Is Hair Made of Cells?

You cut it, perm it, color it, straighten it, curl it and sometimes it even stands on end, but do you know how you make hair? Hair is a special protection for the body that is part of the identity of a person. It's not just on the head, but also on the face and just about every square inch of the body. Hair is made of cells, but special kinds of cells in a very unusual way.

History

Start at the beginning of hair growth to understand hair cells. Hair growth starts under the skin. It doesn't matter whether the hair is on your arm or your head, it all begins in the hair follicle. The follicle is a small hole in the skin that's sack-like. There are cells in the bottom of the sack that produce hair cells. When these produce new cells it adds to the root and makes the hair grow.

Significance

Watch the dermal papilla at the base that form the hair bulb feed more new cells and push the shaft of the hair upward toward the skin. The hair bulb and root share the follicle with sebaceous glands that give off oil to lubricate the hair shaft. In addition, a small muscle anchors to the follicle and makes the hair stand on end if you're scared or cold when it contracts.

Effects

Wait for the cells to mature. The older they are and farther up the hair root, the more mature they become. The process is keratinization. The cells fill with protein. The nucleus, the part that makes them living cells, begins to die, because the farther away from their food supply they go, the less they get nourishment. Eventually all the nuclei die and all that is left is the keratin--the fibrous protein--in the cells.

Size

Expect the hair to have three layers. The outer layer is the hardest, and is called the cuticle. The cuticle is made of flat cells that overlap like shingles on a roof--it's a protective layer. The next layer of cells is the cortex. The cells in the cortex of the hair are curled and almost spring-like. When you pull a hair and see it stretch, it's the cuticle stretching. This layer contains the pigments that give your hair color. If your hair is naturally blond or very fine, you probably don't have the next layer, the medulla. It's spongy and usually found in courser hair.

Time Frame

Hair on your head grows about 6 inches a year. The active growing phase for these hairs is between 2 and 6 years. If your active phase is only 2 years, it's harder to grow hair as long as someone whose phase is 6 years. Eyebrows and hair on the body grow for only 30 to 45 days before they stop, so they are a lot shorter.

Considerations

Remember that hair is a very special kind of cell--a dead one. When you pinch your hair, it doesn't hurt. Try to pull it from your scalp and you'll feel it, because the hair itself is dead, but the scalp is living and has nerve endings. If you cut your hair, it doesn't bleed or heal back together, but new hair grows at the base to make it longer again.