We often run our fingers through our hair and feel saddened, because most of the time, it’s either too dry and rough, or too oily and sticky. Either way, one thing that’s clear is, almost all of us experience damaged hair and even though we try hard to fix yet, what we fail to understand is why it happens.
We try shampoos, conditioners, hair serums and much more, but the damage seems to get done over and over again.
We all look for the best products to protect hair from pollution and damage. But what is hair damage? And why does damage happen?
Apart from the questions above, there is a lot more that might strike your mind while talking about hair problems. One of these many problems is hair shaft disorders.
So, what is this hair shaft? To understand that, we need to know what hair is made of? Here’s an overview.
Hair is made of proteins, amino acids or peptide bonds. The hair proteins are long, complex polypeptides. The spiral-shape of the protein is called Helix. All these together form a hair shaft which makes what we know as hair strands.
Here’s a diagram that shows the parts of a hair shaft:
Dead cells that turn into keratin along with a binding material and a small amount of water form a hair shaft.
The hair shaft is made up of three layers:
The medulla: The medulla is the deepest layer of the hair shaft, which is only seen in thick and healthy hair.
The cortex: The middle layer of the hair shaft is the cortex. It provides strength, texture and colour to the hair fibre.
The cuticle: Cuticle is the outer layer of the hair shaft which is thin and colourless. It acts as a protection to the cortex of the hair shaft.
What is a hair shaft disorder?
Structural abnormality or damage to the structure of the hair shaft results in a hair shaft disorder. Some hair shaft defects can be identified with the naked eye, and some may require microscopic examination.
Although there are no strikingly visible abnormalities, symptoms that show you might have a hair shaft defect:
- Hair loss (alopecia)
- Rough and frizzy hair
- Uncombable hair – The hair grows in irregular directions which make it difficult to comb
- Extremely fragile hair
Causes of hair shaft disorders:
Genetic abnormalities and external injuries play a significant role in leading to hair shaft disorders. Repeated physical injury to the hair is the commonest of all kinds of hair fragility.
Physical Injuries:
- Excessive grooming
- Traction due to braiding or tight ponytail
- Heat from a hair dryer or straightening
Chemical injuries:
- Perming lotions
- Chemical rebonding
- Smoothening
- Excessive spa treatments
- Excessive usage of hair dyes
The protein cells get destroyed, and the hair shaft becomes worn out which causes the hair to become fragile, frizzy and difficult to manage. Treatments for hair shafts include many variations, but the best way to treat is to consult your trichologist and find the right solutions for better hair health.
Reach out to us and get your hair cared for sure at Hairsure!
About the Clinic:
HairSure is one of the leading hair clinics at Habsiguda, Hyderabad and we have the best hair transplant surgeons in Hyderabad practising at HairSure. Trichologists at the HairSure clinic are experts in hair transplantation and PRP treatment etc. Two of our leading doctors are known to be the best trichologists in Hyderabad.
