Trichology
The technical term for the study of hair.
Medulla
Central core of the hair shaft (often absent in fine or very fine hair)
Cortex
Inside the second layer of the hair fiber; gives hair most of its pigments and strength (elasticity).
Cuticle
Outer covering of the hair shaft; the loose and pilible skin around the nail.
Anagen
Active or growing stage of hair, during which each hair bulb has an attached root sheath.
Telogen
Resting stage of hair growth when each bulb has no attached root shaft, at which time hair falls out; eventually, cell division is again stimulated, producing new hair, and thr growth cycle starts again.
Catagen
Brief transitional stage of hair growth when all cell division stops.
Eumelanin
Type of melanin that produces brown/black hair color.
Pheomelanin
Type of melanin that produces red hair color.
Melanocytes
Cells that exist among the dividing cells within the hair bulb.
Melanosomes
Bundles of melanocytes that rest near the hair bulb's nourishment center, the dermal papilla.
Trichoptilosis
Fragilitis crinium or brittle hair; technical name for split ends.
Fragilitis Cranium
Technical term for split ends, small cracks in the cuticle of the hair that deepen into the cortex.
Pilica polonica
Excessive matting of the hair, characterized by a mass of hair strands tangles together in a mat that cannot be seperated.
Nodules/Trichorrexis nodosa
Lumps or swelling along the hair shaft.
Canities
Grayness or whiteness of the hair.
Ringed hair
Alternating bands of gray and dark hair.
Hypertrichosis
Referred to as hirsuties or superfluous hair; the abnormal coverage of hair on areas of the body where normallu only lanugo hair appears.
Monilethrix
Beads or nodes formed on the hair shaft.
Psoriasis
Thick, crust patches of red irritated scalp resulting from an autoimmue disease of the skin.
Pityriasis Capitis
Dry dandruff; dry epithelial cells attached to the scalp or on the hair; itchy; caused by poor diet, uncleanliness or emotional disturbance.
Pityriasis Tinea
Infections of the skin or nails caused by fungi and appearing as itching circular patches
Pityriasis steatoides
Greasy or waxy dandruff; oily flakes combine with sebum (oil) and stick to the scalp in clusters and can appear yellowish in color.
Scabies
Itch mite; red and watery vesicles or pus-filled areas caused by an animal parasite burrowing under the skin.
Pediculosis Capitis
Head lice; infestation of head lice om the scalp causing itching and eventual infection.
Vellus
Hair that covers most of the body, including the head; often not visible to the naked eye.
Alopecia
Excessive hair loss
Androgenetic alopecia
Hair loss caused by the combination of heredity, hormones and age that causes progressive shrinking or minziturization of certain scalp follicles.
Postpartum alopecia
The temporary hair loss at the conclusion of pregnancy.
Alopecia areata
Sudden loss of hair in round or irregular patches without display of an inflammed scalp
Telogen effluvium
Premature shedding of hair in the resting ophase (telogen) resulting from various causes such as childbirth, shock, drug intake fever.
Traction
Hair loss due to repetitive traction on the hair by pulling or twisting