A hair is a hair no matter where!
This is a phrase I heard over and over at school while trying to mentally prepare myself to remove clients unwanted hair. It is fascinating to think that the follicle that grew Xie Qiuping’s over 18ft long hair, and the follicle that grows the tiniest vellus hair on your cheek are the same!
The only difference between hairs is their length, thickness, and color.
Hair is made up of keratin, a protein that is also found in nails and skin. Hair grows from hair follicles, which are small sacs in the skin. The hair follicle is responsible for producing the hair and anchoring it to the skin.
The growth of hair is controlled by hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen. These hormones stimulate the hair follicle to produce hair. The growth of hair also depends on genetics. Some people are genetically predisposed to have more hair than others.
This is a great place to mention that shaving will NOT change how your hair grows. It is physiologically impossible to change the hair follicle by cutting off the top of the hair. So, if you ever shaved and then regretted it thinking you made a huge mistake, take solace in the fact that your hair would have grown exactly the same no matter what!
The color of hair is determined by the amount of melanin, a pigment, in the hair. Melanin is produced by cells in the hair follicle. The more melanin in the hair, the darker the hair will be.
The thickness of hair is also determined by the amount of melanin in the hair. However, the thickness of hair is also influenced by the diameter of the hair follicle. The larger the hair follicle, the thicker the hair will be.
The length of hair is determined by the rate at which the hair grows and the amount of time that the hair remains in the growth phase. The growth phase of hair can last anywhere from 2 to 7 years.
After the growth phase, the hair enters a resting phase, during which it falls out. It can take up to 6 months for the shedding process to complete and a new hair to reach the surface.
So, while there are some differences between hairs, they are all fundamentally the same. A hair is a hair no matter where it is on the body.
