13 surprising facts you probably DIDN'T know about hair
Did you know hair is actually pretty amazing?
For instance, all hair is dead. And the moment a hair is plucked from its follicle, a new one begins to grow.
While you may know how to brush and style it, reading these 10 facts about hair you probably didn’t know about might just help you care for your locks better.
1. Asian hair grows faster
One of the perks of being an Asian is that your hair grows faster than other races, at a rate of 1.3cm a month.
Asian hair also has greater elasticity and is said to be the most elastic of all the races!
That is probably why perms look a lot better on Asian hair than on hair of any other ethnic race.
Perm by Act Point Salon @ Shaw Towers
2. Hair grows faster in warm weather
Heat stimulates circulation, which in turn encourages hair growth.
Hence, those who live in warm climate areas experience a faster hair growth than those who live in cold countries.
This does mean that men would have to go for more frequent haircuts here in Singapore.
Hair tattoos like above also last for a shorter period of time because your hair will grow out faster.
3. Cutting your hair does not encourage faster hair growth
Though a haircut can get rid of split ends and leave your hair looking healthy, contrary to popular belief, it will not make your hair or your baby hair grow faster.
Hair grows from a follicle beneath the scalp, and what you do to the hair on the surface doesn’t affect the hair developing in the follicle.
When shaved hair grows back all at once, it may feel thicker because the blunt ends are all the same length.
Individual hairs go through a cycle of rest and growth, which is why hair left to grow naturally, grows at different lengths.
4. Split ends is also known as “trichoptilosis”
Commonly known as split ends, the scientific term is “trichoptilosis.”
The best way to deal with split ends is basically to trim it off; frequent hair trims are therefore recommended to keep your hair looking healthy. Split ends are also a sign that your hair may be too dry and damaged.
Tokio Inkarami Treatment done at Branche Hair Salon
You may want to go for a regular hair treatment to keep your hair from becoming too damaged as well.
5. Black is the most common natural hair colour
Black is the most common hair colour, followed by brown.
Only 2% of the world’s population have blonde hair and rarest hair colour of all is red.
With hair colouring though, you can stand out from the crowd and choose the colour you think best suits you.
6. Your hair can tell a lot about you except your gender
From drugs to what you have been eating or drinking, your hair can reveal everything that has been in your bloodstream.
The only thing your hair can’t reveal is if you are a male or female, since both genders share the same hair structure.
An analysis of your hair can, therefore, help you understand more about what your hair and your body is lacking!
Result from Hair Tissue Mineral Laboratory Test done at Follicle Salon
From what we know, Follicle Salon is the first hair salon in Singapore offering a Hair Tissue Mineral Laboratory Screening.
This can be particularly useful when deciding on what scalp treatments to go for to alleviate hair loss.
7. Each strand of hair can support up to 100 grams in weight
This means your whole head of hair (an average head has 100,000 to 150,000 strands of hair) could support the weight of not one but two elephants!
Your scalp on the other hand, wouldn’t be able to handle the weight.
For those facing hair thinning problems, we recommend shorter haircuts to take the stress off your scalp.
Read more about short hairstyles you can possibly pull off if you’re intending to go for a haircut soon.
8. Hair can stretch longer when wet
A healthy strand of wet hair can stretch up to 30% of its original length.
9. Hair fall is common, just don’t drop too much
Scalp Treatment at Follicle Salon
A healthy human head loses an average of 50 to 100 strands of hair each day!
However, if you find that your hair is thinning or that bald spots are appearing, it is best to get it looked at by a scalp professional before its too late.
10. Hair is the second fastest growing tissue in the body
Galaxy Hair Colour at Bump Hair Design @ River Valley
Hair grows at around 1cm a month. If you refrain from cutting your hair, it would have grown about 6 inches in a year.
However, the constant use of heated tools and poor hair care management can slow down the growth process.
11. Healthy hair has a long lifespan
Scalp Scan done at Art Noise Japanese Hair Salon
Treat your hair right and a single strand of hair can live between four to seven years.
12. Hair acts as insulators
The rest of our bodies, except our heads, has fat to act as insulating layers. Hence, hair actually protects our head against UV rays!
Hair Colour at Bump Hair Design @ Holland Village
13. Sexy times can accelerate hair growth
If you’re looking to grow your hair, try getting your rocks off regularly. Some psychologists believe that anticipation of sex makes hair grow faster.
The explanation? Sex promotes blood circulation and directs the body’s nervous system to send out impulses and muscular contractions that radiate from sexual organs, sending tingly energy from the tips of your toes to the roots of your hair.
The buzz you feel in your scalp is from the tiny arrector pili muscles located under each and every hair follicle on your hair that contracts in response to change in temperature or altered emotional states like fear or intense pleasure. We’re not sure about the scientific evidence behind this one but it doesn’t hurt to try!
Visit beautyundercover.sg for hair and beauty tips.
