The marvel on your head (explained simply!) 🌟

The marvel on your head (explained simply!) 🌟

Isabella Engelberger

Foundation & Biology

Part 1 of 4 - The Marvel on Your Head (Explained Simply)

 

Hey there,

Have you ever wondered why your hair grows, why it sometimes falls out, or why it’s so shiny? Today we’re going to take a look at what’s happening under your scalp. Don’t worry—I’ll explain it to you as simply as possible!

1. The three layers of your hair

Imagine your hair is like a pencil. It consists of three layers:

  • The cuticle: It’s like tiny roof tiles stacked on top of each other. When they lie flat, your hair shines. When they stick out, it looks “straw-like.”
  • The cortex: This is the core of the hair shaft. This is where your hair’s color (melanin) is located, and it determines whether your hair is strong or prone to breakage.
  • The pith (medulla): A small channel in the center, like the lead in a pencil.


2. The Factory Under the Skin

Your hair grows inside a small tube called a follicle. At the very bottom sits the factory manager: the hair papilla.

That’s where all the nutrients from your blood arrive. Directly above that are the hair follicle cells, known as the matrix. These cells divide incredibly quickly and push the hair upward out of the skin. In the process, they become firm and hard—a process professionals call keratinization.


3. Why hormones act like "messengers"

You may have wondered why stress or hormones (which are chemical messengers in the body) affect your hair, even though it's "dead"?

It's simple: Hormones are like mail carriers that deliver letters to the factory (hair follicle).

  • A letter might say: "Quick, make my hair thicker!" (e.g., with estrogens).
  • Another message might say: "Stop, take a break!" (e.g., when cortisol levels are too high).

The hair sticking out on top is the result of those letters!

We will take a much closer look at the effects of hormones in the second part of our series "The Hormone Lab – Part 1." 


4. Why "long-term" works so much better!

When you switch to organic hair care products, you often experience a bit of a "shock" at first: your hair feels straw-like. This is because the silicone coating is gradually being washed away, revealing the hair's true—and often damaged—condition.

The long-term benefit: After the transition phase, your scalp’s sebum production will regulate itself. Your hair will be hydrated from the inside out, rather than just being “coated” on the outside. The hair follicles will no longer be stressed by harsh chemicals, leading to healthier and stronger hair growth (anagen phase).




My pro tip: When you switch to natural cosmetics, give your hair 4–6 weeks. It needs time to adjust to life without that "plastic coating" (silicones). After that, it’ll thank you with a beautiful shine!

 

What do you think? Shall we take a look together to see which organic ingredients are perfect for your scalp?

Just send me a message using our contact form or book an appointment atthe salon!

Hugs đŸ«¶đŸ»

All the best,

Isabella

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