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Hair Histophysiology

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Agache’s Measuring the Skin

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Abstract

Follicle is composed in its distal portion by the bulb, which is formed by the hair matrix and papilla, and in the lateral wall, bottom up, by the bulge, which contains “follicular stem cells”, the sebaceous gland, and the apocrine sweat gland. The matrix cells of the bulb, which are found in the germinative compartment, when multiply, thanks to the activation by the bulge cells, they form well-differentiated structures that correspond to the hair and to the inner root sheath. The hair has three concentric layers from the inside to the outside: cortex, medulla and the cuticle of the hair or “epidermicule”. The inner root sheath (IRS) also consists of three vertical strata that from the inside to the outside are the cuticle of the sheath, the Huxley’s layer and the Henle’s layer. Between the IRS and the outer root sheath (ORS) there is an unicellular layer known as “companion layer” (CL). There are three stages in the hair growth cycle: the growth or “anagen” phase, the quiescent, resting or “telogen” phase, and the transitional phase or “catagen” phase. Wnt/β-catenin activation is required for the anagen phase. Cyclic follicular activity varies according to the region, and even within the same area, as each hair follicle has its own cycle which is independent from the others. Hair thickness is related to the thickness of the matrix/bulb. Hair diameter decreases with advancing age. Hair length or linear growth is connected to the duration of the anagen phase. Growth varies according to gender, age and race. Scalp hair follicle density clearly varies according to age. Several factors affect hair growth, some are local, such as massage and heat, and other factors are general, such as genetic, endocrine (pituitary, thyroid, adrenal and gonadal hormones, of which androgens are the most important), metabolic and autoimmune.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Medical-Surgical Dermatology Department, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, University of Seville, Seville, Spain

    Francisco M. Camacho

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  1. Francisco M. Camacho
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Correspondence to Francisco M. Camacho .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Medecine Vasculaire Lab. Ingénierie et de Biologie Cutanées, CHU Besancon Service Dermatologie et, Besancon, France

    Philippe Humbert

  2. San Francisco, California, USA

    Howard Maibach

  3. Department of Dermatology, Saint Jacques University Hospital, Besançon, France

    Ferial Fanian

  4. Univ. Besançon Dépt. Dermatologie, Besançon, France

    Pierre Agache

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Camacho, F. (2015). Hair Histophysiology. In: Humbert, P., Maibach, H., Fanian, F., Agache, P. (eds) Agache’s Measuring the Skin. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26594-0_99-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26594-0_99-1

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