What Makes Hair Grow

Your hair is made up of a chemical called keratin. When hair grows it sprouts up from small pockets in the skin called follicles. 

Hair starts to grow in length as more cells are generated and push through the skin. When it eventually pops through to show on the scalp, the hair is already dead, which is why you can’t feel anything when you get your hair cut!

Hair does not grow indefinitely, but has a cyclic growth, which is called the hair cycle. Each follicle has its own cycle, independent of those around it.

-Anagen phase or Anagen: In this phase the hair is stuck to the papilla, it is born and it grows. It lasts between 4 and 6 years, although normally it takes three years as the average value. The shape of the follicle in this phase is similar to that of an onion, wider at the base than in the stem. 

-Catagen phase or Catagen: It is a transition phase. It lasts about 3 weeks, during which the growth stops and separates from the papilla.

-Phase Telogen or Telogen: It is the phase of rest and hair loss, lasts about 3 months. The hair root takes on a match appearance and remains inserted in the follicle

It is our genes that dictate how long we have the hair or how thick. However, there are some hair treatments and products that can help us increase the diameter of our hair. Taking care of it and protecting it correctly is essential to make your hair look beautiful and healthy. 

If you have ever wondered why your hair only seems to grow to a certain length and then stop, chances are you have flat hair follicles!

Round follicles grip the hair better so have a better chance of growing hair longer while flat hair follicles are often associated with shorter hair lengths.

Regardless of the shape of your hair follicles, as your hair grows and gets longer it also gets heavier until the follicle gets too heavy to hold and sheds the hair. Don’t panic though – it will grow another!

Although we can not make our hair grow longer than it wants to, we can help it to grow quicker. The expert hairstylists at Exceed hair salons in Bradford & Halifax,  pass on their top hair tips to help you on your way towards healthy hair!

• Eat a diet rich in protein, zinc and iron- Food is another factor that influences. The hair feeds on the same thing that we feed ourselves, and hence the importance of healthy eating. In this sense, if what you want is that the hair grows fast, it is advisable to consume plenty of vegetables, especially lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, and fruits, as they provide vitamins and minerals. The intake of a lot of water is also recommended. 
• Take supplements to help nourish your follicles and encourage hair growth
• Use a gentle shampoo that gently exfoliates the scalp
• Regular haircuts – although this will not make your hair grow faster it will prevent breakage, therefore increasing length.