A hair follicle is a tube-shaped pocket of epidermis that dips down into the dermis or hypodermis and grows a hair. At its base, the bulb wraps around a small dermal papilla carrying blood vessels, and dividing cells there produce the hair shaft. A sebaceous gland and an arrector pili muscle are attached to each follicle.
| Location | In the dermis and hypodermis of hair-bearing skin; absent from the palms, soles, lips and parts of the genitals |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Peritrichial (hair follicle) nerve endings; Sympathetic fibres to the arrector pili |
| Blood Supply | Capillary loop in the dermal papilla; Perifollicular vascular plexus |
| Venous drainage |
|
| Lymphatic drainage |
|
Produces and anchors the hair, holds stem cells for skin repair and provides sensitive touch detection when the hair is moved.
Follicles cycle through phases of growth (anagen), regression (catagen) and rest (telogen); stress, illness and chemotherapy can push many into rest or stop growth, causing hair shedding. Stem cells in the follicle bulge help regenerate the epidermis after superficial wounds. Inflammation or infection of follicles causes folliculitis, boils and acne lesions.
Inflammation or infection of hair follicles, appearing as small red or pus-filled bumps.
A deep bacterial infection of a hair follicle, usually from Staphylococcus aureus.
An autoimmune attack on hair follicles causing patchy, usually reversible hair loss.
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