Anatomy of the skull

Hair grows from the follicle. It is located at the junction of the deep dermis and hypodermis and is
called the bulb.

The blood supply is ensured by a small vessel that penetrates the hair shaft, providing the hair with all
the essential elements it needs to stay healthy, such as amino acids, minerals and vitamins.

Glands surround the hair shaft, the most important of which is the sebaceous gland that produces
sebum, the hair's natural lubricant.

On the surface of the scalp, pores drain sweat produced by sweat glands.

Hair texture

Hair is composed of 95% keratin, a fibrous and helical protein (in the form of a helix), which is part of
the structure of skin and all fascia (hair, nails, etc.).

Synthesized by keratinocytes, keratin is insoluble in water, thus ensuring waterproofing and protection
for the hair.

Of the 18 amino acids involved in the structure of hair, such as proline, threonine, leucine or arginine,
keratin is particularly rich in cysteine (a type of sulfur amino acid) that forms disulfide bridges between
molecules, allowing it to The hardness and strength of

Hair structure is divided into 3 distinct sections:

- Pith (or medulla): the central part of the shaft, it consists of an amorphous, soft and greasy substance.

- Cuticle: A thin, protective outer layer containing the nutrients necessary for hair growth, composed of
highly keratinized, scale-like cells that overlap each other, about 60 micrometers long and 6 A
micrometer wide.
 - Cortex: the main component of the hair, where we find the long chains of keratin that give the hair its
flexibility, elasticity and resistance. The cells of the cortex are held together by an intercellular cement
rich in lipids and proteins. Each cell is made up of bundles oriented along the length of the hair: these
are macrofibrils, which themselves are made up of microfibrils, which in turn are made up of
protofibrils.

Role of melanocytes and keratinocytes

The cortex of the hair also contains melanin. Produced by specialized cells called melanocytes, melanin
is the pigment responsible for hair color.

Located near the hair bulb, melanocytes inject their pigment into the keratinocytes of the developing
hair shaft.

Thus the color lasts throughout the hair cycle from its birth to the end, when the hair falls out.