Cuticle, Cortex & Medulla: How to Truly Repair Damaged Hair

Cuticle, Cortex & Medulla: The Complete Guide to Hair Structure, Repair, and Care

If you’ve ever wondered why your hair feels rough, breaks easily, or never seems to grow past a certain length, the answer lies in understanding your hair’s structure. Each strand is a complex fibre with three main layers — the cuticle, cortex, and medulla. Together, these determine the strength, shine, texture, and resilience of your hair.

In this guide, we’ll explore exactly what each layer does, what happens when it’s damaged, and — most importantly — how Velura Hair Oil repairs and protects the parts of your hair that can be restored. We’ll also cover why regular trims are non-negotiable, and why silicone-based products can never achieve the same long-term results as our plant-powered blend.

 

Understanding Hair from the Inside Out

Before we dive into each layer, it’s important to understand one key fact: hair is non-living tissue once it leaves the scalp. That means it can’t “heal” in the way skin does. Instead, when we talk about repairing hair, we’re really talking about restoring its function, strength, and smoothness by reinforcing its structure and reducing further damage.

 

1. The Cuticle – The Hair’s Protective Shield

The cuticle is your hair’s first line of defence — a tough, outer coating made of overlapping keratin scales, much like roof shingles.

 

🌟What a Healthy Cuticle Does:

• Seals in Moisture: When flat and smooth, the cuticle traps hydration inside the cortex.
• Reflects Light: A smooth surface gives natural shine.
• Protects from Damage: Shields the cortex from UV rays, pollution, heat, and mechanical wear.

🌟How the Cuticle Gets Damaged:

• Heat styling without protection.
• Chemical processing (bleaching, colouring, perming).
• Sun exposure and environmental stress.
• Rough handling — aggressive brushing or towel drying.

🌟Why the Cuticle Can Be Repaired:

Cuticle damage is surface-level. By filling microscopic cracks, smoothing lifted scales, and adding a flexible protective layer, we can restore smoothness, reduce friction, and lock in moisture.

✨Velura’s Cuticle-Repairing Oils✨

• Argan Oil – Rich in vitamin E and fatty acids to smooth scales, tame frizz, and add a reflective shine.
• Jojoba Oil – Mimics natural scalp sebum to keep cuticle layers lying flat.
• Olive Oil – Contains squalene for lubrication and softness.
• Castor Oil – Forms a barrier to lock in hydration and prevent further lifting.

 

 

 

2. The Cortex – Your Hair’s Strength, Elasticity & Colour

The cortex is the thickest layer of the hair shaft and makes up the bulk of its mass. It’s responsible for hair’s strength, elasticity, and natural colour.

 

 

🌟What a Healthy Cortex Does:

 

• Provides Strength: Keratin protein chains and disulfide bonds give the hair its resilience.
• Gives Flexibility: The right moisture-protein balance keeps hair bendable without snapping.
• Holds Colour: Pigments are stored in the cortex, giving hair its natural shade.

🌟How the Cortex Gets Damaged:

• Bleach and chemical dyes that break protein bonds.
• Heat tools that weaken keratin structure.
• Long-term UV exposure.
• Protein loss from harsh shampoos or environmental wear.

 

🌟Why the Cortex Can Be Repaired:

While broken protein chains can’t be regrown, we can reinforce and protect the remaining structure by delivering penetrating oils that rehydrate, fill gaps, and reduce protein loss.

✨Velura’s Cortex-Repairing Oils✨

• Avocado Oil – High in oleic acid and monounsaturated fats for deep penetration and hydration.
• Argan Oil – Strengthens weakened keratin bonds and restores flexibility.
• Jojoba Oil – Fills internal gaps for improved structural integrity.
• Castor Oil – Boosts tensile strength, helping hair resist snapping.

 

 

 

3. The Medulla – The Irreparable Core

At the very centre of some hair strands lies the medulla — a soft or hollow core not found in every hair type. It plays less of a role in strength, but when it splits, it signals complete structural failure of that strand.

🌟Why the Medulla Can’t Be Repaired:

Once the medulla splits, the hair fibre has physically torn apart. No product can fuse it back together. If left untrimmed, the split moves upward into the cortex and cuticle, causing more breakage.

Solution: Regular trims every 6–8 weeks to remove split ends before they travel further.

 

Why Silicone-Based Products Can’t Repair Hair

Silicones give instant smoothness and shine by coating the outside of the hair with a slick, plastic-like layer.

• What they do: Smooth the cuticle temporarily, reduce friction, and make hair look healthy.
• Why they can’t repair: They do not penetrate into the cortex, so they can’t strengthen or restore elasticity from within. Heavy build-up from non-water-soluble silicones can even block nourishing oils from entering the hair shaft.

✨ Why Velura Hair Oil Can Repair Hair ✨

Velura is 100% silicone-free and made with carefully chosen plant oils that penetrate the hair shaft instead of just coating it.

• Deep Penetration into the Cortex: Avocado, argan, and jojoba oils have small enough molecules to absorb into the cortex, delivering fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants that strengthen and restore flexibility.
• Smoothing and Protecting the Cuticle: Castor, olive, and argan oils fill in lifted scales, sealing the surface to lock in moisture and protect the cortex beneath.
• Long-Term Results: Velura works from the inside out, meaning results last longer and build over time — unlike silicones that wash away and leave hair as damaged as before.

 

 

 

Pro Haircare Tips to Maximise Velura’s Results

1. Use Heat Protection: Even natural oils can’t reverse extreme heat damage — prevention is key.
2. Gentle Detangling: Start from the ends and work upward to avoid stress on the cortex and cuticle.
3. Avoid Over-Washing: Frequent shampooing strips natural oils that protect the cuticle.
4. Protect from the Sun: UV damage affects both cuticle and cortex integrity.
5. Feed Hair from Within: A diet rich in healthy fats, vitamins, and proteins supports hair growth at the follicle level.

 

 

 

The Velura Repair & Protect Routine

 

1. Weekly Scalp Oil Treatment: Massage Velura into the scalp and lengths before washing to nourish follicles, strengthen new growth, and hydrate mid-lengths.
2. Daily Finishing Oil: Apply a few drops to dry hair to smooth cuticles, protect from friction, and add instant shine.
3. Regular Trims: Every 6–8 weeks to remove split medullas.