| Hair |
| Karen Marie Shelton |
| Revised Date: 01/17/07 - Original Publication Date: 6/23/00 |
Introduction
What is hair? Depending on which modern expert you ask,
hair may or may not be a dead substance. Most experts
would agree that hair is a type of fiber consisting of cells
(dead or not) that grows from hair follicles and projects through
the skin and is found on humans as well as all mammals.
Although sometimes referred to as hair, the covering
on non-mammal and human species are referred to as fur.
Insects and spiders may appear to have a form of hair
but in reality it is known as insect bristles.
Some forms of cats, dogs, mice and rats have no fur
or "hair at all".
Keratin are proteins which are a primary part of the
cells in the epidermis, hair, nails, feathers, hooves,
horny tissues and the enamel of teeth.
Different Types of Hair
Hair grows in multiple places on the human body. These
different types of hair are defined as:
Terminal Hair: Hair that is fully developed.
Vellus Hair: Short, fine almost invisible hair known as
"peach fuzz" that grows all over the human body for both males and
females.
Lanugo: Very fine hair that if found covering the body
of unborn human fetuses.
Body Hair
Although several theories exist about the development
of hair covering the human body, no absolute record of
the beginnings of human hair exist today. There
are lots of expert opinions but no exact timeline of
when human hair evolved to its current condition.
Men and women of all ages and races have been
concerned about their hair since the beginning of time.
Hair has always held great social significance for
all societies. Whether it is right or wrong,
politically correct or not, people judge other people by
the length and style of your hair.
Biologically hair offers protection to the human body
by holding in heat in the winter and keeping your head
cool in the summer. It is also designed to protect
against the elements.
Hair that grows in the nose and ears keeps foreign
bodies from invading. Hair growth under the arms
and in the pubic regions are designed to protect the
body from friction of any kind.
The Official Study Of Hair
Many people study all aspects of hair. The
study of hair is known as trichology and experts are
referred to as trichologists.
Professionals who study hair in order to cut and
style it as known as cosmetologists or barbers. |