Hairloss:Thyme-Lavender-RosemaryCedarwood-Grapeseed-Jojaba Oil

The results of one research study suggest that the essential oils of thyme, rosemary, lavender, and cedarwood mixed with an oil and applied on the areas of hair loss may stimulate hair growth. This double blind, placebo-controlled study enrolled 84 people who who massaged either these essential oils or a non-treatment oil into their scalps each night for seven months. Results showed that 44% of people in the treatment group had new hair growth compared to only 15% in the control group.

Treatments for Hair Loss- rosemary, essential fatty acids, zinc Heads Up! By Bonnie Jenkins, Advanced Natural Medicine Bulletin Back in the days when I was a smart-aleck kid, I used to tease my dad relentlessly about his horseshoe haircut. Fortunately, he was a good sport about it. But many men are less jovial about their hair loss and theyll try practically anything to reverse the fallout. If youve noticed your hair isnt as thick as it once was, youre not alone: By age 50, more than half of Caucasian men will have some degree of balding. And about 40 percent of women will be affected by the time they settle into their 70s. Aside from surgical plugs or dubious drugs, can herbs or nutrition help you hang on to your hair? Bad Hair Days Theres no getting away from it. Every time you look in the mirror, you see that receding hairline. Each day, theres more hair left in your hair brush or clogging the shower drain. But, while you can see whats happening on the outside, its also important to understand how hair loss begins inside your scalp. Hair is produced by follicles, tiny bulb-shaped appendages embedded in your scalp. Most of these minifactories are busily sprouting hair, but at any given time about 10 to 15 percent of them are resting. A resting follicle sheds its hair after a few months, then it starts production again. Normally, all of us shed about 50 to 100 of the more than 100,000 hairs on your head each day. But problems begin when too many follicles enter this rest phase permanently or are damaged or killed. When this happens, your rate of replacement may not keep up, eventually causing your hair to thin out visibly. This excessive hair loss is called alopecia. The most common type of alopecia happens gradually over several years. Known as androgenetic alopecia, this type of hair loss results in a receding hairline or a balding crown. Susceptibility in men likely is linked to genetics and to conversion of the male hormone testosterone to DHT (dihydrotestosterone). DHT can force too many follicles into early retirement. In women, hormonal changes arising from menopause, aging and thyroid sluggishness might be at play. Many drugs, including beta blockers, anti-cholesterol medications and blood thinners, also can aggravate hair loss. Another, less common type of alopecia, called alopecia areata, shows up as patchy areas that appear within weeks or months of an illness or allergic reaction. Common triggers include chemotherapy, advanced infections, severe allergies, autoimmune flare-ups and acute emotional stress. Remove the acute trigger, and hair usually grows back eventually with good nutrition. Boost Your Antioxidants Theres been a lot of focus lately on a family of flavonoids known as procyanidins antioxidants that are present in many plants like apples, barley, grape seeds, cocoa, blueberries, green tea and rosehips. Japanese researchers have discovered that procyanidins help hair regrow in some balding men. Working with an apple procyanidin, the Japanese double-blind trial found that a twice-daily topical application of a 0.7 percent solution increased new hair production, whereas the untreated men continued to lose hair. After six months, the men receiving the treatment sprouted about three new hairs per square centimeter of treated scalp. While that might not sound like much, it adds up for better overall coverage. Because procyanidins (also called oligomeric proanthocyanidins or OPC) are antioxidants, they neutralize damaging free radicals that can cause inflammation and damage hair follicles. Better yet, they block the production of DHT. Those inhibitors bind to hair follicles, redirecting them from active growth to rest. So far, the research has focused on men, but procyanidins might help some women whose alopecia is linked to an estrogen-testosterone imbalance. Getting these hair-friendly antioxidants is easy. You can take 100 mg. of an OPC supplement like grapeseed extract or pycnogenol. For even more hair protection, consume more OPC-rich fruits and beverages like cranberry, black currant, green tea, black tea and red wine. On the flip side, certain foods may exacerbate hair loss. Saturated fats, for example, are pro-inflammatory, so youd be wise to bypass the burgers and fries. For some people, allergies to dairy or animal products cause inflammation and hair loss. Topical Stimulation Rosemary has been used for centuries to treat hair loss and is widely recommended by natural-health practitioners for stimulating hair growth. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, rosemary applied topically can promote new cell growth in the scalp, at least in part by curbing the buildup of scalp oil (sebum), which can plug hair follicles. Rosemary also contains an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound called rosmarinic acid. This major constituent reduces the production of leukotriene B4, an inflammatory chemical produced in the body and whose action might injure the follicle and contribute to excessive hair loss. Rosmarinic acid is also an antiviral and antibiotic, and helps disinfect the scalp. It is well absorbed from the skin or gastrointestinal tract, so even sipping a cup of rosemary tea might indirectly benefit your hair. Preliminary research shows that rosemary might even help replenish bald patches. A double-blind study done in Scotland with sufferers of alopecia areata reported that a blend of rosemary and other essential oils

accelerated hair regrowth. One group of patients had a daily scalp massage with the essential oils of rosemary, thyme, lavender and cedar in a carrier mixture of jojoba and grapeseed oils, while a second group used only the carrier oils. Two dermatologists then evaluated hair re-growth after seven months. Forty-four percent of those receiving the essential oils improved visibly compared to only 15 percent of the other group. To use rosemary or other essential oils, add 3 to 4 drops to a tablespoon of a light-textured oil like jojoba, grapeseed or almond oil. Massage gently into the scalp, moving the skin over the bone rather than dragging your fingers across hair roots; leave in for about an hour, then wash hair as usual. Or add a few drops of essential oil (without carrier oil) to your shampoo. Feed Your Scalp Hair follicles need food and oxygen to do their job. To ensure youre getting enough of the right nutrients for healthy hair, make sure you include the following in your diet: Essential fatty acids oxygenate cell tissues, reduce inflammation and transport fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K to hair follicles. Unfortunately, omega-3 fatty acids often are lacking in our diets. The best sources are flaxseeds, flaxseed oil or cold-water fish such as salmon. Other good sources are avocados, nuts and nut oils. Zinc supports protein synthesis. Deficiencies of the mineral are typical in Western diets, which can also contribute to celiac disease and other inflammatory conditions that aggravate hair loss. Get zinc from oysters (the richest source) and other shellfish, lean red meats, skinless poultry or lowfat cheese. Or supplement with 30 mg a day. Silicic acid (silica) helps maintain the integrity of blood vessel walls for good circulation. Superior sources are unrefined oats and other whole-grain cereals. One Last Thing . . . Most people know saw palmetto for its ability to treat prostate enlargement. But it may also help stem hair loss, thanks to its ability to disrupt the formation of DHT. Preliminary studies have shown that saw palmetto is just as effective as the prescription finasteride for hair loss. The men were given either 200 mg. of saw palmetto and 50 mg. of beta-sitosterol twice a day or a matching placebo for 14 weeks. The patients were then asked to evaluate any changes in their hair. Assessments were also performed at baseline and at the studys completion. Sixty percent of the subjects were rated as improved at the final visit. If youd like to give saw palmetto a try, most herbalists recommend taking 160 mg. twice a day. Look for a standardized supplement containing 85 to 95 percent sterols and lipids. This Just In . . . Got inflammation? That might depend on what youre eating, say Greek researchers after they found that a diet rich in choline and betaine is linked to markers of inflammation. The researchers looked at 3,042 men and women, age 18 to 89, and found that those with the highest intakes of choline and betaine had the lowest levels of inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein, homocysteine, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor. Choline helps make neurotransmitters and fats in cell membranes, while betaine helps reduce homocysteine levels. These findings suggest that both may be key to reducing inflammation, now considered a stepping stone to heart disease and other chronic conditions. So where do you find this dynamic duo? Rich sources of choline include eggs, wheat germ, pork, beef, cod, chicken, shrimp, salmon, oat bran, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower. Betaine is highest in wheat bran, wheat germ, spinach, shrimp and beets. *** References: Detopoulou P, Panagiotakos DB, Antonopoulou S, et al. Dietary choline and betaine intakes in relation to concentrations of inflammatory markers in healthy adults: the ATTICA study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008; 87: 424-430. Hay IC, Jamieson M, Ormerod AD. Randomized Trial of Aromatherapy: Successful Treatment for Alopecia Areata. Archives of Dermatology. 1998;134: 1349-1352. Hughes-Formella B, Wunderlich O, Williams R. Anti-Inflammatory and Skin-Hydrating Properties of a Dietary Supplement and Topical Formulations Containing Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology. 2007;20:43-49. Prager N, Bickett K, French N, et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of botanically derived inhibitors of 5-alpha-reductase in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2002;8:143-152. Takahashi T, Kamimura A, Kagoura M, et al. Investigation of the topical application of procyanidin oligomers from apples to identify their potential use as a hair-growing agent. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2005; 4: 245-249.

Alopecia: Principal Proposed Natural Treatments

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National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences Link to Rosmarinus-Officinalis Hair Growth Clinical Study

One study suggests that a combination of essential oils applied topically may stimulate hair growth in people with alopecia areata. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 84 people massaged either essential oils or a nontreatment oil into their scalps each night for 7 months.3 The results showed that 44% of those in the treatment group experienced new hair growth compared to only 15% of the control group. The treatment oil contained essential oils of thyme, rosemary, lavender, and cedarwood, in a base of grape seed and jojoba oils

Hair Anatomy

Hair Anatomy.....A hair grows from a follicle extending from the dermis into the epidermis. It is a derivative of the epithelium.

Hair Structure and Follicles

There are three recognizable zones along the length of this body structure: Bulb consists of epithelial cells and is a swelling at the base where the hair originates in the dermis. The epithelium at the base of the bulb surrounds a small hair papilla, which is composed of a small amount of connective tissue containing tiny blood vessels and nerves. Root is the hair within the follicle internal to the skin surface. Shaft is that part that extends beyond the skin surface. The root and the shaft are made up of dead epithelial cells. On the other hand, the hair bulb contains living epithelial cells. That is why it doesnt hurt to have your hair cut because your hairstylist is cutting dead cells. However, if you pull one out by its roots you feel pain, because you are disturbing the live portion of it. Production of this structure involves a specialized type of keratinization that occurs in the matrix, which is inside the bulb. Basal epithelial cells near the center of the matrix divide. This produces daughter cells that are gradually pushed toward the surface. The medulla, not found in all hair types, is a remnant of the soft core of the matrix. Its composed of loosely arranged cells and air spaces, and contains flexible, soft keratin. The relatively hard cortex is formed by several layers of flattened cells closer to the outer surface of the developing hair. Stiffness is derived from the hard keratin contained within the cortex. Multiple cell layers around the cortex form the cuticle, which is the coating. The free edges of cuticle cells are directed externally.

Skin Section Through a Hair Shaft and Follicle Photographic Print Cunningham, John... Buy at AllPosters.com The follicle is an oblique tube that surrounds the root hair. The follicle always extends into the dermis and sometimes into the subcutaneous layer. There are two principal concentric layers of the cells of the follicle walls. There is an outer connective tissue root sheath, which originates from the dermis. There is also an inner epithelial tissue root sheath, which originates from the epidermis. There are also two parts to the epithelial tissue root sheath: an internal root sheath and an external root sheath. Peripheral cells of the matrix produce the internal root sheath. This layer of cells is destroyed quickly so it doesnt extend the full length of the follicle. The external root sheath generally contains the same epidermal cells as the skin surface and extends between the skin surface and the hair matrix. However, all of the cells resemble those of the stratum basale where this sheath joins the hair matrix. There are thin ribbons of smooth muscle, collectively known as the arrector pili muscle, that extend from the dermal papillae. Emotional states such as rage or fear, or exposure to cold temperatures stimulates the arrector pili, pulling on the follicles and elevating the hairs. Thus, goose bumps are produced.

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Hair Type and Distribution

Hair anatomy.....Another name for a single hair is a pilus. Its shape is a slender filament, and is composed of keratinized cells growing from follicles that extend deep into the dermis. They often project into the underlying subcutaneous layer. Texture and pigmentation causes the primary differences in hair density. There are three types produced during your life. These three kinds are called lanugo, vellus, and terminal. Lanugo This is the fine, unpigmented , downy kind that first appears on the fetus in the last trimester of development. Vellus This is a similarly fine, unpigmented or lightly pigmented ind that replaces the lanugo at birth. Terminal This is usually a coarser, pigmented, and longer kind than the vellus. It grows on the scalp, comprises the eyelashes and eyebrows. At puberty, terminal replaces vellus in the axillary, or underarm area, and the pubic regions. The beard that forms on males is also terminal, as well as on the male arms, legs, and trunk.

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Hair Color

The synthesis of melanin in the matrix adjacent to the papillae results in hair color. Genetically determined differences in the structure of the melanin are what cause the different variations in color. Other factors that influence color are environmental factors and hormonal factors. Pigment production decreases as you age. This results in lighter color. When there is gradual reduction in melanin production with the follicle, gray hair is the result. No pigment at all results in white color. Usually, color changes gradually.

Lady with Short Dark Hair Wearing a Skimpy Dress in White Silk or Satin Giclee Print Serveau, Clement Buy at AllPosters.com

Function of Hair

There are millions of hairs on the surface of your body. They have important functions. Protection The scalp in protected from injury and sunburn by the ones on your head. The ones within the nostrils protect the respiratory system by preventing inhalation of large foreign particles. The external ear canal is protected from insects and foreign particles by the ones that are there. Eyelashes and eyebrows protect the eyes. The lashes protect the eye from particles and the brows from sweat running down the forehead. Facial Expression The eyebrows also function to enhance facial expression. Heat retention - The ones on the head helps to prevent the loss of conducted heat from the scalp into the surrounding air. People with a full head of hair lose far less heat then those who have lost theirs. The only place where it is thick enough to retain heat is on the scalp. Visual identification Hair characteristics are important in determining species, age, and sex as well as identifying individuals. Sensory reception - They have associated touch receptors or root plexuses that detect light touch. Chemical signal dispersal They help disperse pheromones, which are chemical signals involved in attraction of the opposite sex and in sex recognition. After pheromones are secreted by selected sweat glands, such as those in the axillary and pubic regions, they are released onto the hairs in these regions.

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Hair Growth

Hair anatomy .....One hair on the scalp normally grows about 1/3 of a millimeter or 13/1000 of an inch per day, for two to five years and may reach a length of about a meter or 3 and 1/4 feet. After this growth phase it normally enters a dormant phase of three to four months. A new one begins to grow inside the follicle internal to the older one. The new one eventually pushes out the old and it falls from the follicle. The scalp normally loses about 10 to 100 per day, though the growth rate and duration of the growth cycle will vary. If a health problem exists it can cause continuous losses of more than 100 a day. Temporary losses may be caused by: Drugs Dietary factors High fever Radiation Stress

Alopecia is a thinning of the hair and can be caused by: Aging Drugs

Old Woman at Prayer Giclee Print Buy at AllPosters.com It can occur in either sexes. Diffuse hair loss is a condition that is both dramatic and distressing. It's loss from all parts of the scalp. This condition is primarily seen is women and can be caused by: Drugs Hormones Iron deficiency Male pattern baldness is a condition in males causing loss of hair first from only the crown region of the scalp rather than uniformly. Its caused by a combination of genetic and hormonal influences. At puberty the testes begin secreting large amounts of male sex hormones, primarily testosterone. As one effect of sex hormone production, males develop a typical pattern of underarm, facial, and chest hair. The relevant gene for male pattern baldness has two alleles, one for uniform hair growth and one for baldness. The baldness allele is dominant in males and is expressed only in the presence of a high level of testosterone. In men who are either heterozygous or homozygous for the baldness allele, testosterone causes the terminal kind of the scalp to be replaced by thinner vellus, beginning on the top of the head and later on the sides. The baldness allele is recessive in females. This is a sex-influenced trait in which an allele is dominant in one sex and recessive in the other. Changes in the level of sex hormones found circulation in the blood can affect development on the scalp, causing a shift from terminal to vellus production.

Hair Anatomy
Anatomically, hair is a distinct part of the skin referred to as an appendage. Other skin appendages include sweat glands, fingernails and toenails. Skin is composed of three main layers. The outer layer of skin is the epidermis. This layer is less than a millimeter in thickness and is composed of dead cells that are in a constant state of sloughing and replacement. As dead cells are lost, new ones from the growing layer below replace them. Beneath the epidermis is the dermis, a tough layer of connective tissue (collagen) that is about 2 to 3 mm thick on the scalp. This layer gives the skin its strength, and contains both sebaceous glands and sweat glands. Beneath the dermis is a layer of subcutaneous fat and connective tissue. The larger sensory nerve branches and the blood vessels that nourish the skin run deep in this layer. In the scalp, the lower portions of the hair follicles (the bulbs) are found in the upper part of this fatty layer. An interesting characteristic of hair is that, in contrast to the commonly held notion that it grows as individual strands, it actually emerges from the scalp in groups of one to four (and sometimes even five or six). The reason for this is that hair follicles are not solitary structures, but are arranged in the skin in naturally occurring groups called follicular units. Although skin pathologists recognized this fact in the early 1980s, its profound importance in hair transplantation was not appreciated until the mid-1990s. The use of grafts composed of naturally occurring, individual follicular units, rather than an arbitrary number of hairs, has revolutionized hair transplant surgery. Each hair follicle measures about 3-4 mm in length and produces a hair shaft about 0.1 mm in width. The hair follicle has five main parts. Starting from the bottom of the follicle, they are; the dermal papillae, matrix, outer root sheath (ORS), inner root sheath (IRS), and the hair shaft. The dermal papillae contains specialized cells called fibroblasts that regulate the hair cycle and hair growth. The dermal papillae contains androgen receptors sensitive to DHT. For many years, scientists thought that hair growth originated from the dermal papillae. Recent evidence has shown that the growth center extends from the dermal papillae all the way up to the region of the follicle where the sebaceous glands are attached. It is now believed that the primary function of the dermal papillae is to regulate follicular growth and differentiation. If the dermal papillae is removed (this sometimes happens during a hair transplant), the hair follicle is often able to regenerate a new one, although the growth of the new hair will be delayed.

The matrix sits over the dermal papillae and contains actively dividing, immunologically privileged cells. Together, the dermal papillae and the matrix are referred to as the hair bulb. The size of the bulb and the number of matrix cells will determine the width of the fully-grown hair. The cells of the matrix differentiate into the three main components of the hair follicle: ORS, IRS and hair shaft. The outer root sheath or trichelemma (Greek for coating sac), surrounds the hair follicle in the dermis and then blends into the epidermis on the surface of the skin, forming the structure commonly referred to as the pore (from which the hair emerges). The inner root sheath essentially forms a mold for the developing hair shaft. It is composed of three parts (Henley layer, Huxley layer, and cuticle), with the cuticle being the innermost portion that touches the hair shaft. The cuticle of the IRS is formed by a layer of overlapping cells that interlock with the cuticle of the hair shaft. This overlapping mechanism holds the hair shaft securely in place, but also allows it to grow in length. The cells of the IRS keratinize giving it rigidity and strength. Racial variations are felt to be due to the asymmetric formation of the IRS. If you look at the cross section of the IRS, the shape is oval in Europeans, flat in Africans, and round in Asians. The hair shaft is the only part of the hair follicle to exit the epidermis (the surface of the skin). The hair shaft itself is also composed of three layers. The cuticle, the outer layer that interlocks with the internal root sheath, forms the surface of the hair and is what we see as the hair shaft emerges from the follicle. The middle layer, the cortex comprises the bulk of the hair shaft and is what gives hair its strength. It is composed of an organic protein called keratin, the same material that comprises rhinoceros horns and deer antlers. The center, or core, of the hair shaft, is the medulla, and is only present in terminal hair follicles.

Hair Loss
Hair Loss in Men
HAIR LOSS EVALUATION

Click here to schedule a hair loss evaluation

The diagnosis of androgenetic alopecia in men is generally straightforward. It is made by observing a patterned distribution of hair loss (i.e. baldness that affects the front, top and crown)and by noting the presence of miniaturized hair in the areas of thinning. Miniaturization, the progressive decrease in hair shaft diameter and length, can be identified using an instrument called a densitometer and is seen only in genetic balding. The diagnosis of male pattern hair loss is supported by the progression of the hair loss according to a recognizable pattern and by a history of baldness in the family, although a family history is not always present. Click here for more information about male hair loss.
Hair Loss in Women

In women, the diagnosis is more complex, as the most common presentation of balding, a diffuse pattern, can have a variety of non-androgenetic causes including pregnancy, gynecologic problems, birth control pills, and thyroid disease. Because underlying medical conditions can produce hair loss that can closely mimic the diffuse pattern seen in genetic hair loss, a careful diagnostic evaluation is particularly important. Click here for more information about female hair loss.
Additional Hair Loss Information

If you would like to learn more about hair, how it grows and its function, go to: Hair Anatomy, Hair Growth, and the Functions of Hair. Read an interview on hair loss with Dr. Bernstein where he discusses the various aspects of baldness and how it is being treated today. Losing ones hair can be very difficult emotionally. Read some of Dr. Bernstein comments on the psychological aspects of hair loss. There are many misconceptions about hair loss and balding read about the Top 10 Hair Loss Myths.

Hair Loss in Women

HAIR LOSS EVALUATION

Click here to schedule a hair loss evaluation

Hair loss is relatively common in women with about 30% experiencing at least some degree of thinning in their lifetime. Because female hair loss tends to be diffuse (less hair all over), rather than showing the characteristic patterned alopecia of men, and the fact that the frontal hairline in women is often maintained, there is a misconception that hair loss in women is rare but it is not. The psychological effects of hair loss can be significant, and many women are emotionally affected even when thinning is in its very early stages. This is, in part, due to the assumption that few women lose their hair and that, in contrast to men, where it is OK to be bald, any hair loss in women is socially unacceptable. Both of these erroneous perceptions make dealing with hair loss particularly difficult for women. To add to the problem, the widely used medication, Propecia, is not indicated for women, so there is a perception that medical progress in treating female hair loss is not as advanced, or that the medical community does not take the treatment of female hair loss as seriously. Lastly, because hair loss in women can so often be disguised with existing hair, many women choose to hide their hair loss from others. Not sharing their problem tends to isolate them and makes the ability to deal with their hair loss more difficult. Hair loss in women is generally very gradual, with the rate accelerating during pregnancy and at menopause. It is more often cyclical than in men, with seasonal changes that reverse themselves, and it is more easily affected by hormonal changes, medical conditions, and external factors. Fortunately, since most of the time womens hair loss is relatively mild and progresses very slowly, it is rare for women to lose so much hair that they cant hide the thinning with creative styling techniques and it is extremely uncommon for women to develop an area that is totally devoid of hair. The most common pattern of hair loss in women is diffuse and since a diffuse pattern can be caused by a number of medical conditions other than common genetic hair loss, a thorough evaluation is particularly important. If an underlying medical cause can be found and treated, the hair loss can often be reversed. The development of new surgical techniques, particularly Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation, allow many women who are losing their hair to have a completely natural restoration. When performed on a good candidate, this female hair transplant procedure can produce a dramatic change in a

womans appearance. (See photos of female hair restoration and a female hair transplant patient video.) It is particularly important, however, for any women considering a surgical solution, to have a careful physical examination to make sure that the diagnosis is correct and to determine that they have an adequate donor hair supply. For those women in whom surgical hair restoration is indicated, special surgical skills are required to achieve optimal results. It is a mistake for a surgeon to assume that hair loss in women can be treated the same way as in men. The sub-sections under hair loss in women explain what actually causes female hair loss, how it is classified, and how the diagnosis is made. (Cause, Classification, Diagnosis). Medical and surgical treatments are discussed in detail in other parts of this site (Medical Treatments, Hair Transplantation). For women who have unwanted body or facial hair, Dr. Bernsteins wife Shizuka is the owner of Shizuka New York; a well known Manhattan day spa located adjacent to Rockefeller Center at 7 West 51st Street, New York, NY. The Spa offers full skin care services and hair removal.

Mar 19th, 2010

Hair and Scalp Anatomy: What Causes Hair Loss?

Written by tom Topics: Resources, Uncategorized

It might sound mundane, but learning about the hair and scalp will give us a much better understanding of the physiological mechanisms responsible for Androgenetic Alopecia (pattern hair loss) and will allow you to choose the right products for you and improve your personal system on how to deal with your hair loss situation. Contrary to popular belief, hair does not just fall out of the scalp. Common hair loss is actually caused by a hormone metabolite known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Continued exposure to DHT weakens healthy hair follicles that are genetically susceptible to degradation. Over time, the hair shafts produced by these follicles miniaturize until they fail to produce cosmetically significant hair fibers. The hair follicle is an extremely complex mini-organ that is comprised of many specialized cells and interdependent structures. The hair follicle works in symbiosis with our skin (the largest organ in the human body) to provide sensory information, disease protection and temperature regulation for our body.
Our skin has 3 layers: the epidermis, the dermis and the subcutaneous tissue.

The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin. It consists of two levels: the stratum basale and the stratum corneum. Skin cells that originate in the stratum basale are constantly shed and replaced as they move upwards towards the stratum corneum. The epidermis is usually less than 1 millimeter thick. The dermis is the second layer of the skin. It is comprised of collagen, elastic tissue and reticular fibers. Like the epidermis, the dermis also has two levels: the papillary layer and the reticular layer. These components give the skin its strength and laxity. The dermis is generally 2-3 millimeters thick and contains many important structures like hair follicles and oil glands. The subcutaneous tissue is a layer of fat and connective fibers that contains many nerve branches and blood vessels that provide nourishment to the skin. The size of this layer is variable.

The hair follicle is even more complex than the skin. It has numerous components:

The sebaceous gland is a very unique structure within the hair follicle. It produces sebum, which acts as a natural conditioner for our hair and scalp. The inner root sheath protects and molds developing hair shafts. It surrounds the hair shaft and ends below the opening of the sebaceous gland. The outer root sheath serves much the same purpose of the inner root sheath. Essentially it forms the outer layer of the hair follicle. Instead of ending at the sebaceous gland however, it extends past it towards the dermis. The dermal papilla directs the embryonic generation of the hair follicle. The DP is essential for hair follicle development and cycling. For this reason, many new therapies are being targeted to harness the regenerative power of the dermal papilla. The bulb exists at the lower portion of the hair follicle. It surrounds the dermal papilla and contains many inner matrix cells. These inner matrix cells are responsible for the formation of hair shafts. They differentiate themselves into distinct layers as they reach the upper part of the bulb.

Finally, the hair shaft itself has 3 layers:

The cuticle is the surface layer of the hair; this layer protects the inner structure of the hair. The cuticle is made up of transparent, protective-like scale cells. The cortex is the middle layer of the hair that provides strength and support; contains pigments that give hair its color. The medulla is the innermost layer of the hair shaft; it is only present in fully grown hair

Altern Ther Health Med. 2007 Sep-Oct;13(5):54-9.

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Potential of rosemary oil to be used in drug-resistant infections.

Luqman S, Dwivedi GR, Darokar MP, Kalra A, Khanuja SP.
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Genetic Resources and Biotechnology Division, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), Lucknow, India.

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the antimicrobial activity potential of the essential oil of rosemary specifically for its efficacy against the drug-resistant mutants of Mycobacterium smegmatis, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans.

METHOD: Antibacterial, antifungal, and drug resistance-modifying activity was evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively following disc diffusion and broth dilution assay procedures.

RESULTS: The rosemary essential oil was found to be more active against the gram-positive pathogenic bacteria except E. faecalis and drug-resistant mutants of E. coli, compared to gram-negative bacteria. Similarly, it was found to be more active toward nonfilamentous, filamentous, dermatophytic pathogenic fungi and drug-resistant mutants of Candida albicans.

CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that characterization and isolation of the active compound(s) from the rosemary oil may be useful in counteracting gram-positive bacterial, fungal, and drug-resistant infections.

PMID: 17900043 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Free Radic Res. 2006 Feb;40(2):223-31.

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Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of rosemary extracts linked to their polyphenol composition.
Moreno S, Scheyer T, Romano CS, Vojnov AA.
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Instituto de Investigaciones Bioqumicas, Buenos Aires I.I.B.B.A.-CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Fundacin Instituto Leloir, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires, 1405, Argentina. smoreno@leloir.org.ar

Abstract
Rosmarinus officinalis extracts were investigated by a combination of bioassays and biochemical analysis to identify bioactive compounds. The 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydracyl hydrate (DPPH) radical scavenging method, Folin-Ciocaulteau method and HPLC chromatography were used to study the distribution and levels of antioxidants (AOXs). Antimicrobial activity analysis was carried out using the disk diffusion and broth dilution techniques. A good correlation between the AOX activities and total phenol content in the extracts was found. Although all rosemary extracts showed a high radical scavenging activity, a different efficacy as antimicrobial agent was observed. Methanol extract containing 30% of carnosic acid, 16% of carnosol and 5% of rosmarinic acid was the most effective antimicrobial against Gram positive bacteria (minimal inhibition concentration, MIC, between 2 and 15 mug/ml), Gram negative bacteria (MIC between 2 and 60 mug/ml) and yeast (MIC of 4 mug/ml). By contrast, water extract containing only 15% of rosmarinic acid showed a narrow activity. MIC value of the methanol and water extracts is in a good correlation with the values obtained with pure carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid, respectively. Therefore, our results suggested that the antimicrobial rosemary extracts efficacy was associated with their specific phenolic composition. Carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid may be the main bioactive antimicrobial compounds present in rosemary extracts. From a practical point of view, rosemary extract may be a good candidate for functional foods as well as for pharmaceutical plant-based products.

PMID: 16390832 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]