Severe texture difference within the same stand of hair?

[ThrowNormanAway]

Yesterday as I was examining my shed hairs individually to make sure they were shed directly from the root (as is my nightly combing custom... All 25+ hairs were natural shed by the way!) I noticed that many of the hairs had completely different textures and colors at the tip than closer the root. Has this happened to anyone else? In my case, the hairs were about 24-30" long. The oldest half was coarse, dark almost black, and almost had a stiff crinkly quality. Flat and oblong in some spots, and it even had several "corners". The youngest ~12" was smooth, fine in texture, softly wavy, and light brown in color. This was consistent of all the odd hairs I found.

About 13 months ago my health started improving after a major medical event which included many surgeries, lots of medication, and a prolonged hospitalization. My theory is that my hair wasnt growing well while I wasn't well. It didn't appear to affect the growth rate, just the quality rather severely. Around that time I was also in the throes of a major shed related to the same incident. Who else has noticed growth quality closely tied to health?

I understand that hair is an ever growing ever changing thing, but I'd love to see what you think about this. Not all of my shed hairs have this... phenomena?... But a pretty solid portion certainly do. What do you think?

[LongCurlyTress]

Hair texture variations seem pretty normal to me. Nutrition, stress, illness etc all play a part in hair's texture and thickness.

Protein seems to work magically with my hair growth, decreasing hair loss and the B vitamins help with stress--plus the iron found in red meat. I have tried to give up red meat ie steak or lean grass fed hamburger!! but felt lethargic, depressed, negative and grumpy all the time. I know iron and protein are found in other food sources that are not animal, however red meat and eggs work for me. :cool:

[ThrowNormanAway]

Excellent suggestions! I'm so bad about getting a balanced diet!! I just graze on whatever's on hand.

[lapushka]

I think examining every hair to see if it shed from the root - nightly... is a liiitle obsessive for me. :)

[Phanaferous]

I have noticed a texture difference in shed hairs before. I figured it was due to variations in stress, sleep and/or nutrition. Kind of like the rings of a tree; you can tell from the thickness whether it was a tough year for the tree (slow growth) or a healthy year (a thick ring). Heh- now I am visualizing longhairs as all carrying a "health history diary" on our heads.

[mira-chan]

Yesterday as I was examining my shed hairs individually to make sure they were shed directly from the root (as is my nightly combing custom... All 25+ hairs were natural shed by the way!) I noticed that many of the hairs had completely different textures and colors at the tip than closer the root. Has this happened to anyone else? In my case, the hairs were about 24-30" long. The oldest half was coarse, dark almost black, and almost had a stiff crinkly quality. Flat and oblong in some spots, and it even had several "corners". The youngest ~12" was smooth, fine in texture, softly wavy, and light brown in color. This was consistent of all the odd hairs I found.

About 13 months ago my health started improving after a major medical event which included many surgeries, lots of medication, and a prolonged hospitalization. My theory is that my hair wasnt growing well while I wasn't well. It didn't appear to affect the growth rate, just the quality rather severely. Around that time I was also in the throes of a major shed related to the same incident. Who else has noticed growth quality closely tied to health?

I understand that hair is an ever growing ever changing thing, but I'd love to see what you think about this. Not all of my shed hairs have this... phenomena?... But a pretty solid portion certainly do. What do you think?
I've had a hair texture change similar to what you are describing. For me it was from hormonal change of exiting puberty. I also had a healt related shed at the same time. Your health and hormone levels can affect your hair. In my texture change I went from medium-coarse to coarse thickness. When it was fist starting to grow in more coarse I had the same hairs you describe, the dark coarse and crinkly. I has smoothed out into a wavier texture since (from 2a to 2b).

[ThrowNormanAway]

I think examining every hair to see if it shed from the root - nightly... is a liiitle obsessive for me. :)

Maaaaybe.... Haha. I'm just paranoid cause after that same shed last year, out not only feel from the root but nearly all my hair had a weak spot from my poor health and SO MUCH of it was breakage too. It was brutal and now that it's growing back much better I'm just really compelled to be extra sure it's all natural shed :( in trying to relax about it cause it hasn't been a problem in a while.

[LateRose]

I have definitely noticed this in my own hair! It is a bit disconcerting when you think about how much your general health can change your hair...and nails. I have matching corrugations on my hair and nails. It was certainly tied to hormones for me as well, but the doc says that the abrupt changes happen when your body is too sick to grow "extra" things. Hmph. Hair is not an extra in my book! Congratulations on getting better!

[ThrowNormanAway]

I have definitely noticed this in my own hair! It is a bit disconcerting when you think about how much your general health can change your hair...and nails. I have matching corrugations on my hair and nails. It was certainly tied to hormones for me as well, but the doc says that the abrupt changes happen when your body is too sick to grow "extra" things. Hmph. Hair is not an extra in my book! Congratulations on getting better!

Lol I suppose if my body has to choose between hair production and.. You know, brain health or something... Ok fine. Keep the brain well. But I don't see why they have to me mutually exclusive??

[ALEXIAA]

The same for me: very long! I think I would have seen them before; they appeared suddenly. Eest that hormones can change the texture of the hair overnight? A hair can be changed texture of a sudden?

[meteor]

Yes, I think it's normal to have slight variations, since hair is organic matter and isn't 100% uniform. :)

Texture can change quite a bit with time, especially during significant hormonal changes (e.g. puberty).
Nutrition and overall health status can be very significant factors. For example, in the long run malnutrition can lead not only to shedding but also finer strand diameter and even some change in pigmentation (Nutrition and hair: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20620758, Nutrition and hair: deficiencies and supplements: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23159185).

Also, even judging by month-to-month measurements of the same strands of hair, there are some minor fluctuations anyway (less than 5 microns month-to-month, according to this study - Changes in Chinese hair growth along a full year: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25065943)

[ALEXIAA]

Yes, I think it's normal to have slight variations, since hair is organic matter and isn't 100% uniform. :)

Texture can change quite a bit with time, especially during significant hormonal changes (e.g. puberty).
Nutrition and overall health status can be very significant factors. For example, in the long run malnutrition can lead not only to shedding but also finer strand diameter and even some change in pigmentation (Nutrition and hair: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20620758, Nutrition and hair: deficiencies and supplements: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23159185).

Also, even judging by month-to-month measurements of the same strands of hair, there are some minor fluctuations anyway (less than 5 microns month-to-month, according to this study - Changes in Chinese hair growth along a full year: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25065943)

But for all the hair shaft? Hormones can they transform the hair from root to tip?

[meteor]

But for all the hair shaft? Hormones can they transform the hair from root to tip?

I would think the change happens only as it grows out :hmm: (or even before - when the keratinization happens in the hair follicle). Once it's out, I don't think those ends can change, unless the hair texture growing out at the root makes the whole strand look somehow different, maybe? :hmm: or if the ends simply change due to damage (e.g. environmental, thermal, chemical, mechanical damage...)

[ALEXIAA]

yes I agree, for me when I found out my thick hair thick black: it is sure and certain that I do not avas before !! by against, now they grow like that