TIPS & ADVICE

Essential Oils -What are they and why are they needed?

Essential oils present in plants do the same functions as blood does in humans. The primary ingredient present in essential oils is oxygen. Although oil provides us oxygen, it also has the presence of ozone and negative ions. In such a negative ion environment bacteria cannot survive. One of the most effective antioxidants and anti-microbial elements come from pure essential oils. Oxygen helps in pushing toxin and potassium back inside the cells and essential oils help in balancing and normalizing the cell function system in the human body.

To help molecules remain oxygenated the essential oils act as the main responsible transporter. This oil helps in enhancing the production of oxygen in the limbic system mainly in areas around the pituitary and pineal glands. The most rapid way to inject such oils in the system is through the olfactory nerve to the pineal, pituitary and amygdala.

ORIGIN OF HAIR

The fetus develops hair follicle within 22 weeks. During this time the body consists of 5 million follicles out of which one million are present on the head and 100,000 on the scalp. Follicles are not added in life and hence this is the number of follicles people have throughout their lives.

ANATOMY OF HAIR

Hair is comprised of two separate structures namely -the shaft and the follicle.

HAIR FOLLICLE

The point from which the hair grows is the hair follicle. This small cup shaped pit lies buried in the fat present on the scalp. Hair bulb is the terminal portion of the hair follicle located within the skin. The cells present in this bulb divides after every 23 to 72 hours which is faster than other cells present in the body. These cells help in the production of fine, cylindrical shaped hair fibres. Hair color is formed from some special cells located in the hair bulb, which creates a pigment named melanin. The cells producing melanin are called melanocytes. Dermal papilla located inside the vessel tuft at the base of each hair bulb is responsible for the overall nourishment and hair growth. The sebaceous gland called sebum is the most important gland which produces natural oil which in turn keeps the hair lubricated. The muscle that attaches the gland to a fibrous layer near the outer sheath is called the erector pili. The hair stands up when this muscle contracts. Sebum acts as a natural hair conditioner and is produced in large quantities during puberty. However, the rate at which sebum decreases in men lower as compared with women.

Shaft

Three layers of a dead and hard protein named keratin is what a hair shaft is made up of. The inner layer is known as medulla. The next layer is named as the cortex and the outer layer is cuticle. The major portion of the hair shaft is comprised of the cortex. Tightly packed scales overlapped make the cuticle.

Hair Growth Cycle

The hair on our scalp grows about 6 inches in a year. In humans hair growth and loss is seasonal and random and not cyclic. Hair falls randomly at various stages of growth and shedding. There are three stages of hair growth, namely - catagen, telogen and anagen.

Anagen

Anagen is the active phase of the hair. The cells in the root of the hair are dividing rapidly. A new hair is formed and pushes the club hair up the follicle and eventually out. During this phase the hair grows about 1 cm every 28 days. Scalp hair stays in this active phase of growth for 2-6 years. Some people have difficulty growing their hair beyond a certain length because they have a short active phase of growth. On the other hand, people with very long hair have a long active phase of growth.

CATAGEN (INTERMEDIATE) STAGE

At the end of the growth period, hair follicles prepare themselves for the resting phase. This transition period of a hair follicle from growth to rest is called the catagen stage. This stage of the hair growth cycle usually lasts about 1 to 2 weeks or so. During the catagen phase the deeper portions of the hair follicles start to collapse.

Telogen

Telogen is the resting phase and accounts for 10-15% of all hairs. This phase lasts for about 100 days for hairs on the scalp. During this phase the hair follicle is completely at rest and the club hair is completely formed. Pulling out a hair in this phase will reveal a solid, hard, dry, white material at the root. About 25-100 telogen hairs are shed normally each day.

Hair Shape

The amount of natural curl a hair has is determined by it's cross-sectional shape. Hair that is most similar to a circle is straight and hair that is flattened and elliptical is curly. The cross-sectional shape also determines the amount of shine the hair has. Straighter hair is shinier because sebum from the sebaceous gland can travel down the hair more easily. The kinkier the hair, the more difficulty the sebum has traveling down the hair, therefore the more dry or dull the hair looks