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Growing Hair
By: Clarissa
Growing Hair
If you crave for long, lustrous hair it is important to understand the basics of growing hair- What is hair, hair care in simple steps and easy lifestyle changes for growing hair well.
Basics of Growing Hair
Human hair grows from a follicle in the scalp. The number of hair in one’s head range from 90,000 (redhead) to 140,000 (Blond), with an average of 100,000 per head. Each hair goes through three stages Growth or Anagen (2-3 years), Resting Stage or Catagen (2-3 months) and Loss or Telogen. Since the growth phase is the longest, it follows that close to 90% of the hair at any given point of time are in the growing phase.
Generally, hair grows at the rate of ¼ inch to ½ inches per month, but has been reported to grow up to 2 inches or more per month. Obviously, there are factors that can accelerate the rate of hair growth. This article is an endeavor to help one understand the basics of hair growth and achieve faster hair growth.
Hair is an extension of the skin
Hair is made of keratin – the same protein that makes up the outermost layer of the skin. The portion of the hair outside the scalp is almost exclusively keratin and is dead! That is the reason why no pain is experienced when hair is cut. Naturally, the hair that has grown cannot repair or rejuvenate itself. Remember that repair of grown hair is as important as stimulating hair growth. Hair that is not well cared for, therefore, develops split ends and must be trimmed. Achieving good Hair growth therefore has two facets – 1) Stimulating the follicles to grow faster and 2) ensuring that the hair that has grown does not frizzle or split.
An increasing number of people are today suffering from aging hair. To a great extent modern life styles are to be blamed for the perpetual bad hair days many people suffer. Psychological tension increases the blood flow to the muscles, brain and other organs starving the skin and hair follicles of nutrients and oxygen. Environmental pollution and the cocktail of industrial chemicals in cheap synthetic hair care products damage the shaft of the hair leaving it with and aged appearance.
Basic Hair care
The benefits of better hair growth would be lost if the grown hair would need to be trimmed very often to remove split ends. The key here is to use natural if possible organic products as far as possible. Synthetic chemicals clog the scalp, destabilize sebum production and some antidandruff products actually scar the skin and increase the rate of dandruff formation. For growing hair it is important to coat hair with natural products that strengthen the shaft and preserve the natural structure of keratin, simultaneously preventing inflammation of the scalp.
How to improve hair growth
Hair growth is a product of two factors – Growth period (Anagen) and Growth rate. Since hair growth period is 24 – 36 months a simple math will show that hair should grow between 6 -18 inches before it falls out. Longer hair growth can be achieved by increasing the growth phase or the growth rate or both.
Since the cells in the follicle are the key to growing hair it is vital to ensure a steady supply of blood, nutrients and stimulants to the follicle while protecting it from toxicants.
1) Life style changes like quitting smoking remove a major source of free radicals and systemic chemicals thereby stimulating hair growth.
2) A diet rich in proteins specially sulfur containing amino acid Cytoseine provides the basic raw material for hair formation and is vital for growing hair.
3) A zone diet with low fat is known to help in growing hair.
4) Minerals like Zinc, Silicon, Magnesium and Iron help in growing hair. Sulfur and calcium are the other minerals known to help hair growth.
5) Vitamins like B6, Biotin, Inositol, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Carotene, and folic acid improve growing hair. Vitamin A toxicity is however detrimental to growing hair and health.
6) Antioxidants like Vitamin C remove free radicals and protect cells in the hair follicles, leading to better hair growth.
7) Scalp massage stimulates blood flow to the hair follicles and has a soothing effect on the body. It is thus, useful in growing hair.
8) Soothing products relieve tension and redirect blood to the skin and aid growing hair.
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