is determined to get it. This is a woman with very high self-esteem. There are women all over the world capable of being dream girls, but it takes a truly special lady to have the confidence to be a Pigtail Dream Girl.
Splitting Hairs - What Can You Do About Split Ends
Isn't it a shame when you have to worry about covering split ends (or trichoptlosis)-the bane of every self- respecting woman's life! They happen when the protective cuticle has been stripped away from the ends of hair fibers. Split ends are more likely to develop in dry or brittle hair, and typical causes of damage include excessive dying or vigorous brushing.
Once the hair cuticle is removed, it is impossible to replace. Typically, the hair splits into two or three strands, and can be as long or two to three centimeters in length. The best treatment is to cut off the split end of the damaged fiber.
But you don't necessarily have to go to the salon every week to keep your split ends in check. Back in the sixties and seventies, women used to burn off their split ends! Sure that's a little excessive. And there are easier ways to get rid of those dead ends before they split further... do-it-yourself hair trims.
These do-it-yourself trimming tips are for women who are happy with their hair; for those who don't need a restyle, but simply want to freshen things up with a 'homegrown' sort of look. If you are in any doubt, leave it for the professionals!
To Remove Split Ends:
* Take small sections of hair and carefully twist them in a gentle downward motion. Any split ends will automatically stick out.
* Carefully snip into the twist with sharp scissors. Don't cut right through; just cut into the thickness to remove the damaged cuticles and give a natural layered effect.
* Be careful to cut roughly the same amount from each twist. Remember, sometimes the simplest, and least expensive, ideas are the best. So get trimming! You'll not only save a bundle but also time that will ease your life.
Jane Preeter is a hair stylist who has great interest in her profession. She has studied many hair loss treatments, different methods of hair removal, and a wide variety of hair treatments.