Clare Hargreaves-Norris
Hair growth types
Learning objectives
By the end of the presentation you will be able to:
understand the types of hair growth
understand the classification of hair growth
NVQ Level 2 Beauty Therapy
Clare Hargreaves-Norris
Hair growth types
Learning objectives
By the end of the presentation you will be able to:
understand the types of hair growth
understand the classification of hair growth
NVQ Level 2 Beauty Therapy
Clare Hargreaves-Norris
Types of hair growth found on the body
Hair is found all over the body except for the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, lips and external genitalia. There are three different classifications:
Lanugo
Vellus
Terminal
Clare Hargreaves-Norris
Lanugo
Lanugo is the hair found on an unborn baby and the first result of cellular activity within the skin. This is usually discarded before or soon after birth and replaced by slightly coarser hair.
Clare Hargreaves-Norris
Vellus
Vellus is the soft downy hair often found on the cheeks and all over the body. The hairs usually lack pigmentation and grow from a shallow depth at about sebaceous gland level. These hairs rarely grow longer than 2 cm in length and are usually straight due to the fact that they have shallow follicles.
Vellus hairs do not become terminal unless they are stimulated by a topical (i.e. shaving or plucking) or systemic (i.e. hormones, medication) cause. If this occurred they would then start to grow deeper, develop a bulb, pick up a blood supply from the dermis and become a shallow terminal hair.
Clare Hargreaves-Norris
Terminal
Terminal hairs are pigmented, deep seated, coarse hairs, which have a well-developed root and bulb and often extend into the subcutaneous layer. Terminal hairs are present on the scalp, eyebrows, underarms, pubic areas, legs, men’s chests etc. A terminal hair is comprised of three layers: the cuticle, cortex and medulla.
Clare Hargreaves-Norris
Classifications of hair growth
Superfluous hair - excess hair that is perfectly normal at certain times in a women's life such as puberty, pregnancy and menopause.
Hirsuitism - a pattern of hair growth that is abnormal for a person’s sex.
Hypertrichosis - excessive hair growth that is due to a disease or injury
Where does hair not grow on the body?
Palms of the hands
External genitalia
Soles of the feet
All of the above
This hair type is found on the scalp, eyebrows, underarms, pubic areas, legs, men’s chests.
It is called:
Lanugo hair
Terminal hair
Vellus hair
Superfluous Hair
Which topical actions could stimulate vellus hair to become more terminal?
Exfoliation and peels
Hair bleaching/lightening
Tweezing and shaving
Applying AHAs and serums
What type of hair is fine and soft?
Vellus hair
Hair on the scalp
Lanugo hair
Terminal hair
Describe the type of hair known as terminal hair in 3 bullet points:
Which systemic cause could cause vellus hairs to become more terminal hairs?
Enzymes
Hormones
Blood
Lymph
Write down as many factors that affect
hair growth you can think of: (an example is shown)
Stress
Hair growth types
Clare Hargreaves-Norris
You have completed this short lesson.
Now you understand the types of hair growth and the classification of hair growth.
NVQ Level 2 Beauty Therapy