If you accidentally pull out a strand of your hair and it has a ball (bulb) on the end of it, you didn't pull out the follicle, and instead, you removed your hair root. That root grows back and your hair will grow back, too.
If you pull a hair out with the follicle (the bulb at the root of the hair), it can potentially grow back, but it depends on the health of the hair follicle. If the follicle remains healthy and undamaged, it can regenerate and produce a new hair.
It's the same with hair. When you pull out hair from the root, the follicle (the part of the skin where the hair grows from) gets damaged. It takes time for the follicle to heal and for a new hair to start growing from it again. It usually takes around 4-6 weeks for a new hair to start growing.
The hair follicle surrounds the hair root or bulb that you are pulling out. As long as the hair follicle is fed by the blood vessels, the hair will continue growing. Even laser hair removal techs will tell you they will not go as far as to damage blood vessels if you ask them directly.
Most people lose 50 to 100 hairs per day as part of this natural cycle. If this cycle is disrupted, or if a hair follicle is damaged, hair may begin to fall out more quickly than it is regenerated, leading to symptoms such as a receding hairline, hair falling out in patches, or overall thinning.
Hair loss or thinning: A damaged hair follicle will be unable to create a strong piece of hair. Consequently, hair will become thin, brittle, and weak. You might notice that it's breaking more frequently than it would or altogether falling out. Breakage can be a direct result of this.
If you pull out a strand of hair, you might notice a bulb or round ball (root) attached to the end of the hair strand. The root is surrounded by nerve fibers that let you feel when your hair moves or you touch your hair. Removing this root doesn't mean your hair won't grow back, because in most cases, it will.
No surprise there are many methods to get rid of it: you can epilate, tweeze, wax, sugar, thread, burn, shave or bleach; use creams, lasers, IPL, electrolysis or make-up. Surface removal methods like shaving are quick and easy, but stubble grows back fast.
And remember, if you ever find yourself asking, “Can you squeeze an ingrown hair out?” the answer is a careful no—stick to safer, smarter solutions for your skin's sake.
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.
The "white gunk" you might notice in hair follicles is typically sebum, a natural oil produced by your sebaceous glands to protect and hydrate the skin and hair. Sebum, combined with dead skin cells and other debris, can build up around the hair follicle and harden, often looking like a white or yellowish gunk.
You might be able to reverse hair loss, or at least slow it. With some conditions, such as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), hair may regrow without treatment within a year. Treatments for hair loss include medications and surgery.
The white bulb indicates that the hair was in the resting (telogen) phase of the hair growth cycle. Normally, about 10-15% of your hair is in this phase, but with telogen effluvium, up to around 70% of your anagen hair (hair that is actively growing) may enter the resting phase and fall out prematurely.
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.
Vellus hair (peach fuzz) is fine, short hair that grows all over your body, including your face, stomach, arms and legs. Vellus hair helps regulate your body temperature and protects your skin. Excess vellus hair growth can be a sign of some health conditions, such as Cushing syndrome.
Hair follicle damage from DHT is largely irreversible, meaning it's important to act quickly if you start to experience this form of hair loss. We've discussed the effects of this hormone on your hair in more detail in our full guide to DHT and male pattern baldness.
Hair comprises living and non-living components above and below the epidermis level. Above the epidermis, the hair shaft is a thin, flexible cylinder of non-living, keratinized epithelial cells. Below the epidermis, it is part of a living hair follicle that enlarges at the base and forms the hair bulb.
Myth: A hair falling out with a white bulb attached means it won't grow back. False! If you notice that some of your fallen hairs have a small white lump or bulb at the root, you shouldn't worry. This does not mean that the root of your hair has been removed, or that the follicle is dead.
Androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness and female pattern baldness) is a type of hair loss that's more gradual than telogen effluvium. It's not known exactly what causes androgenic alopecia. Without medications or treatment, hair loss due to androgenic alopecia is permanent.
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.