Do you really know your hair? What is it made of? Many people mistakenly believe that hair is just dead cells with little connection to the rest of the body. However, understanding what your hair is composed of can significantly improve how you care for it. Let’s focus on one of its essential components: keratin.
Hair plays a crucial role in human appearance, contributing significantly to our overall look. Hair is often associated with vitality, movement, and sensuality, and it is fascinating for both men and women. We style it, trim it, and strive for it to be strong, shiny, and healthy—much like ourselves! This is why experiencing hair loss can be so challenging for both genders.
What Are Hair Made Of?
Proteins, which are the primary building blocks of all the body’s cells, are also the main components of hair. One protein, keratin, is particularly important.
Keratin and Hair
Human hair is composed of about 95% keratin, a protein also found in our nails and skin. Depending on its location in the body, keratin behaves and appears differently. Vital for hair health, keratin is formed by amino acid molecules, particularly cysteine, which forms disulfide bonds. These bonds influence the hair’s shape and cohesion, resulting in variations like curly, wavy, or straight hair. Chemical treatments like perms or straightening alter these structures. Essential amino acids, which our bodies don’t produce, must be obtained through diet, highlighting the importance of a balanced diet for hair health.
What is the Structure of a Hair?
Hair is composed of two distinct structures: the hair shaft and the hair follicle. Let’s focus on the visible part: the hair shaft.
The hair shaft is the hard, filamentous part that extends from the skin’s surface to the tips. Although every person’s hair is unique in color, shape, and texture, all hair shares the same fundamental structure. The hair shaft is made of keratin, which waterproofs and protects the hair, and is composed of three distinct layers:
The Medulla: The central part of the hair, consisting of cells forming a canal.
The Cortex: A layer of hard keratin surrounding the medulla. This highly structured layer gives hair its strength, flexibility, and elasticity. The cortex also produces melanin, the pigment responsible for hair color.
The Cuticle: The protective outer layer that gives hair its shine. Its scale-like cells are rich in keratin and melanin, and a lipid layer prevents water from penetrating. Damaged hair often has an irregular cuticle, exposing the cortex and causing fiber damage.
Keratinization Process
Hair growth starts from the hair follicles, small pockets under the skin where hair grafts are often extracted for transplants. The root, or bulb, is the part of the hair located in the follicle. Keratinization is the process that pushes the hair out of the follicle, making it visible. This process ensures that the emerging hair is packed with keratin. This phenomenon is part of the hair growth cycle: growth (anagen phase), regression (catagen phase), and rest and shedding (telogen phase).
Keratin in Haircare Products
Keratin in hair care products can be derived from animal sources (like eggshells, wool, horns, and hooves) or plant sources (such as wheat and soy). Since keratin is a structural component of hair, many keratin-based supplements and treatments aim to strengthen hair and enhance its health and shine.
Keratin treatments, such as “hair coating”, are popular salon procedures that help repair damaged hair. Similar to Brazilian straightening, these treatments deeply reconstruct the hair fiber with nutrient-rich inputs, regenerating the cuticles.
Medical and Aesthetic Treatments
While cosmetic treatments can visually improve hair, they may not address the underlying issue. If your hair is dull, weak, or damaged, underlying causes such as nutritional deficiencies (e.g., iron) or hormonal imbalances might be involved. Consulting a dermatologist can help identify and treat these issues.
For those still seeking to enhance their hair’s vitality, consider nourishing it from within with essential nutrients. Novesthetica offers specialized treatments, including mesotherapy, which involves injecting a revitalizing cocktail of vitamins, minerals, peptides, and biotin into the scalp. These personalized treatments can gradually improve hair health, making it shinier, denser, and healthier. Typically, a non-invasive protocol of four sessions spaced two weeks apart, repeated annually, can yield significant results.