hair therapy: some fun facts about hair

so it's 4 days into my bad haircut, and undoubtedly, i'm a little obsessed with hair right now. how it grows, how fast it grows, what helps it, what hurts it, etc.

not that i was never interested in these things before, but it seems to have gone into overdrive.

so here are some fun facts about hair that i have found browsing around the internet that i thought you might find interesting...whether or not you are getting over a bad cut. :)

*each human head carries roughly 100,000 hair follicles (more or less of course, depending on your genetics)

*each follicle can grow many hairs over a lifetime: on average, each grows a new hair around twenty times.

*not all these follicles are actively growing hairs at any one time. from the moment when it is first formed, each follicle undergoes repeated cycles of active growth and rest. the length of the cycle varies with the individual, and also with the part of the body on which the hair is growing.

*the hairs on an adult scalp do not grow in unison, as they do in an unborn baby. they are 'out of cycle' with each other. if this were not so, everyone would go temporarily bald from time to time.

*the growing and shedding of hair as a whole seems to happen at random, but for each hair follicle the process is precisely controlled. no one knows for certain, however, exactly how the body controls these cycles.


*vitamin B, also known as panthenol, plays a part in hair growth. it also improves the physical properties (elasticity, strength and gloss) of the hair shaft

*combing is less detrimental than brushing

*correct shampooing will not dry out the hair

*frequent washing does not increase loss of hair

*hair grows faster in warm weather (although i have also read it grows faster in cooler months, so really, who knows?)

*elderly people have slower hair growth and diminished hair density

*cutting hair does not influence its growth

*spliced ends can not be repaired and need to be cut

*wet hair should not be rubbed since hair is very sensitive

*stress can actually worsen dandruff.

*hair is damaged by sun, dirt, and chemicals.

*walking outdoors into cold weather with wet hair can cause freezing and hair to snap. dry it off first!


so many facts, huh? it's quite interesting to read even the silly "old wives tales" that people believe to help hair grow faster (google it to find out for yourself).

hope you're having a fabulous weekend!

xo