What causes dead hair follicles?

Author: Preston Hammes  |  Last update: Sunday, June 29, 2025

There are many factors that play a role in damaged hair follicles, from diet to genetics to stress. Here are some of the most common causes: Low-nutrient diet that's lacking protein, iron, zinc and essential vitamins. Infections such as folliculitis, which causes the follicle to become inflamed and itchy.

How do you restore dead hair follicles?

Massage Your Scalp

Massaging your scalp may seem too simple, but it can help stimulate the hair follicles and encourage growth. It works because it increases blood flow to the follicles, which can activate the dormant ones. Try performing a scalp massage for five minutes on yourself every day.

What makes a hair follicle dead?

In order to destroy a hair follicle, you really need to damage the bulb or the root of the hair follicle where the blood supplies it with oxygen. This takes a significantly longer time than people tend to believe when they don't see visible hair growing on their scalp.

What is killing my hair follicles?

Permanents, hair dyes, relaxants and other chemical treatments can damage hair follicles and the hair itself and can lead to hair thinning and hair loss. Repeated treatments can destroy a follicle, leaving it unable to regrow hair in the future. This means that bald spots that develop may be permanent.

What naturally kills hair follicles?

Turmeric. This yellow, fragrant spice has been used as a natural beauty remedy since ancient times. Like papaya, it weakens the hair follicles. But it's mostly used to get rid of facial hair.

Blocked Hair Follicle – Everything You Need To Know

What permanently destroys hair follicles?

Yes, electrolysis safely and permanently removes hair from all skin tones. It is the only FDA-approved permanent hair removal treatment. Because electrolysis permanently destroys the growth cells in the hair follicles, the hair will not grow back.

How to activate hair follicles?

Here's how to reactivate hair follicles and get your hair growing again.
  1. Finasteride. ...
  2. Minoxidil. ...
  3. Scalp Massage. ...
  4. Essential Oils. ...
  5. Hair Products for Hair Regrowth. ...
  6. Microneedling. ...
  7. Corticosteroid Injections. ...
  8. Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy.

What disease kills hair follicles?

Alopecia areata is a disease that happens when the immune system attacks hair follicles and causes hair loss. Hair follicles are the structures in skin that form hair. While hair can be lost from any part of the body, alopecia areata usually affects the head and face.

How do you wake up dead hair follicles?

In addition to kickstarting your follicles through targeted scalp massages, certain topical hair-care products like serums and scalp cleansers can help prompt your follicles to get back to work. They contain ingredients that, when applied directly to your scalp, work to stimulate and nourish your follicles.

Can you regrow hair follicles?

If you damage your hair follicles after an injury, they can repair themselves and your hair will grow back. It could take up to four years before you see new hair growth out of damaged hair follicles, depending on the severity of your injury.

Why has my hair gone dead?

Over-styling, washing, chemicals, and heat products often contribute to brittle hair. Sometimes, hormonal imbalances or malnutrition can cause it. You can improve your hair's moisture content by limiting hair-washing, conditioning every time you wash, and limiting how much you expose your hair to high-heat products.

How do I know if hair follicles are dead?

So dead hair follicles can look like a smooth, bald patch of skin or like a scar. A trichologist may be able to get a better view of your follicles by using a microscope or other trichological tools.

How do you reactivate hair cells?

Hair cells cannot be regenerated in mammals, including humans, because unlike other cells in the body, any remaining hair cells in the inner ear cannot divide and other inner ear cells cannot convert themselves into new hair cells. Species like fish, birds, and reptiles, however, possess this ability.

How to increase blood flow to hair follicles?

Massaging, essential oils, cold showers and all the above methods help increase blood flow to your scalp. While you do these, also figure out and stick to a healthy hair care routine, consisting of basics like washing, conditioning and protecting your hair from heat.

What am I lacking if my hair is breaking off?

Hair breakage is usually caused by a lack of moisture and depleted nutrients in hair strands. If your hair is too dry and not well-nourished with the proteins and vitamins it needs, it's unable to deal with environmental and styling stressors, and will start to break.

Is it better to tie hair up or leave it down during the day?

The simple answer here is whatever makes you feel like you. If it's a jeans and tshirt day, do what makes you feel comfy. Wear your hair up in a clip if you're out running errands, and let it flow if you're relaxing at home.

Does putting coconut oil on your hair help?

Coconut oil can have many benefits for your hair and scalp. It is used to relieve dandruff, restore luster to dry and damaged hair, tame frizz, and protect hair against styling damage. It is safe to use on all hair types.

What oil unclogs hair follicles?

Tea tree oil contains many beneficial compounds for maintaining scalp health and promoting follicle health. These compounds can help clean clogged hair follicles created by excess dirt or dead skin cells, helping them remain open so new hairs can grow in their place.

What parasites cause hair loss in humans?

Parasitic infections.

Tinea capitus is a disorder that produces scalp eruptions and hair loss in both children and adults. The infection typically is caused either by Microsporum canis or Trichophyton tonsurans.

What do blocked hair follicles look like?

Ingrown hairs can look like raised, itchy bumps on the skin. On white skin the bumps may look red. Redness may be harder to see on black or brown skin, but they may look a different colour to the surrounding skin. Sometimes you can see a hair trapped under the skin.

How to wake up dormant hair follicles?

Several factors can contribute to reviving dormant hair follicles, including:
  1. Scalp massage.
  2. Essential oils.
  3. Supplements and vitamins.
  4. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT)
  5. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy.
  6. Dietary changes.
  7. Stress management.

How to tell if hair is regrowing?

  1. What Does New Hair Growth Look Like? Understanding the signs of new hair growth is crucial for anyone concerned with hair health, whether dealing with hair thinning or loss. ...
  2. Texture Changes. ...
  3. Increased Volume. ...
  4. Darkening Of Hair Follicles. ...
  5. Growth At The Hairline. ...
  6. Itchy Scalp. ...
  7. Shiny, Strong Strands. ...
  8. Rate Of Shedding.

What opens hair follicles?

You can stimulate follicles that have stopped producing hair through topical application of minoxidil and finasteride, but it only works for about 10% of the population. Scalp massage, exfoliation, and application of stimulating oils like tea tree can also help.

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