Healthier Hair = Larger Hair Follicles??

[Soliel185]

I got my hair braided with extensions for the first time on 9/22. The last few days I noticed what looked like sizeable specks of dandruff on some parts of my hair, the ones of the hairline were the easiest to see, and it looked like the dandruff was tangled in my hair. So I rubbed alittle, but nothing fell out. Then I pinched one of the specks and pulled - whaddya know -- it's a shed hair that was trapped b/c of the braids. I couldn't believe the size of the follicle though -- it used to be that I'd have to check to see if a hair was shed vs broken but running it through my fingers to feel the "bump" at the end. Bump = shed with follicle, smooth = broken. I just can't believe how huge the follicle is - I can easily see it and it made me wonder if maybe the combo of all my vitamins, good hair practices, and oils have not only resulted in healthier strands, but beefed up follicles as well.


Anybody know?

 

[MiWay]

Very interesting...

Bumping for more info.

 

[ravenmerlita]

I don't know. I do know that mine used to be much larger and have now gotten smaller. I'd love to know what you are taking/using that has helped.

 

[jtsupanova]

I noticed the same thing with my hair in braids. The bulb on the shed hairs are huge and it causes me to have to redo my braids in the front more often. I don't know if it is because my hair is healthier or not but I do notice a difference.

 

[Soliel185]

At first i was afraid that it meant my braids were too tight and it was pulling out my hair, but there aren't alot of them. But my braids loosened up pretty quickly, and it's been almost 2 wks since I got them and I'm just now seeing the shed hair.I think they're just more obvious b/c of the size of the follicle and the fact that they're stuck there and can't fall or be combed out....

 

[kittenz]

I 've had this happen too and I just nip off the white bulb with eyebrow scissors to make things look neat. But the point about the health of the hair is interesting because with some hair loss, like balding the follicles actually shrink until they are two small to hold the hair or something like that. The point is that some cases of balding (I don't know about all) causes or occurs because the follicles shrink. So if yours are enlarging then I would think that its a good thing because it's the opposite of what happens with balding/thinning. If this is confusing I'll understand.

 

[Soliel185]

I don't know. I do know that mine used to be much larger and have now gotten smaller. I'd love to know what you are taking/using that has helped.

I've been taking Viviscal, Calcium ( to help with absorption ) MSM, and the occasional Flaxseed...I use BT topically. I guess that if something like Viviscal or BT improves growth rate, it's probably what's increased the follicle size - that and increased blood flow from my exercise routine.

 

[atemeus_itali]

I've noticed some of those too with the big white bulb...I don't really know what it means though; I still see them from time to time even though the last time I had extentions (microbraids) was about a year and four months ago

 

[dillard]

i've also noticed this recently and had no idea what to attribute it to. i haven't had braids or done anything tight so it's not being pulled but it seems to happen more around the edges. just this morning i noticed 2 strands like this and the bulb was big and thick and white at the end, i thought maybe it was buildup on my scalp or something?! the only thing i've been doing different to my edges is applying castor oil 2-3x/week.

 

[Soliel185]

oooh...I've been using castor oil for about a month prior to putting the braids in..Alot of people have said that it thickens the hair -- I wonder if that has anything to do with the effect it might be having on the root? Makes sense that I bigger root would grow a thicker hair...right?