Considering that we all have hair on our head it’s surprising how much about hair remains a mystery to most people. Of the surprising hair facts below, how many were you aware of?
- Hair is the second fastest growing tissue in the body (bone marrow is the first).
- Balding only begins to become visible once you’ve lost over 50 percent of the hair on your scalp.
- At any given time, 90 percent of the hairs in your scalp are growing, while the other 10 percent are resting.
- A single strand of hair has approximately a five-year lifespan.
- Hair is one of the most commonly used types of forensic evidence because it contains information about everything that has ever been in your bloodstream, including drugs.
- Human hair is made up mostly of the protein (keratin), the same fundamental building block for the horns, hooves, claws, beaks and feathers of animals.
- The average person loses an astonishing 100 hairs a day from their scalp. These are replaced by 100 new hair strands in those with a full head of hair.
- Human hair is incredibly strong—a strand is actually stronger than copper wire of the same diameter.
- The average person has between 100,000 and 150,000 strands of hair on their head.
- Hair grows faster in the summer months. In cold temperatures, blood is diverted to vital organs. Decreased blood flow to the scalp can result in 10-15% less growth.
- A physics journal from the University of Leicester answered the burning question: Could a grown man really scale Rapunzel’s hair, locked as she was in a tower 70 feet tall? Easily. In fact 100,000 strands would theoretically support 6,062 pounds.
Have more questions? Give my hair restoration practice a call at (619) 825-7386 for a free consultation.