Hair follicle anatomy | Your Health Connection

Search

  • Health A-Z
  • Ills & Conditions
  • Drug Center
  • More...

  • Fitness & Nutrition
  • Weight Control
  • Lifestyle & Wellness
  • Emotional Health
  • Alternative Health
  • Work & Health
  • Dental Health

  • Men's Health
  • Women's Health
  • Pregnancy
  • Children's Health
  • Health After 60
  • Medical Library
  • Self-Care Centers

  • Special Reports
  • First Person Essays
  • Book Reviews

  • Calculators
  • Quizzes
  • Health Assessments
  • More...

  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Site Awards

Health A to Z

Hair follicle anatomy

At the base of the hair follicle are sensory nerve fibers that wrap around each hair bulb. Bending the hair stimulates the nerve endings allowing a person to feel that the hair has been moved. One of the main functions of hair is to act as a sensitive touch receptor. Sebaceous glands are also associated with each hair follicle that produce an oily secretion to help condition the hair and surrounding skin.

Review date: 11/13/2006

Reviewed by: Kevin Berman, MD, PhD, Associate, Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Disease, Atlanta, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2008 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

All contents copyright © Consumer Health Interactive, a division of Caremark, L.L.C. All rights reserved. Consumer Health Interactive makes this Web site available free to users for the sole purposes of providing educational information on health-related issues and providing access to health-related resources. This Web site's health-related information and resources are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or for the care that patients receive from their physicians. Please review the Terms of Use before using this Web site. Your use of this Web site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.

This Web site was produced by

We subscribe to the HONcode principles. Verify here.

Medical Review Board and Editorial Team