Outer root sheath

The outer root sheath is particularly important due to the stem cells it contains. These are responsible for the regeneration of hair and skin and can form new cells after injuries. The outer root sheath thus acts as a kind of “biological reserve” that enables the hair follicle to renew itself and go through the hair cycle again and again.

In laser hair removal, the outer root sheath is also not a primary target structure. Although it contains important regenerative stem cells, the matrix and papilla are crucial for permanent hair growth. Nevertheless, the outer root sheath is indirectly damaged by the thermal destruction of these growth centers. Since the stem cells cannot initiate new hair production without impulses from the papilla and without the supply from the matrix, the outer root sheath also loses its function in the long term. In this way, its damage contributes to the permanent cessation of hair growth.