Hair Follicle ‒ Section

**Hair** is a keratinous filament that grows from the epidermis and is primarily composed of dead, keratinized cells. Individual hair strands originate from a structure in the dermis known as the **hair follicle**, which is an extension of the epidermis. The visible portion of the hair, known as the hair shaft, is the part that is not anchored to the follicle and extends above the skin's surface. The portion of the hair anchored within the follicle and lying below the skin’s surface is called the hair root. The hair root extends deep into the dermis, ending at the hair bulb. This bulb includes the hair matrix, a layer of mitotically active basal cells responsible for hair growth. Surrounding the hair papilla, the hair bulb contains connective tissue, blood capillaries, and nerve endings from the dermis. *LICENSES AND ATTRIBUTIONS CC licensed content, Shared previously, Stephanie Fretham, Derived copy of Accessory Structures of the Skin, Authored by: OpenStax College. License: CC BY: Attribution. License Terms: Download for free at:http://cnx.org/contents/sfV-XezL@1/Derived-copy-of-Accessory-Stru* ## Keywords hair surface hair head cross-section