So what can we learn from these facts ?

1. Dietary factors are important to good hair health. We've said that hair has the second most prolific cell reproduction in the body and so this makes it a good barometer of changes occurring in the body. This means having a good and balanced diet can have a significant effect on your hair.

All the food you eat is eventually converted to simple compounds that the body is able to utilise - glucose being the one that supplies the energy for cell reproduction. So the most important meal of the day for the hair (and you) is breakfast. We also said hair is a protein, therefore protein should be eaten at least for breakfast and lunch. Fresh fruit, cereal or muesli, whole wheat bread, eggs, fish or other protein would be good for breakfast. Lean meat, fish, chicken, vegetables, baked potato, mixed salad and more fruit for lunch or dinner. And always lots of water.

2. The follicles size determines the thickness and length of the hair; and the follicles size is itself determined by the supply of nutrients and maintenance of high cellular energy. However if the follicle is subjected to sebum or becomes blocked, the follicle cannot function properly and even if hair growth continues it will be at a reduced rate, quality and thickness - this is called miniaturization .

This is why regular cleansing to remove the sebum is important. Assuming you've chosen the correct products for your hair type, you cannot over shampoo. You should certainly shampoo after exercise, or exposure to hot sunlight, when sweat and sebum production will be at its worst! Also remember to rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of product build-up.

3. Hair loss is normal; and with an average of up to 120,000 follicles and (potentially) hairs on your head, losing up to around 70 a day should not cause you any concern. However if you start losing 70 or more a day and aren't replacing them with new hair growth, this is going to lead to a deficient hair count.

This can be due to a number of reasons, but specialist products such as the NIOXIN range, are designed to correct this imbalance; cleansing the scalp skin, and removing toxin build-up and DHT ( dihydrotestosterone , a by-product of testosterone, and a major cause of hair loss). For more information on hair loss, see our 'NIOXIN - the science' web page.

4. And finally, we learn that your average head produces 44 metres of hair a day - wow!

What other factors can affect healthy hair growth?

Pollution, radiation, stress and medication. Whilst for medical reasons, these causes can sometimes be unavoidable, you can still minimise the affects by following a hair program properly designed to counter the negative influence drugs, radiation, or increasing levels of environmental pseudo-estrogens , may be having on the hair follicles capacity to produce strong healthy growth.

Again, the NIOXIN range is an excellent example of products designed purely to create an environment where hair can grow to its maximum potential in any given circumstances. It does this predominantly by removing the scalp skin secretions that might be having a damaging affect on the follicle, and then feeding the root or papilla with bionutrients and botanicals which help maintain a high cellular energy.


Sun, sea and swimming pools are going to take their toll - all that salt, chlorine and ultra-violet is not good news for hair. So how can you protect it?

• Don't forget that the scalp is exposed to the sun during sunbathing and becomes burnt just as easily as unprotected skin anywhere else on your body. If you don't wear a hat for protection, try applying a small amount of high factor sun tan cream carefully to the scalp with your fingertips. This should prevent the scalp from burning.

• Before going out into sunshine apply some conditioner just as you would a styling gel; then leave it in the hair. This will protect and condition at the same time.

• Rinse your hair thoroughly with regular water each time you come out of the sea or pool to rinse away the salt or chlorine; then reapply a little conditioner as you would reapply sun tan oil.

• Wash your hair every evening using a moisturising shampoo and conditioner.