Did you know that hair can tell a lot about a person? For example, looking at the hair of your friend, you can find out what he eats, whether he has bad habits and where he comes from. Moreover, hair can predict disease!
You will learn interesting facts about human hair from this article.
About hair color
The color of your hair directly depends on a pigment called melanin, which is contained in the hair. This pigment can be of two types: pheomelanin and eumelanin. Both types of melanin are present in human hair, but in different amounts. If eumelanin predominates, then the hair can acquire a black, brown or any other dark shade. If this pigment is not enough, then the hair acquires a light color.
Theomelanin is extremely rare, only in 3% of the population. This pigment contributes to the appearance of a red shade of hair. By the way, before people with fiery hair color were ranked as a group of aliens who arrived on our planet from other worlds. Surprisingly, it is people with red hair who become talented politicians and businessmen.
Hairline
If we compare the density of the hair of a chimpanzee and humans, we can conclude that it is exactly the same. As an experiment, take a magnifier and examine your body. You will find that you are completely covered with small, barely noticeable hairs. The skin just seems clean. In fact, we are as hairy as monkeys.
If we talk about visible hair on the head, then blondes have the thickest hair, followed by brunettes. The last place is occupied by brown-haired women. Although, this rating is only tentative. Often, the density of the hair is affected by the environment, climate, nutrition, lifestyle and genetics.
Hair color and nationality
Blondes are easier to meet in Russia, Germany, the UK, Sweden, Poland and other countries where representatives of the Caucasian race live.
On the southern continent (for example, in Africa) it is quite problematic to meet a person with blond hair. The only exceptions are the settlers of some Pacific islands and natives from New Guinea.
In a southern country you can meet an albino man with light hair, eyebrows and eyelashes. This phenomenon is associated with a genetic mutation.
A little about gray hair
It's no secret that over the years a person turns gray. Many believe that this is due to the withering of the body and the experiences that a person experienced during his life. This is not entirely true. The cause of the appearance of gray hair is a weakening of pigmentation and wear of hair follicles. By the way, red hair does not acquire a white shade for a long time - it has a sandy color for a long time.
Some peoples believe that gray hair symbolizes wisdom and great life experience. It is for this reason that in England, in the Victorian era, young women made jewelry from the gray hair of their dead grandmothers and mothers. English ladies believed that this would help them protect themselves from naivety and stupidity.
Incidentally, the appearance of gray hair is influenced by a person’s race. For example, Africans and Asians begin to turn gray about 50 years old, while Hispanics at 34 years old.
Hair Growth
Hair grows fast. Faster than them, only bone marrow grows in the body. Here is one interesting fact about the hair of women and men. Studies have shown that hair in representatives of the strong half of humanity grows much faster than in women. And the hair density in men is much higher than that of women.
There is an opinion that frequent cutting of hair affects their growth - the more often you cut, the faster new curls grow. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Haircut does not affect hair growth.
Numerous studies have shown that the structure, density and length of hair depends on the level of hormones and heredity. But where did the myth come from, that cutting hair speeds up hair growth? Everything is very simple. Hair begins to shave when the baby is one year old. At an early age, a person has blond hair and soft hair. If they are shaved, then darker and stiff hair begins to grow.
By the way, Asians grow hair much faster than representatives of other races. But the inhabitants of southern countries can not boast of rapid hair growth.
Interesting facts about hair on the head in numbers
Here are some interesting facts to know:
- one strand of hair lives for about 6 years;
- hair thickness - about 0.03 mm;
- about 50 hairs in one strand millimeter thick;
- on the head an average of 100 thousand hairs;
- one hair can hold weight up to 100 grams;
- a pile of hair can hold 11 tons (these are two elephants!);
- daily 89% of hair grows on the head, and the remaining 11% "rest";
- hair grows 15 centimeters per year (this is 1-1.5 cm per month and 0.5 mm per day).
Custom hair applications
In 2007, an oil leak occurred in San Francisco. A group of volunteers came to the conclusion that to clean the beach you need to use a mesh of human hair. Material for nets volunteers provided local hairdressers.
Team leader Phil McCroero claimed that the otters were saved by precisely this method during a similar environmental disaster in 1989. As it turned out, human hair is a wonderful oil absorbent.
Here's another interesting fact about hair. Those who professionally grow oyster mushrooms have found application in their hair. They fertilize the mushrooms with chopped strands - this helps to remove technical fats from the soil.
The Chinese company Hongshuai did not stand aside and found another way to use hair. Hongshuai soy sauces contain amino acids that are derived from human hair.
Hair loss
It is considered normal to lose up to 100 hair daily. Children lose about 90 hairs per day, and people of advanced age lose about 120 hairs.
What affects hair loss?
- Race. For example, Asians are less prone to baldness, but bald Europeans and Africans are many.
- Iron deficiency and thyroid imbalance. With the elimination of these causes of baldness, hair growth resumes.
- Hormonal imbalance. This cause of hair loss is also reversible.
- Heredity. The tendency to baldness can be inherited from both parents.
In custody
You read some interesting facts about hair. Now you know that the amount of gray hair is not affected by rich life experience, and frequent trips to the hairdresser will not affect the structure of your hair.
Take care of your hair and it will be healthy for many years.