What is Hair?
"Every Strand Has a Story"
Hair is so much more than just what we see in the mirror. It stands for identity, confidence, culture, health and self expression. Throughout history, in all cultures, hair has held deep meaning, symbolizing beauty, power, wisdom, status, spirituality, and individuality.
Think of the role of hair in our lives. A good hair day can provide you with an instant confidence booster, and sudden hair loss can affect your emotional health. We may not always realize it, but our relationship with our hair is very personal.
As professionals in the hair and wig industry, understanding hair is not just a matter of learning how to style it. It is based on its biology, structure, function, growth and the many factors that influence its health. This is the basis of every service you will be performing, whether it be hair care, scalp analysis, hair replacement, wigs, extensions or non-surgical hair solutions.
Before we go into wigs and hair systems, we have to learn about the natural hair we are working with first.
What Is Hair?
Hair is a thin, thread-like structure composed mostly of a protein called keratin. It comes from small structures under your skin called hair follicles. What you can see, however, is the hair shaft, which consists of dead, keratinized cells . The hair root is alive and is part of the body . That's why getting a haircut doesn't hurt.
The average human head has between 80,000 and 150,000 hair follicles, depending on genetics, hair color and other individual factors. Each follicle works independently, so each hair grows, rests and falls out on its own natural cycle.
Why Do We Have Hair?
Besides looks, hair serves a number of important functions.
Protection: The hair protects the scalp from the ultraviolet (UV) rays and minor injuries.
Temperature Regulation Hair helps to reduce heat loss and protect the body from extreme temperatures.
Sensory Function: Every hair follicle is connected to nerve endings so hair is sensitive to touch.
Communication and Identity: Hair also plays a role in personal style, cultural identity, religious beliefs and self-expression.
Confidence and feelings: Healthy hair can often contribute to a person’s self-esteem and overall confidence.
Hair Is Beyond Beauty!
For many people, hair is a symbol of confidence, youth, femininity, masculinity and cultural identity. Hair loss can be very emotionally distressing for any number of reasons, including medical conditions, genetics, hormonal changes, stress or medical treatments such as chemotherapy.
As future hair professionals we have a responsibility that goes beyond creating beautiful hairstyles. We restore confidence, educate our clients and support them through their hair journey with professionalism and empathy.
Science of Hair
Hair is the fastest growing tissue in the human body, second only to bone marrow. The average growth rate of scalp hair is about 1 to 1.25 cm (half an inch) per month. There are variations in growth rates because of genetic makeup, age, health, nutrition, and hormonal levels.
It is quite common to shed 50 to 100 hairs daily in the hair growth process. Shedding is not always indicative of hair loss since it is a normal process by which older hairs make room for newer ones.
The Significance of Hair Science Learning
A comprehension of hair science enables experts to be able to:
1. Distinguish between various hair types.
2. Recommend proper hair care regimes.
3. Detects problems in the scalp or hair.
4. Protect hair from any harm that might come to it.
5. Detecting what causes hair loss.
6. Choose proper wigs or toppers for their patients.
Hair is not just about looking good; it is an amazing biological phenomenon that plays an important role in protection, sensation, and psychology. Learning how your hair works, its behavior, and its reactions to various stimuli will allow you to handle your natural hair and use wigs and hair substitutes without fear!
Every professional starts from the beginning, and every gorgeous transformation starts from learning the biology of one hair strand!
