https://phys.org/news/2025-12-human-hair.html
Phys.org
Topics
* Week's top
* Latest news
* Unread news
* Subscribe
[ ]
Science X Account
[ ]
[ ]
Sign In
Sign in with
Forget Password?
Not a member? Sign up
Learn more
* Nanotechnology
* Physics
* Earth
* Astronomy & Space
* Chemistry
* Biology
* Other Sciences
* Medical Xpress Medicine
* Tech Xplore Technology
*
* share this!
*
58
*
Tweet
*
Share
*
Email
1. Home
2. Biology
3. Cell & Microbiology
1. Home
2. Biology
3. Molecular & Computational biology
*
*
*
---------------------------------------------------------------------
December 4, 2025
The GIST
Human hair grows through 'pulling' not pushing, study shows
by Queen Mary, University of London
Editors' notes
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial
process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following
attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
fact-checked
peer-reviewed publication
trusted source
proofread
Human hair grows through 'pulling' not pushing The hair follicle
organization and the multiphoton setup for live-imaging of human hair
follicles. Credit: Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/
s41467-025-65143-x
Scientists have found that human hair growth does not grow by being
pushed out of the root; it's actually pulled upward by a force
associated with a hidden network of moving cells. The findings
challenge decades of textbook biology and could reshape how
researchers think about hair loss and regeneration.
The team, from L'Oreal Research & Innovation and Queen Mary
University of London, used advanced 3D live imaging to track
individual cells within living human hair follicles kept alive in
culture. The study, published in Nature Communications, shows that
cells in the outer root sheath--a layer encasing the hair shaft--move
in a spiral downward path within the same region from where the
upward pulling force originates.
Dr. Ines Sequeira, Reader in Oral and Skin Biology at Queen Mary and
one of the lead authors, said, "Our results reveal a fascinating
choreography inside the hair follicle. For decades, it was assumed
that hair was pushed out by the dividing cells in the hair bulb. We
found that instead that it's actively being pulled upwards by
surrounding tissue acting almost like a tiny motor."
To test this, the researchers blocked cell division inside the
follicle, expecting hair growth to stop. Instead, growth continued
nearly unchanged. But when they interfere with actin--a protein that
enables cells to contract and move--the hair growth rate dropped by
more than 80%.
Computer models confirmed that this pulling force, correlated with
coordinated motion in the follicle's outer layers, was essential to
match the observed speeds of hair movement.
Dr. Nicolas Tissot, the first author, from L'Oreal's Advanced
Research team said, "We use a novel imaging method allowing 3D time
lapse microscopy in real-time. While static images provide mere
isolated snapshots, 3D time-lapse microscopy is indispensable for
truly unraveling the intricate, dynamic biological processes within
the hair follicle, revealing crucial cellular kinetics, migratory
patterns, and rate of cell divisions that are otherwise impossible to
deduce from discrete observations. This approach made it possible to
model the forces generated locally."
Dr. Thomas Bornschlogl, another lead author, from the same L'Oreal
team adds, "This reveals that hair growth is not driven only by cell
division--instead, the outer root sheath actively pulls the hair
upward. This new view of follicle mechanics opens fresh opportunities
for studying hair disorders, testing drugs and advancing tissue
engineering and regenerative medicine."
While the research was carried out on human follicles in lab culture,
it offers new clues from hair science and regenerative medicine. The
team believes that understanding these mechanical forces could help
design treatments that target the follicle's physical as well as
biochemical environment. Furthermore, the imaging technique developed
will allow live testing of different drugs and treatments.
The study also highlights the growing role of biophysics in biology,
showing how mechanical forces at microscopic scale shape the organs
we see every day.
More information: Nicolas Tissot et al, Mapping cell dynamics in
human ex vivo hair follicles suggests pulling mechanism of hair
growth, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65143-x
Journal information: Nature Communications
Provided by Queen Mary, University of London
Citation: Human hair grows through 'pulling' not pushing, study shows
(2025, December 4) retrieved 4 December 2025 from https://phys.org/
news/2025-12-human-hair.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing
for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be
reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided
for information purposes only.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Explore further
Epithelial stem cell ancestors for hair follicle formation
---------------------------------------------------------------------
58 shares
*
Facebook
*
Twitter
*
Email
Feedback to editors
* Featured
* Last Comments
* Popular
Silver nanoparticles built on viral biotemplate kill more bacteria
and slow resistance rise
6 hours ago
0
CERN's ATLAS detects evidence for decay of Higgs boson into
muon-antimuon pair
6 hours ago
0
Glaciers speed up and slow down at predictable times according to the
first global map of ice movement
8 hours ago
0
Earlier ultra-relativistic freeze-out could revive a decades-old
theory for dark matter
9 hours ago
0
A solid-state quantum processor based on nuclear spins
9 hours ago
0
---------------------------------------------------------------------
[gif]
Space debris poses growing threat, but new study suggests cleanup is
feasible
1 hour ago
[gif]
Quantum technology moves from lab to life, but widespread use remains
years away
1 hour ago
[gif]
A new look at TRAPPIST-1e, an Earth-sized, habitable-zone exoplanet
1 hour ago
[gif]
Astrophysicists test a new piece of the sky to probe dark matter and
dark energy
1 hour ago
[gif]
New massive duck-billed dinosaur species identified
1 hour ago
[gif]
Lightning channels reveal hidden bursts: Lateral negative
re-discharges observed for first time
2 hours ago
[gif]
Frequent flares from TRAPPIST-1 could impact habitability of nearby
planets
2 hours ago
[gif]
High-energy-density barocaloric material could enable smaller,
lighter solid-state cooling devices
3 hours ago
[gif]
NASA completes Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope construction
3 hours ago
[gif]
Cracking the code of why and when some choose to 'self-handicap'
3 hours ago
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Relevant PhysicsForums posts
Influenza A H5, an avian flu, first time in a human
Nov 30, 2025
Magnetoreception in Animals
Nov 30, 2025
PFAS and Power Lines Cause Cancer?
Nov 25, 2025
Viral (RNA and DNA) polymerases, inhibitors and antiviral drugs
Nov 17, 2025
Mold in Plastic Water Bottles? What does it eat?
Nov 10, 2025
Who knows if Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome is real or not?
Nov 10, 2025
More from Biology and Medical
---------------------------------------------------------------------
* Related Stories
[gif]
Epithelial stem cell ancestors for hair follicle formation
Feb 20, 2025
[gif]
How hair follicles sense their environment
Jun 17, 2025
[gif]
Softening stiff hair follicle stem cells with a microRNA regrows
hair
Jun 5, 2023
[gif]
New study reveals protector protein that supports hair regrowth
in adults
Mar 29, 2025
[gif]
Researchers reveal hidden sensory mechanism of hair follicles
Oct 27, 2023
[gif]
Fully mature hair follicles grown in cultures
Oct 21, 2022
* Recommended for you
[gif]
New statistical tools sharpen the search for causal DNA changes
in livestock
3 hours ago
[gif]
Scientists capture first detailed look inside droplet-like
structures of compacted DNA
4 hours ago
[gif]
New molecular view of cholera 'tail' could inform better
treatment
6 hours ago
[gif]
The microbiome of an entire country mapped for the first time
8 hours ago
[gif]
Receptor with 'rubber band' paves way for new pain and cancer
drugs
8 hours ago
[gif]
For the first time, researchers observe how influenza viruses
infect living cells
9 hours ago
Load comments (3)
Get Instant Summarized Text (Gist)
Human hair growth is driven by an upward pulling force generated by
coordinated cell movement in the follicle's outer root sheath, rather
than by pushing from cell division at the root. Blocking cell
division did not halt growth, but disrupting actin-dependent cell
movement reduced growth by over 80%. These findings revise the
understanding of hair growth mechanisms and may inform new approaches
to hair loss treatment.
This summary was automatically generated using LLM. Full disclaimer
Let us know if there is a problem with our content
Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would
like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For
general inquiries, please use our contact form. For general feedback,
use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines).
Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing
of your request
[-- please select one -- ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
Your message to the editors [ ]
Your email (optional, only if you'd like a response)
[ ]
Send Feedback
Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors.
Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee
individual replies due to the high volume of messages.
E-mail the story
Human hair grows through 'pulling' not pushing, study shows
Your friend's email [ ]
Your email [ ]
[ ] I would like to subscribe to Science X Newsletter. Learn more
Your name [ ]
Note
Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent
the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be
used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in
your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form.
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
Your message [ ]
Send
Newsletter sign up
Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can
unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third
parties.
[ ]
Subscribe
More information Privacy policy
Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience
We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting
Science X's mission by getting a premium account.
Remove ads
Maybe later
Medical Xpress
Medical Xpress
Medical research advances and health news
Tech Xplore
Tech Xplore
The latest engineering, electronics and technology advances
Science X
Science X
The most comprehensive sci-tech news coverage on the web
Newsletters
[ ]
Subscribe
Science X Daily and the Weekly Email Newsletter are free features
that allow you to receive your favorite sci-tech news updates in your
email inbox
Follow us
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* Top
* Home
* Search
* Mobile version
* Help
* FAQ
* About
* Contact
* Support us
* Science X Account
* Archive
* News wire
* Android app
* iOS app
* RSS feeds
* Push notification
(c) Phys.org 2003 - 2025 powered by Science X Network
Privacy policy Terms of use
E-mail newsletter
[ ]
Subscribe
Follow us
*
*
*
*
It appears that you are currently using Ad Blocking software. What
are the consequences? x
Quantcast