Fun Facts

HUMAN HAIR

Hair is the only human body part that continually grows, degenerates and miraculously grows again throughout a lifetime. All body hair grows at the same rate but vary in length of growth stage with eyelash short cycle of a month or less while head hair grows for 2-6 years before strands fall out and the follicles rests for three months before growing again. The head has about 100,000 follicles with 85% growing at any one time which equals 1,000 hairs per square inch or about 120,000 total hairs in all. 50-80 of those are shed daily with more flying during the Spring and Fall. Hair grows about 1/2 inch per month (Susan Peery).

Hair color which is in the middle layer is determined by melanin same as eyes and skin which is inherited. Gray hair is the absence of color starting at the hairline and is courser than colored hair. Hair can be straight, wavy, or curly depending on how the hair shaft comes out of the round, oval or flat follicle. Dyes or rinses can color hair but it will be 10% weaker than untreated hair. Brushing does add sheen for it distributes natural oils. Blondes are most numerous at 140,000 while red heads have the least at 90,000. Male baldness is inherited from both sides and triggered by a change in testosterone levels. The high level of estrogen in pregnant woman causes an extended growth phase and prevents the resting phase resulting in thick and luxuriant hair which changes in postpartum causing large hair loss. Hair does not grow after death but the skin and flesh contract making existing hair stick out (UAMS Health).