intellegent hair?

[colly]

Following on from the smooth legs thread I wonder if there are any hair experts, aka, trichologists on here.

Hair is supposed to be dead from pretty much the scalp outwards.

If that is correct here's a question: How does the hair on your legs/arms/pubic area etc know when to stop growing?

Hair on the head just grows and pretty much carries on doing that all the time.
Beard hair will grow to an inordinate length as some lady members, looking in the mirror, will have noticed I am sure.
Leg hair etc ...........not so. If you cut it or shave it off it grows back at about the same rate, if not faster than head hair and then, spookily, it gets to the length it was before you cut it and it stops growing.

Same with pubic hair. I mean if that grew at the same rate as head hair it would be a matter of weeks before taking a leak would become a veritable thrash through the undergrowth before anything could be done without running the risk of stinking of pi$$ all the time.

It has been suggested that certain hairs simply drop out when they get too long but that is obviously not the case. I can say that with a fair degree of certainty based on two simple observations.

1. We would all be knee deep in short curly hairs by now if that were the case and taking off your knickers/underpants would be like a hairy ticker tape parade.

2. Have you ever tugged on a pube by mistake? NO WAY will they just 'drop out'.

So?

 

[Bromptonaut]

They drop out, how else do you find pubes in the tumbly drier's lint filter?

 

[Dayvo]

They drop out, how else do you find pubes in the tumbly driers lint filter?

Bloody ´ell! Do you dry off in the tumbler!?

 

[Piemaster]

Hair is supposed to be dead from pretty much the scalp outwards.

Must be true. I have never yet need an anesthetic to have a haircut.

 

[Velorum]

This is a very interesting question.

I have always assumed that hair under the armpits and around the pubic area was different in structure to hair on the head it being flatter in cross section. The hair, being more fragile tending to break off when reaching a critical length. Is this correct I wonder? It still doesnt account for hair in other places though.

As a matter of interest I understand that pubic and armpit hair is a an aid to reproduction in that that it helps give off an odor rich in pheremones in order to attract a suitable mate.

 

[oxbob]

This is a very interesting question

As a matter of interest I understand that pubic and armpit hair is a an aid to reproduction in that that it helps give off an odor rich in pheremones in order to attract a suitable mate.

When was the last time you saw a scary hairy mary with a boyfriend

 

[Velorum]

When was the last time you saw a scary hairy mary with a boyfriend

Last year in France as I recall.

 

[ColinJ]

When was the last time you saw a scary hairy mary with a boyfriend

There are whole websites devoted to it!

(Er... allegedly! )



Funnily enough, I'd been pondering this very question myself recently, having noticed that my armpit hair seems to have decided to start growing again after being the same length for about 35 years.

 

[Lisa21]

I think, although I may be wrong (and no doubt will soon get told if I am)that as the hair on your body (arms and legs) is to help with trapping heat,hence goosebumps to raise the hair up and keep you warm,and underarm and pubic hair is to both protect vulnerable bits and to trap mate enticing pheremones,there is no need for the hair to grow long and therefore is genetically made to stay a certain length,While the hair on your head was used as a sign of virility and strength-the longer the hair the better chance of finding a mate and producing healthy offspring.Which is why most men seem more attracted to women with long hair as it is in their genes.(not jeans...no pube comments necessary)

The myth that your hair and fingernails continue to grow after death is just that-a myth..it is an illusion caused by the skin and scalp shrinking away, revealing more of the hair follicle and nail bed.

 

[Velorum]

I think, although I may be wrong (and no doubt will soon get told if I am)that as the hair on your body (arms and legs) is to help with trapping heat,hence goosebumps to raise the hair up and keep you warm,and underarm and pubic hair is to both protect vulnerable bits and to trap mate enticing pheremones,there is no need for the hair to grow long and therefore is genetically made to stay a certain length,While the hair on your head was used as a sign of virility and strength-the longer the hair the better chance of finding a mate and producing healthy offspring.Which is why most men seem more attracted to women with long hair as it is in their genes.(not jeans...no pube comments necessary)

The myth that your hair and fingernails continue to grow after death is just that-a myth..it is an illusion caused by the skin and scalp shrinking away, revealing more of the hair follicle and nail bed.

I believe that goose bumps are a 'pilomotor response' that is an evolutionary throwback to a time when we were primates - its about the hair standing up to make us look bigger. As we are virtualy bald these days (in primate terms) it is a reduntant feature.

 

[colly]

therefore is genetically made to stay a certain length,

Yes that could well be the answer, but how, if it is 'dead, does it know when to stop growing? And how does it know when it has been cut to grow back?


I think a research grant worth a couple of mill. could be wangled on this one.

 

[ColinJ]

Yes that could well be the answer, but how, if it is 'dead, does it know when to stop growing? And how does it know when it has been cut to grow back?

The bit that does the growing isn't dead, it's only the bit you can see that is. Perhaps the root of the hair is clever enough to be able to weigh what is hanging off it? If it is too light, then the hair has either been cut, or pulled out or fallen out and needs to be regrown!

 

[Velorum]

The bit that does the growing isn't dead, it's only the bit you can see that is. Perhaps the root of the hair is clever enough to be able to weigh what is hanging off it? If it is too light, then the hair has either been cut, or pulled out or fallen out and needs to be regrown!

This seems quite feasable to me

 

[oxbob]

This does not explain why i have Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill ( zz top ) growing out of every orifice !