Issue link: https://www.ahpindiestylist.com/i/1547346
28 AHP Indie Stylist Volume 7 Issue 2 INGREDIENT THE WHAT THIS MEANS FOR HAIR FOLLICLES Hair follicles are among the most active structures in the human body. During the anagen (growth) phase, the cells at the base of the follicle divide almost as rapidly as any healthy cell. e hair growth cycle builds fibers and repeats this process, around the clock, for years at a stretch. at makes the follicle a 24-hour factory. It runs nonstop and burns through power, so any dip in the energy supply drastically influences its production. Early lab and animal research suggests that raising local NAD+ levels can nudge resting follicles back into the growth phase and give growing follicles more energy to build stronger strands. ere is a second part of this process that is important to understand. NAD+ helps cells manage oxidative stress, the cellular equivalent of rust. A calmer scalp environment matters because inflamed follicles are more vulnerable to shrinking under DHT, the hormone behind pattern hair loss. e NAD+ Buzz What you should know before it reaches your backbar by Ella Cressman-Sandoval While you section your client's hair, she scrolls on her phone and asks, "Is NAD+ going to grow my hair back?" It's a fair question. ese letters are everywhere right now—on IV drip menus, supplement bottles, and growing shelves of scalp treatments. Let's explore what the NAD+ molecule does, plus language you can hand to any client who asks questions. THE MOLECULE NAD+ stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (the plus sign means we're referring to the oxidized version of NAD that carries a positive charge). What matters more than pronouncing it correctly is knowing how it affects healthy hair. Every cell in the body runs on a fuel called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and the tiny structures that produce it are mitochondria. NAD+ is the rechargeable battery pack mitochondria depend on. It picks up a charge, hands it off, and cycles back to pick up another—thousands of times per second in each cell. Natural NAD+ levels decline as we age, and sun exposure, pollution, and inflammation help drain the supply faster. I'm sure you can relate to a cell phone battery losing its ability to hold a charge the longer you have it. Sure, the phone still works, but it needs a charge by lunchtime. Same with follicular growth efforts: e older and more exposed we are, the less power we have to spare for repair and renewal. UNSPLASH