Damaged Hair Follicles 101: Everything You Need to Know

You've probably heard of hair follicles, but you might not know what they actually are – and you may be even less aware of how a follicle becomes damaged. While the lengths of hair get plenty of attention, the scalp, roots and follicles are often overlooked in daily care routines. But, as any hair stylist will tell you, strands are only healthy if they're nourished from root to tip.

So, let's take a look at everything you need to know about damaged hair follicles, from the signs of stress to watch out for, to the ways you can keep your hair healthy and nourished...

What Are Hair Follicles?

Hair follicles are tiny, tube-like structures that sit beneath the surface of your skin. They're not just found on your scalp; they cover your whole body, including your face, arms and legs. Because they hold on to the root of each hair fiber, they have a number of responsibilities. These are some of the most vital roles of your hair follicles:

• Delivering vital nutrients to your hair to keep it healthy and hydrated. The sebaceous glands – or oil glands – are located in the hair follicle, and they work to moisturize hair from root to tip.
• Determining the colour of your hair. Hair follicles contain pigment cells that are responsible for your natural hair colour.
• Controlling the texture of your hair. The shape and size of a hair follicle decides how straight or curly and how fine or thick each strand of hair will be.
• Regulating hair loss and growth. One of the most important functions of the hair follicle is to shed old hair fibers and create new ones in what's known as 'the hair growth cycle'.

What is the Hair Growth Cycle?

The hair growth cycle is made up of three key stages. If, like us, you’re fascinated by the science behind healthy hair, let’s take a closer look at the lifecycle of your strands…

The Anagen Phase

The anagen phase is also known as 'the growing phase', because this is the stage when new hair fibers grow. Believe it or not, a single strand of hair can keep growing for up to seven years. When a follicle is in the anagen phase, it's pushing out a strand so that it grows around half an inch per month. This continues until the strand reaches the end of its lifespan, and then it falls out.

The Catagen Phase

Towards the end of the growing phase, a strand of hair enters the catagen phase for around 10 days. This is when the hair follicle starts to shrink, which slows down growth, preparing the hair for shedding. At this point, the hair follicle is still holding the root of the hair in place, but it can easily be dislodged while brushing or styling.

The Telogen Phase

When a hair strand enters the telogen phase, it's stopped growing and it's ready to shed. Did you know? It's normal to shed around 100 strands per day! This phase overlaps with the anagen/growing phase, as the hair follicle widens to release the old hair, while also releasing new fibers for fresh growth. The cycle begins again.

How Do You Know if Your Hair Follicles are Damaged?

The first thing to know is that hair follicle damage is very rare. Because of where the follicles are located – underneath the skin's surface – they don't withstand the same wear and tear as, for example, your scalp or the lengths of your hair. But that's not to say damaged hair follicles don't happen. So, what are the signs to look out for? Symptoms can include:

• Excess hair loss from the scalp: This is the most common sign of hair follicle damage. Shedding is part of a healthy hair growth cycle, but if it's excessive, this may point to an underlying issue.
• Hair breakage and thinning: If the lengths of your hair aren't getting enough nourishment from the follicles, strands may become dry, brittle and weak, leading to breakage and split ends.
• Imbalanced scalp: Whether it's dry and flaky or persistently oily, changes in scalp health may indicate a problem with your sebaceous glands, the microscopic oil-producing glands found in your follicles.
• Inflamed bumps and blisters on the scalp: In some cases, you may even see itchy, pus-filled bumps on your scalp which could indicate folliculitis.
• Premature greying: While early greys aren't always a sign of hair follicle damage, they could appear if the pigment cells aren't functioning as they should.

What's important to remember is that all of the symptoms above don't necessarily mean you have damaged hair follicles. There could be a number of reasons you're seeing premature greys, hair thinning or changes in your scalp. So, if you're concerned, make sure you speak to a doctor or trichologist. They can assess your hair and scalp to help you understand your symptoms, as well as giving you a personalized treatment plan.

What Causes Hair Follicles to Weaken?

There are many factors that play a role in damaged hair follicles, from diet to genetics to stress. These are some of the most common causes:

• Low-nutrient diet that's lacking protein, iron, zinc and essential vitamins.
• Infections such as folliculitis, which causes the follicle to become inflamed and itchy.
• Lifestyle factors such as stress, too little sleep or smoking.
• Androgenetic alopecia (AKA male or female pattern hair loss), caused by a mix of genetics and a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
• Traction alopecia, caused by excess tension and pulling on the hair follicles.
• Certain medications may affect the hair's growth cycle and can even change the hair texture.

If you suspect an infection or alopecia may be behind your damaged hair follicles, it's important to seek medical advice to give your hair and scalp the support it needs. Your Wella hair stylist may also recommend a care regimen that works alongside the course of treatment you follow, so that over time, your hair can get back to its healthiest. That's where the next question comes in…

How Can You Repair Damaged Hair Follicles?

Whether or not damaged follicles can be repaired depends on the level of damage and the cause. If the damage is extensive, it can be very hard for follicles to regenerate. In this case, as mentioned above, you should seek medical advice. However, there are cases where hair follicles can repair themselves, and with the right regimen, you can prevent the problem from happening again.

How Do I Keep Hair Follicles Healthy?

1. Use Deeply Reparative Hair Care

To ensure hair is healthy from root to tip, follow a regimen that's all about preventing and repairing damage. This is crucial if hair follicles are stressed and your new hair growth is weak, dry and brittle as a result. ULTIMATE REPAIR Shampoo and ULTIMATE REPAIR Conditioner work in tandem to support your hair from the inside out, with AHA to rebuild internal bonds and Omega-9 to care for the outer layer.

Combine this wash day duo with ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue, a potent leave-in treatment that repairs hair damage in 90 seconds¹, leaving you with 99% less breakage². It's called a miracle for a reason, giving you results from the first use. When hair needs extra support, there's no better way to reinforce weak, breakage-prone lengths.

2. Never Pluck Your Hair From the Scalp

As tempting as it might be to pull out stray greys, plucking hair from the root is a no-no. Removing a hair strand before it's ready to shed can irritate the hair follicle, and may also damage surrounding follicles. So, next time you find yourself scanning your scalp with a pair of tweezers in hand, ready to pluck, just put them down and leave your hair be. It will fall out when it's ready.

3. Embrace Low-Tension Hairstyles

Swap sleek ponies and tight topknots for looser styles that put less stress on hair follicles. Wearing your hair down or in low ponytails or buns will reduce tension and, in turn, thinning and breakage. But if you're someone who wears your hair up when you're tight on time, because you find it tricky to style, reach for formulas that enhance your natural texture in seconds flat. Here are our picks:

If you deal with frizz: Add ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum to your kit. It gives you up to 96 hours of frizz control³, so you can skip the tight, high-tension bun on days when your hair wouldn't usually behave. Not only is it great for helping your hair air-dry smooth, silky and glossy, but it can also be applied to dry hair in between washes for a quick, shine-enhancing touch-up. The result? Nourishment in 30 seconds and smoothness that lasts up to 3 days³. Bonus: it also acts as a heat protectant and UV shield for major multitasking.

If you have straight hair: A volumizing spray works wonders on days when your hair appears flat or lackluster, and it makes a great alternative to pulling limp strands into a high ponytail. Try INVIGO Volume Boost Uplifting Care Spray if you're styling damp hair, and it will bump up the body in your blow-dry. Or, if your hair is already dry, use EIMI Sugar Lift to give lengths oomph and a grippy texture.

If you have wavy hair: Sometimes waves need a little extra help to spring into and hold their curvy shape, so on off-duty days, it can feel easier to just tie your hair back. Instead, introduce reach for EIMI Ocean Spritz, a salt spray that dials up texture in wavy lengths. Mist it into damp or dry hair and lightly scrunch or, for a chunkier look, blow-dry it into roots and lengths, and enjoy a tousled style from day to night.

If you have curly or coily hair: When you want to level up the shape of your curls, coils and zags, NutriCurls Curlixir Balm is an essential in your kit. It's a luxurious leave-in that lends soft hold, definition and bounce, and can be applied to damp or dry hair to suit your perfect routine. No more tugging on follicles with tight up-dos on days your curls don't look as springy as you'd like. The rich, nourishing balm will instantly revive ringlets, so you embrace no-tension, loose hair.

4. Give Your Scalp a Regular Massage

Just because it's simple doesn't mean it's not effective. A scalp massage, carried out three to four times per week, can encourage a healthy environment for your hair to grow. All you need to do is use fingertips to massage the roots of your hair (taking care to be gentle!), and it will help to boost blood flow to the scalp. Set aside five minutes and do it when hair is dry, or even while masking the lengths of wet hair. As the mask absorbs, you can give your scalp a spa session with a quick, relaxing massage.

Looking for more ways to care for your hair? Discover our complete collection of Hair Care Guides, featuring tips for every type and concern.

¹ When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue.

² When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue, instrumental test vs. non-conditioning Shampoo.

³ When using ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum, if unwashed for 3 days, vs. untreated.