What Is A Hair Follicle?

The hair follicle is a portion of the anatomy of your skin that hair grows from. Over the years, many people have mistakenly used the term to refer to the hair shaft or the hair root. In reality, the hair follicle is more like a pore or a tiny pocket in your skin that allows the hair to grow.

RxList explains it this way: “A sac from which a hair grows and into which the sebaceous (oil) glands open. The follicle is lined by cells derived from the epidermal (outside) layer of the skin.” When you look at a representation of the hair follicle, what you will see is tube the extends through the epidermis (the outside layer of your skin) and through the dermis. In the dermis, the tube expands to a bulb shape and surrounds the hair root.

For terminal hairs – those located on your scalp, face, under arms, chest, stomach and pubic regions – the follicle may extend even deeper into the subcutis. This study published by the National Institutes of Health clarifies that the tube-like structure of the hair follicle and associated sebaceous gland and arrector pili muscle all work together to make it possible for the hair to grow.

Is a Hair Follicle the Same as a Hair Root?

The hair root is not the same as the hair follicle. The root sits inside the hollow bulb area of the follicle and is the source of hair growth. Many people are afraid that they will remove the hair follicle when they pull hair out, or they are concerned that removing the hair root means the hair will not grow back.

While that was a concern before we learned more about how hair grows, we now know that even if the root is pulled out, the hair will likely grow back. The Cleveland Clinic explains it this way, “You can’t pull out a hair follicle, as it’s the structure within your skin that holds your hair. If you pull out a strand of hair, you might notice a bulb or round ball (root) attached to the end of the hair strand. The root is surrounded by nerve fibers that let you feel when your hair moves or you touch your hair. Removing this root doesn’t mean your hair won’t grow back, because in most cases, it will.”

The bigger danger is if the hair follicle itself is damaged. Everything from poor nutrition, some mediations (like those used in chemotherapy), and various autoimmune disorders can damage the hair follicle. If the follicle itself is damaged, it is less likely that hair will be able to grow back.

Can You Transplant Hair Follicles?

Yes, transplanting hair follicles is one of the best ways to address some forms of hair loss. Here at PNW Hair Restoration, we use two different forms of follicle transplants to treat hair loss.

FUE hair restoration involves one of our doctors harvesting individual hair follicles, usually from another portion of your scalp, and then placing them individually into the area where you are experiencing hair loss. FUE, which stands for Follicular Unit Extraction, is often used when you want more subtle hair replacement. Because each follicle is not even visible to the naked eye, the procedure can take longer, but you have more exact control of where the new hair growth is most likely to occur. We utilize the ARTAS® Robotic Hair Restoration System to enhance precision and overall graft health.

FUT, the other type of hair transplant we do using hair follicles, is officially called Follicular Unit Transplantation or Linear Strip Excision (LSE). In that case, we harvest a small strip of follicles, remove the hair follicles from it, and then transplant them to the chosen locations.

The type of follicle transplant that is best for you will depend on your particular form of hair loss and your goals for your new hairline.

PNW Hair Restoration Offers Hair Follicle Transplants

When you are ready to stop feeling helpless about your hair loss, PNW Hair Restoration is here to help. We will help identify the cause of your hair loss and how best to address it. The specific characteristics of your donor area, hair style, density of follicles, and laxity (mobility of the scalp) can affect the area available for harvest and method of transplant or restoration procedure more suited to your needs.

PNW Hair Restoration is proud to have the only ARTAS® Robotic Hair Restoration System for exceptional results and minimal downtime. Contact us today to decide if a follicle transplant of either type is right for you.