Chemistry of The Hair
Understanding for Hair Health
To understand hair loss and hair growth products, it is important to understand the chemistry of the hair. The hair come is three different varieties on humans - Lanugo, Vellus and Terminal hairs. Briefly, Lanugo are thise hairs we might refer to as peach fuzz when babiesa are born. Lanugo are light hairs you might find on you stomach, back or on your neck. They tend to be short and with little pigmentation. Terminal hairs are the thick follicles with melanin pigmentation.
The chemical compostion of the hair helps to determine its shape. The chemical nature of the hair is 97% protein and therefore is made-up primarily of amino acids - amino acids being the building blocks of proteins. Proteins are organic compounds that make up all living matter. There are three types of proteins:
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Simple Proteins - simple amino acids
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Conjugated Proteins - combination of simple proteins with other materials
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Derived Proteins - proteins formed by heat, chemicals, enzymes interacting with simple proteins.
Proteins make up all cells in our body, but are made up of amino acids. Amino acids in turn are molecules formed by oxygen, nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen. These molecules are held together by peptide chains. These peptide chains form into a helic coil.
This helix coils then becomes one of many strands and coils that make up the hair and its cortex. Amino acids require nutrition for the cortex and follicle to develop. Nutrition to the cortex, helix coil and medulla allow for:
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