Hair Library · The Hair Encyclopedia

Everything About Hair. Backed by Science.

Reference entries on hair biology, hair loss, scalp health, treatments, hair care and hair transplantation. Written from published research, linked to PubMed and medically reviewed.

Reading level

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Three reading paths through the encyclopedia. Start with the one that fits you.

Clinical reference

For professionals: biology, evidence and complications.

  1. Hair Bulb Anatomy
  2. DHT and Hair Loss
  3. FUE vs DHI
  4. Side Effects
  5. Shock Loss

Caring for your hair

For everyone: hair types, products and what the evidence says.

  1. Hair Type Chart (1A–4C)
  2. Hair Porosity
  3. Oils for Hair Growth
  4. Vitamins and Hair Loss
  5. Thickening Hair Naturally

Browse by Category

From the biology of a single follicle to hair care, treatments and hair transplantation.

A–Z index →

A category opens once it has at least three entries. Next: Hair Genetics · Hair Technology · Hair Regeneration.

Questions People Ask About Hair

Each question has a full, referenced answer in the library.

Glossary: Hair Terms Explained

Every term answered in a few sentences, with a link to the full entry when there is more to know.

All 46 terms →
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

What is the dermal papilla?

The dermal papilla is a cluster of cells at the centre of the hair bulb. It signals the bulb and helps decide how thick, how long and what colour each hair grows.

Full entry: Hair Bulb Anatomy →

What is a graft?

A graft is a follicular unit taken from the donor area and placed in the thinning area. It holds one to four hairs, rarely more, so 2,000 grafts is roughly 3,600 to 4,600 hairs.

Full entry: How Many Grafts Do I Need? →

What is shock loss?

Shock loss is a temporary shedding phase after a hair transplant, triggered by surgical stress to the scalp and typically starting 2 to 4 weeks after the procedure. The follicles remain healthy beneath the skin, and new growth resumes within 4 to 6 months.

Full entry: Shock Loss →

What is the Norwood scale?

The Norwood scale is the classification most doctors use for male pattern hair loss. It describes the usual ways the loss moves, stage by stage, from Norwood 1 to Norwood 7.

Full entry: Norwood Scale: Stages 1–7 →

Interactive Tools

Find your stage, your hair type and a typical graft range.

Research Digest

New studies, summarized in plain language, with a link to the original paper. Each summary is medically reviewed.

Frontiers in Medicine · 2026

Complications in follicular unit excision hair transplantation: current evidence and practical approaches

Lists complete follicular unit extraction and avoiding transection, cutting through the follicle, as key preventive measures in FUE.

Romera de Blas C, Vega Díez D, Ricart Vayá JM, Gómez Zubiaur A · Cited in: Hair Bulb Anatomy
Biology (Basel) · 2024

Dermal Papilla Cells: From Basic Research to Translational Applications

Describes the main parts of the hair bulb and states that the dermal papilla controls the growth, shape, size and colour of hair.

Zhang HL, Qiu XX, Liao XH · Cited in: Hair Bulb Anatomy
SourcesNumbered in every entry, linked to PubMed, with study type and published corrections shown.
Medical reviewEach entry is reviewed and dated.
Revision historyEvery change is recorded.
Sources & copyrightHow we use sources · Corrections · Editorial policy

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