What is Hair: Definition and 133 Discussions

Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals.
The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and fine vellus hair. Most common interest in hair is focused on hair growth, hair types, and hair care, but hair is also an important biomaterial primarily composed of protein, notably alpha-keratin.
Attitudes towards different forms of hair, such as hairstyles and hair removal, vary widely across different cultures and historical periods, but it is often used to indicate a person's personal beliefs or social position, such as their age, sex, or religion.

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  1. R

    Long Hair OK in Medical Physics?

    Hey all, Just wondering if anyone happens to know whether long hair on a man (tied neatly in a ponytail) is acceptable to hospitals and clinics if you are going to be working there as a clinical medical physicist. I myself have long hair and I knew it wouldn't be an issue while I was planning...
  2. E

    Understanding and Managing Curly Hair: The Role of Hair Bulb Shape

    My hair is so curly, and I hate it so much.:frown: I wouldn't mind if it was wavy but it's curls a like 1cm length. And when dry it's especially hideous. I did a little research and found out that in curly hair the hair bulb inside the scalp is hook shaped, and in straight hair it's straight...
  3. G

    Why is my eyebrow healthier than my head hair?

    I noticed that my eye brow hair is substantially smoother,softer and healthier overall than my head hair? I know that part of the answer is that we touch and mess with head hair more but there must be another reason - at the molecular level. And is it possible to make my head hair as healthy?
  4. S

    Piece of hair imbed in her cornea

    I just got a call from my mother at the optomitrest. Apparently my sister has a piece of hair imbed in her cornea. I am just curious if anyone knows how bad this is. Shes going to the hospital because they couldn't get it out at the Eye doctors... Im getting a little nervous...:frown:
  5. P

    Is Daily Shampooing and Showering Causing Hair Loss?

    Hey, I thought I'd ask about this over here, since you guys are pretty knowledgeable... I've heard a lot about possible causes for hairloss, e.g. putting shampoo on your hair every day or even hair gel. Does anyone know of exactly what (other than genetics) could cause hairloss? I've been...
  6. T

    Exploring the Physics Behind Wet Hair in the Shower

    i noticed something interesting while i was in the shower, my hair was all wet, since i was showering... and i noticed that the "water pillars" falling from my head was fluent, and at a certain distance from my head, it began turning to drops, and the distance between the drops rises as we go...
  7. S

    Learn the Science Behind Human Hair and Its Unique Properties

    why when you cross the 2 hairs http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/8223/image15dz.png the moment you try to break them up, you would see like they are "somehow connected", is that "static electric" ?
  8. Evo

    Murdered Bog Men Found With Hair Gel, Manicured Nails

    Murdered "Bog Men" Found With Hair Gel, Manicured Nails The picture of the guy with the hair gel is really attractive. So poofy hair was "in" 2,000 years ago. "Male grooming has an ancient history in Ireland, if the savagely murdered bodies of two ancient "bog men" are anything to go by...
  9. Mk

    I just looked at my hair in the mirror

    It was really shinny. Is shinny hair good? A take on this from the ladies would be good.
  10. Pengwuino

    Why do people have hair on their arms/legs?

    Why do people have hair on their arms/legs? And why does it only seem to grow on half your arm?
  11. Mk

    Is Grey the New Sexy? Exploring the Attractiveness of Grey Hair

    What do you think? Can grey hair be attractive? How many of you guys dye your hair?
  12. N

    Metal hair brush to reduce static electricity

    When I comb my hair a few hair stick up some times due to static electricity. I was wondering if I used a comb made of some highly conductive metal like copper, would I not get the static electricity in my hair? When I comb my hair with the plastic brush, isn't the reason that my hair gets...
  13. DaveC426913

    Is Norton AV Putting My Computer at Risk?

    I do not understand this program. When it finishes its scan, it's going to list a bunch of threats, some it will have purged, most it will have failed. And it will give me two choices: Skip - do not bother doing anything about these files Exclude - do not bother checking these files again...
  14. matthyaouw

    The Curious Case of Hair Growth: Evo & Physiological Reasons

    Why does the hair on our bodies (much like the hair on animals) grow to a certain point, then fall out/stop, but the hair on our heads seems to grow indefinately? Do any other wild animals have hair that can grow forever? I'm not only interested in why it grows in physical terms, but...
  15. H

    How to Stop Unwanted Hair Growth Without Side Effects

    I know hair grows from skin, and about 0.5-1.5 inchs long. do u no any way to stop hair growning. any way that is not harmfull or has side effects now and forever. -------------------- Ok, truthly, I have lot os hair on my body, and it seems like growing more and more. I just want to waer...
  16. JasonRox

    What is your preference: Long Hair or Short Hair for Guys?

    Guys can post on the poll. It is separated so we know what guys and girls think. I'm a guy and I think we should have short hair. I have long hair myself, which goes past my eyebrows. I personally want it to reach the bottom of my eyes. I really like short hair, but long hair feels good...
  17. S

    Anyone else have weird body hair?

    Okay this is weird. I have the hairiest legs out of everyone I know my age, yet my chest and back are as bare as a baby's bottom (with the exception of a small patch directly below my belly button - oh and a few around my nipples). I also have the fastest growing, curliest head of hair...
  18. B

    Sometimes my foot and ankle hair pokes through my socks

    Sometimes my foot and ankle hair pokes through my socks. The socks don't have holes. The hairs just make their way through the knitting.
  19. B

    Causes of Natural Multicolored Hair

    What causes natural multicolored hair? For example, I have dark brown hair on my head, a dark brown beard that also has orange places, a blonde moustache, and a pure white tuft of hair beneath my lower lip.
  20. C

    Hair Curler Surface Calculation with Calculus

    This isn't homework. It's maths curiosity. I have a hair curler set. The curlers are spool shape, 3 inches long, 1/2 inch diameter ends, 3/8 inch at the middle. The surface is a surface of revolution. The curve generating the surface is a circular arc, concave on the curler. Assume a smooth...
  21. ShawnD

    Cologne & Hair: Smells That Stick & Effects

    Smells tend to stick to hair. If a person smokes cigarettes, you can smell it in their hair. If a person smokes weed, you can smell it in their hair. When somebody gets sprayed by a skunk, the smell stays in their hair the longest. If smells stay in hair, would it be a good idea to put a...
  22. T

    Running out of hair to yank out (tension)

    I've been stuck on this problem all weekend. yes, all weekend. no partying, no hanging, no general fun of any kind. What's so frustrating about this is that i just can't seem to get it started. A sedan rolled off the road and needs to be towed. In order to get the car on the tow bed, it is...
  23. A

    Denatonium Benzoate & Hair Staining Properties

    Hi all can anybody help me how to get acid fast dyes like Denatonium benzoate And Denatonium benzoate have any property to stain human hair on application ? pls advice
  24. ShawnD

    Can I make my hair grow faster?

    Since I got my hair cut a few weeks ago, I've been getting less attention from girls, and I've lost my zen. I need my hair back! Any way?
  25. C

    What determines our hair color?

    I woould like to know what determines our hair color ? Its not only on my head, but even on my face, chin-cheeks (beard), my arms, my body, that that color is is not brown, there are quite a lot of (yellow+red=orange) hairs growing. I was born to have brown hair, differing from my parents and...
  26. T

    What Determines Hair Color and Why Do Black People Have Different Hair Styles?

    Hair color -- Curiousity i have just learned from my biology class that Sulfur plays an important role hair structure, but I am still looking for (an) answers to what makes people's hair colors different. By the way, can you tell me as to why black people have different hair style - so black...
  27. wasteofo2

    When exposed to the sun, why does your skin darken but your hair lighten?

    I know that when your skin is exposed to a lot of sunlight it turns darker in order to try to absorb some of the light's energy, which can help avoid burns, but why does your hair become blonde?
  28. R

    Why does your hair turn grey ?

    "Why does your hair turn grey"? What is the chemical process which, changes your natural hair color to grey? Why gray and not red or blue? :confused:
  29. D

    Probability on hair growth question

    There is a problem (the solution should use limit probability statements): One medical company invented some pills that should accelerate the growth of hair. The company wanted to try the pills on people - and so 2 groups of volunteers (each had 100 persons) were chosen to participate in the...
  30. S

    What mechanism does it make hair dye product works on hair?

    I want to know what mechanism does it make hair dye product works on hair? Does it work only by coating on the hair surface or any special alteration of the bonding in hair? and beside I want to ask there are products on the market such as "hot rod" which by means of electricity turn into...
  31. M

    So I'm about to tear my hair out

    So far I have done 14 out of 15 questions on the LAST problem set of the semester. I am stuck on one question, and no matter what I try, it won't accept my answer (the problem set is electronic). Here is the problem: "A galvanic cell consists of a Pt cathode inmmersed in a solution...
  32. K

    Why people have hair in general

    First of all, I want to know why people have hair in general, warmth and protection come to mind, specifically on the head. I would also like to ask someone to adress the weirdest place, IMHO, to have hair; that being pubic hair. I can't think of one good reason why males and females alike have...
  33. E

    How to make everyday a good hair day.

    The other as I was disrobing from my cleanroom garb, I noticed how nice and soft, yet completely controllable, my hair had become from wearing this bunny suit. I believe the reason behind this occurance is that the nylon hood allows the passage of air through the suit but traps in the natural...
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