Hair, there and everywhere - Facts & fiction about hair

Article by BR Fiona

We tease it, we pull on it, we toss it around but how much do we actually know about it?  Our hair is an incredibly complex and fascinating part of our body but also a part we perhaps take for granted. With so many myth and rumours floating about it's time to sort the facts from the fiction!

Fact 1 - Hair is scientifically complex.
You hair is made up of 18 amino acids which are organic compounds.  These organic compounds then form peptide chains which in turn create the protein our hair is made up of - keratin, which by the way is the exact same stuff our nails are made of.

Fiction 1 - Cutting your hair will make it grow faster and thicker.
Alas no ladies, it may make your hair look healthier without those split ends and may make it feel thicker but the rate our hair grows is determined biologically or by our hairs overall texture.  The rate or speed of hair growth is not determined by the frequency of trims. Trimming will not make it grow faster but will keep your hair healthy so it can grow longer.

Fact 2 - Your hair is made up of 3 layers.
Keeping it simple for those of us who are less than scientific, hair is made up of three layers, the cortex, the medula and the cuticle.

The cuticle is the outside layer and is on average around 7 layers thick, although this does vary person to person.  The main function of the cuticle is to protect the internal structure of the hair - the medula and cortex.  The cuticle is also responsible for the shine in your hair, the flatter and smoother the cortex the shinier your hair, this is why when you use a hair straightener your hair looks shinier.  In essence it's because the cuticle has been forced down to create a smooth, flat layer, just perfect for light to reflect off.

Next is the cortex and this is the main part of your hair, making up 80% of your overall hair structure.  It is responsible for the colour, thickness and flexibility which is also why it is the part which is susceptible to spilt ends and breakages, it is also the part which is affected when we use permanent hair dye.

Finally the medula, which has no known function at all.  Yup that's right, in animals it helps with therma regulation but for us humans……no function, so let's move on!

Fiction 2 - Gray hair can only be covered with permanent hair colour.
Depending on just how much grey hair you have you may be able to cover or blend those grays with a semi-permanent or demi-permanent, a lot more gentler option.

Demi-permanent hair color molecules get under the outer cuticle of the hair shaft but, unlike permanent dyes, they don't penetrate the deeper cortex - they can cover up to 70% of grey hairs, and will give a natural highlighting effect as grey hairs will colour a slightly different shade to the rest of your hair.

Fact 3 - Your hair is super, duper, amazingly, strong!
As we know, the main part of your hair is called the cortex.  This cortex is incredibly strong and it gets its strength from something called a disulfide linkage, which is one of the strongest bonds known within nature. 

Apparently if we harnessed the strength of a head of hair it would support 12 tonnes.  Or two elephants.

Now while your hair is so strong that if someone was to grab a handful of it and pulled it wouldn't break, it would come away at the scalp…..ouch!

Fiction 4 - Exposing your hair to sunlight is a really good way to lighten your hair colour.
Nooooo, no, no, no!  Like with our skin, any exposure to sunlight is going to dry out and damage our hair!

So much so that you can buy products with SPF in them. We know you want to rock that beach babe surfer hair - but honestly, for your hair's sake - do it after the sun has gone down!  During the day you're best to wear a hat!

Fact 5 - Smoking can cause your hair to turn gray.
Just in case you needed another reason to consider not smoking, according to a study undertaken by Mosley and Gibbs in 1996, people who smoke are four times more likely to get gray hairs than non-smokers and to make matters worse, more likely to experience accelerated hair loss.

Grey hair occurs as cells in the hair follicles called melanocytes lose their ability to produce pigment (melanin) over time.  So your hair doesn't actually turn grey - new hair with less melanin grows in.

Other proven causes of hair graying are excessive intake of tea, coffee and alcohol, of fried, oily, spicy, sour or acidic foods.

Fiction 5 - Washing your hair everyday dries it out.
The key is finding the shampoo that is right for your hair type and texture!  If you get this right then it shouldn't matter how often you wash your hair, your hair will be healthy, moist and shiny.

That being said - there really is no need to wash your hair every day unless it's something you desire.

The longer, thicker, curlier, and more processed your hair, the longer it can go between washes.  Oils from the scalp do not travel down the hair shaft as quickly, so the hair tends to be less oily and requires less frequent shampooing.

So there you have it - our top 5 facts and fictions about our crowning glory.  Have you discovered anything new?  Or maybe you have a fascinating fact about hair to share?