When it comes to defining one’s beauty, hair is one of the most significant things to put into consideration. For the women especially, it’s the best asset one can ever own. It’s right to say that today’s women worship their hair. Currently, most women are willing to do anything to ensure that they achieve the hair of their dreams.
According to renowned celebrities such as Beyoncé and Rihanna, your hair can dictate whether or not you will have a good day. It may sound unbelievable. But, if you cherish your hair, you understand what it means. The amazing thing is that your hair will always be there for you.
However, you need to ask yourself, how much do you know about your hair? The truth is, most people assume that they know everything and it’s wrong. Just because you know what shampoo or style makes your hair beautiful, doesn’t mean you know everything in detail. Without saying much, here are ten incredible facts that you should know about your pretty hair.
Chapter Overview
1. It’s mostly made of keratin
What’s your hair made of? It’s a question that many people find hard to answer. The truth is, your hair is mostly made of keratin. Are you a fan of music festivals, especially those that take place in high schools? Well, the point is, the feathers used during those events are made of the same keratin in your hair. Hence, the next time you see kids dancing with the feathers on their heads, you’ll know that there’s more to that relationship than just being another decoration.
As if that’s not enough, the same protein that makes up your hair is what animals’ hooves and horns are also composed of. Also, the animals’ claws and beaks are made of the same protein contained in your hair. Thus, when you start playing with your cat, have in mind that there is a lot you two share other than love. According to the little science knowledge your, fingernails are made of keratin. As stated earlier, it’s the same protein that makes the most of your hair.
2. Hair grows quicker during the warm seasons
Now and then, you will come across advertisements about products promising to accelerate the rate at which your hair grows. Well, some of those adverts hold positive results while others are an exaggeration. There are many factors to put into consideration when it comes to determining the speed of hair growth.
Weather patterns play a significant role when it comes to determining the rate at which your hair grows. For example, if you live in the cold regions, the chances are that your hair is likely to take a long time to increase by even an inch. Not long ago, a study revealed that human hair grows quicker in the warm seasons as compared to the cold ones. Therefore, if you live in the arctic regions and struggling to grow your hair, a vacation can be of great benefit.
According to hair experts, heat stimulates hair growth. Usually, most of your hair on your scalp is growing. But, the results are often different when you’re getting sunshine daily. The heat from the sun promotes quicker growth of hair. Scientists have proven that your hair is the second fastest growing tissue in your body, and that’s after the bone marrow. Therefore, it shouldn’t take you much time to notice rapid growth during the summer holidays. However, you should put factors such as diet and genetics into consideration when determining the rate of growth. The two play a vital role in determining the speed of growth.
3. Your hair is not alive
Believe it or not, the shiny hair that you see on your head, for example, is already dead. Well, this is one of the facts about hair that many people find hard to believe. It’s hard to think that the locks framing your face are not living. The only hair that is known to be living is the one that is still inside the epidermis of your scalp. The sad thing is that many people are always focused on the hair that they see. It’s advisable also to consider that which is yet to emerge. Therefore, you should put more effort into what you put inside your body as it affects the hair directly.
4. Straight hair is also curly
As stated earlier, your hair plays a vital role when it comes to defining your beauty. The good thing is that the women especially, understand the importance of their hair. Hence, they are willing to do all that is needed to keep their hair on point. In the recent past, there are different hairstyles in the market.
Some styles are meant for short hair while others go well with the long hair. Some even require extensions which is a good thing as it enhances beauty. The terms curled and straight are common in the hair industry. Did you know that there is no such thing as pure straight hair? You’re probably asking yourself how? As your hair grows, it develops twists, and this is what makes it curly or straight. Curled hair has more twists as compared to the straight hair. It’s the twists that force the hair to contract on itself and hence becoming curled. Therefore, you should always bare in mind that all hair has twists, even correctly done straight hair.
5. Shaving does not dictate how fast your hair will grow
Every now and then, you will come across information over the internet regarding how you can promote faster growth of your hair. The truth is, most of these articles you find online aren’t straightforward. Most of these blogs insist that cutting of hair accelerates the speed at which your hair will grow. As a result, such blogs have made individuals believe in the statement.
Unfortunately, it’s not correct. Cutting your hair doesn’t have anything to do with the rate of growth. Don’t go losing your glamorous hair to an unproven tip. Remember, waiting for your hair to grow back into the previous size can take much time. Hence, don’t fall a victim of the lie. Cutting of the hair is recommended for individuals with split ends. Split ends stop the hair from growing. Therefore, whenever they appear, it’s advisable to give your hair a cut for a fresh start.
Also, you may cut your hair if you’ve dandruff or other issues that may interfere with the growth of your hair. Shaving your hair allows you to monitor the problem efficiently, allowing for healthy hair to grow back.
6. Hair can stretch up to 30 percent of its original length
How long can one’s hair stretch? This is a question that you will find many people asking. If you’re the curious type, probably you’ve already tried pulling your hair to see how far it can go. Some individuals are scared of pulling the hair because they think it can get damaged.
Well, your hair is very elastic. You can stretch it and then return it to its original length without experiencing any form of damage. After a shower, it’s evident that your hair can extend by up to 30 percent of its original length without any injuries. It’s this property that surprises most women when they actually see how long their hair is after taking a shower. However, they end up being disappointed after a blow-dry session when the hair shrinks to its original state.
While on the elasticity topic, you should have in mind that wet hair is weak and breaks easily as compared to dry hair. Therefore, wet hair should be handled with extra care. Not long ago, a study showed that the color of your hair has an impact on its elasticity. That is, the lighter the color, the more elastic your hair can be and vice versa.
7. You lose about 100 strands of hair daily
More often than not, you may notice pieces of hair on your bathing soap or hairbrush. The experience can be scary, especially when the hair loss appears to be a lot. Losing hair has been associated with severe diseases. That’s why, whenever one notices the hair in the bathroom after taking a shower, he or she ends up worried to the point of consulting a doctor.
You shouldn’t be scared at all. Health experts say that a normal human being loses about 50 to 150 hairs in a single day. Hence, the two pieces of hair you notice on your hairbrush shouldn’t be a bother. There is no way all your hair can fall off. Unless you’re suffering from a severe disease. Whenever your hair falls, a new one starts growing back immediately.
8. A single strand of hair can hold about 100 grams of weight
Often, you’re scared of adding accessories to your hairstyle because you assume they can damage your hair. However, do you ever stop to wonder how much weight your hair can hold? Most likely, no. Believe it or not, a single strand of your hair can hold up to 100 grams of weight. It sounds impossible, but it’s a proven fact.
On average, a human is said to have between 100000 and 150000 strands of hair on the head. That’s regardless of age or gender. The funny thing is that your entire head can support the weight of two elephants. However, don’t go trying to lift the two elephants. You should have in mind that it’s the hair that is capable of handling the load and not your scalp. So, don’t go damaging your head to prove a point. Therefore, when introducing a new hairstyle, don’t be too scared about the weight. Despite, your hair being delicate, it can handle the pressure of most hair accessories.
9. Your hair can tell what you have been putting in your body
Most likely, you’ve seen forensic scientists using hair to investigate crimes in movies. At first, it may seem like fiction. But, the truth is, a single strand of your hair can give much information about you than you could ever imagine. Your hair is your true friend. Meaning, it keeps a record of everything that you’ve been up to.
Did you know that your hair has information about anything that has ever floated through your bloodstream? That sounds a bit scary. But, it’s a proven fact. Yes, that single strand of your hair can tell whether you’ve been taking alcohol. Aside from that, it can also reveal a lot about your diet. Also, your hair can show the various lifestyle choices you have made.
It’s for this reason that forensic scientists use the hair to extract evidence during investigations, like cases that revolve around illicit drugs. Therefore, if you have been involved in some cheeky behavior, be sure that your hair is keeping some evidence. The sad thing is that there is nothing you can do to erase the data. Once stored, the information remains there forever.
10. A single strand can live up to seven years
Last but not the least is the lifespan of your hair. Have you ever taken a moment of your time to imagine how long a single piece of hair can live? Most likely, the idea itself has never crossed your mind. As stated earlier, the hair that you see on your head is dead. But, that doesn’t have a thing to do with the lifespan of your hair.
On average, a single strand is expected to have a lifespan of between four and seven years. The lifespan is dependent on many factors among them is how you treat your hair and your diet. If you treat it right, it can live up to seven years. The exciting thing is that whenever a hair reaches the end of its life, you can pluck it out and feel no pain at all.
For the women especially, hair is one of the best assets they can ever own. Today, they are willing to spend even millions on hair products. After all, hair is vital when it comes to defining one’s beauty. Therefore, it deserves some tender care. How much do you know about your glamorous hair? It’s a question that many people think they know the answer to, but end up being surprised. Listed in this article are ten fun facts about your hair that you probably didn’t know. Read through each one of them to understand that knowing your hair isn’t all about the shampoo you use or the style that keeps it fancy.