What is Trichology?
Trichology is concerned with the structure and function of human hair. This includes the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the human hair and scalp.
About Hair
It is impossible to understand the importance of the human scalp hair without really appreciating its sexual role - there is a vital link between sexuality and hair. We use it to draw attention to ourselves, to attract and entice, to flaunt and seduce. Hair is the single most important part of our anatomy affecting our psyche.
Psychology
Our hair can make our day or ruin it, make us elated or feel incredibly miserable. We take more care of it, spend more time on it and nurture it more than any other part of our body. Our anxiety about it is often beyond belief. We can love it and caress it, loathe it and curse it, but the joy of good-looking, well-behaved hair framing our face gives a psychological boost like no other.
Biology
The scalp hair you see is physiologically speaking, 'dead'. It has no blood, muscles or nerves. Hair grows from a single follicle, an indentation in the skin, and each follicle has its own blood, nerve and muscle supply.
For a 'dead' fibre, scalp hair is remarkable. A healthy hair can stretch up to another 30% of its length, can absorb its weight in water and can swell up to 20% of its diameter. It has extraordinary insulating powers, rivalling that of asbestos. Its strength is greater than that of copper wire of the same diameter. A single scalp hair can support a weight of 100g and an average head of hair twisted together can support 23 tons.
