Fact or Fiction?: Your hair KNOWS when it has been cut

[zzirvingj]

Ok, so we have been having this ongoing discussion lately at work. Basically, a coworker of mine was talking about how your hair "knows" when it has been cut. When I asked her to explain she was like, "Think about it. Whenever you shave the hair on your legs, your hair knows to grow back. Because immediately after you shave, those hairs will grow. So the hair knows whenever you have cut it, to grow."

At first I was like, "hair grows regardless". And she like "no, because if you go months and months and months without shaving your legs, what happens? The hair grows to a certain length and then stops. But again, if you cut it, then it knows to grow back. So there is a connection there."

She was also saying that once you cut the hair, it INITIALLY grows back at a faster rate than normal. So she is against me trying to go a whole year without a trim. She was like, "I get my hair trimmed every 6 weeks or so. If you want your hair to grow/grow faster, you should trim it more often, not less often". This is based on the above "theories"/conversation.

I am not sure what to make of all this. Do you think hair grows at a FASTER rate initially once it's been cut? What really got me thinking was that I was looking through Loveyaforever/redhotlala's album the other day and if you've seen her hair you know it's ridiculously long (and beautiful) In her regimen it says she flat irons her hair every 14-21 days and dusts it each time she does this. So alot of her hair is being cut (dusted) 1-2 times a month, which is really frequent to me. I know dusting takes off a tiny amount of hair, but I couldn't help but wonder if she experiences the whole "faster growth" thing and if this has contributed to her maintaining such wonderful looooooonnnnnnnng hair.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Priss Pot]

You know, I've always wondered that too. Body hair will only grow to a certain length, but when it's shaved, it'll grow back. I never understood that; I didn't know how to go about finding an answer (like what words to type in a Google search box, lol).

I'm not sure about the hair on head part, though. Because the hair on one's head actually continues to grow whether you cut it or not. But I do see her point with the body hair.

 

[zzirvingj]

You know, I've always wondered that too. Body hair will only grow to a certain length, but when it's shaved, it'll grow back. I never understood that; I didn't know how to go about finding an answer (like what words to type in a Google search box, lol).

I'm not sure about the hair on head part, though. Because the hair on one's head actually continues to grow whether you cut it or not. But I do see her point with the body hair.

I know, right? That was "my" question. I was like...but what makes you think this applies to the hair on our heads, too? And she simply said "cause it works for the hair on all the other parts of your body....why not your head?"

But I'm like you-I feel that the hair on our head continues to grow all the time. Not sure about it growing faster when it gets cut, though...

 

[HersheyKiss0903]

I have always wondered this too. It's so weird. I've also wondered why body hair seems to grow soooooo much faster than head hair. I have to shave often to stay totally stubble-free smooth especially since I began taking vitamins yet my hair on my head is a slower gradual pace.

 

[hothair]

Interesting point, i know when i first cut my hair it always grew really quickly but after a certain point-about shoulder, seemed to grow slower- or maybe it was breaking off so i never really saw the "faster growth" but then i still had a lot of dark roots after 8 weeks hmmm, maybe i should dust to check this theory... [ put the scissors down and get outta this thread!]

 

[Maynard]

How long is her hair?

 

[B_Phlyy]

I don't think it's true. I think all hair all over the body goes through the growth stages, just shorter time phases (years for head hair, weeks for body hair). I think the reason why body hair appears to grow faster after it's been cut is because you're seeing all the length come back at once.
The same effect can be seen when someone shaves their head when they BC. The hair growth rate is the same, but it appears to be growing super fast because all the hair is coming in all at once.

With head hair, I don't think hair grows faster, but the hair growth and retention is neater, so it just appears to be growing faster.

 

[*Michelle*]

I don't think it's true. I think all hair all over the body goes through the growth stages, just shorter time phases (years for head hair, weeks for body hair). I think the reason why body hair appears to grow faster after it's been cut is because you're seeing all the length come back at once.
The same effect can be seen when someone shaves their head when they BC. The hair growth rate is the same, but it appears to be growing super fast because all the hair is coming in all at once.

With head hair, I don't think hair grows faster, but the hair growth and retention is neater, so it just appears to be growing faster.

You're on point!

With hair on the head after you cut it it APPEARS to grow, because now it is healthy/healthier and can be retained...so you THINK it is now growing faster when really you are retaining more.

 

[kittenz]

The explanation is that head hair has a longer growing life (several years) than body hair (several weeks). Once the weeks are up the hair stops growing and new hair is pushed in. it has nothing to do with trimming.

check out a better explanation here:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_044a.html

ETA: Exactly what B-Phly said. That cartoon pic in the link is nasty. Eww!

 

[Sistaslick]

At first I was like, "hair grows regardless". And she like "no, because if you go months and months and months without shaving your legs, what happens? The hair grows to a certain length and then stops. But again, if you cut it, then it knows to grow back. So there is a connection there."

Co-signing B_Phlyy100%.
The hair on your legs only grows for weeks/months before it is replaced by another hair. You have to also remember that each hair grows independently of the ones around it which makes the hair growth and replacement process appear "stationary" months out. It has not stopped growing. It's just growing and being replaced quickly. If you go months and months, you'll just be allowing that replacement process to take place. If you shave that hair, or start all of that hair growth over from scratch, it'll appear to grow faster and even thicker because for a time, it is all growing together.

She hasn't taken into account the various growth cycles and stages that a hair experiences in its lifetime with her theory. And according to her theory, if you simply dust your arm, leg, or pubic hairs each time rather than shave them off, then those hairs should grow beyond the normal length because you've encouraged them to grow with your trim.

Now, I do generally agree that regular trims aid in hair growth by sort of strengthing the head of hair as a unit. To me, regularly manicured hair is easier to grow out. An evenly trimmed hemline, and evenness throughout the hair, helps reduce breakage from tangling and combing. Hairs are less likely to catch on one another and stress on the hair is evenly distributed so that individual hairs, particularly near the ends, don't take a brunt of the daily/weekly trauma. I've started doing this myself.

Trimming does not tell the hair to grow, though. I do wish it did though

 

[zzirvingj]

Each and every one of you have brought up some very interesting points. I am still letting some of this information "soak in" lol I'm a little slow today...

But the stuff about the varying growth cycles really makes sense.

 

[bLackButtaFly]

I'm co-signing with the other ladies. The only thing I think trimming helps is the health of your ends, which may lead to more retention of hair length thus making it appear to grow faster, but I think your hair grows either way at a cylical rate.

 

[Eiano]

No this is not true at all. You don't need to be a genius to know that either.
This argument is like one my friend told me that when she gets her period she's not supposed to take a shower otherwise her period will stop (she's had problems with her cycle and this is her conclusion)

smdh

 

[kittenz]

No this is not true at all. You don't need to be a genius to know that either.
This argument is like one my friend told me that when she gets her period she's not supposed to take a shower otherwise her period will stop (she's had problems with her cycle and this is her conclusion)

smdh

OT: That's just nasty!!! I hope she has learned differently.

 

[EbonyHairedPrincess]

No this is not true at all. You don't need to be a genius to know that either.
This argument is like one my friend told me that when she gets her period she's not supposed to take a shower otherwise her period will stop (she's had problems with her cycle and this is her conclusion)

smdh

WT that's so unhygienic .

I didn't realize body hair only had a life span of a few weeks. I am gonna have to do research. I guess for body hair the only way to test this this theory is to mark hair folicles, shave the hair then monitor the growth cycle of the hair. I won't be doing this but it would be interesting to know the results .

 

[Sistaslick]

WT that's so unhygienic .

I didn't realize body hair only had a life span of a few weeks. I am gonna have to do research. I guess for body hair the only way to test this this theory is to mark hair folicles, shave the hair then monitor the growth cycle of the hair. I won't be doing this but it would be interesting to know the results .

Yeah, this is why hair on the body does not grow as long as scalp hair. If the body hair is replaced after several weeks, it can only reach a half inch/inch or so . . . versus scalp hair whose replacement rate is years and years in the making.

Imagine if your eyebrows or lashes had year long growth cycles

And Eiano your friend is interesting. Sometimes 2 and 2 just don't go together.

 

[Softresses]

The hair on your head, your body hair (on legs, stomach, arms etc), and your pubic and underarm hair, the names are vellus, lanugo, and terminal, they are three distinctly different types of hair. They are designed to grow at different rates and have different textures than each other.

Once they leave the follicle they are dead and cutting has no effect on growth. That comes from inside the follicle. We were taught this in anatomy and physiology class. The professor was glad to answer all our questions about the old wives tale of shaving and the hair growing back thicker. He said that the hair that grows back has not been softened by soaps and lotions etc, and will feel harder, but the cutting did not make it grow back any thicker. All of the other classes and research I have been through supports this.


Softresses

 

[caribeandiva]

How long is her hair?

i'm wondering this too. and how long has she been at this length?

 

[MizAvalon]

i'm wondering this too. and how long has she been at this length?

Yes, please give us the answer to this.

When will people stop believing these Old Wives Tales?

 

[Crissi]

No this is not true at all. You don't need to be a genius to know that either.
This argument is like one my friend told me that when she gets her period she's not supposed to take a shower otherwise her period will stop (she's had problems with her cycle and this is her conclusion)

smdh

Lat's hope she is having a bath as an alternative!

...Ok now hmm maybe this woman just wants you to keep trimming, in hopes that one day her hair will catch up to your legnth...hm just a theory

 

[FlowerHair]

I vote "Fiction"

Every single hair on our body grows to a certain pre-set point. If we shave it or cut it, it will continue to grow to that set point. That's it.

The joy of growing hair on our heads is that we don't really know where that set point is until we try to grow it as long as possible.

 

[Blackbird77]

No this is not true at all. You don't need to be a genius to know that either.
This argument is like one my friend told me that when she gets her period she's not supposed to take a shower otherwise her period will stop (she's had problems with her cycle and this is her conclusion)

smdh

I'll tell you one thing: if showers did that, I would be the first one in line for extra showers. Aunt Flow always wants to show up when you have somewhere important to go to that week.

 

[silvergirl]

Co-signing B_Phlyy100%.
The hair on your legs only grows for weeks/months before it is replaced by another hair. You have to also remember that each hair grows independently of the ones around it which makes the hair growth and replacement process appear "stationary" months out. It has not stopped growing. It's just growing and being replaced quickly. If you go months and months, you'll just be allowing that replacement process to take place. If you shave that hair, or start all of that hair growth over from scratch, it'll appear to grow faster and even thicker because for a time, it is all growing together.

yup thats pretty much it

 

[glamazon386]

Ok, so we have been having this ongoing discussion lately at work. Basically, a coworker of mine was talking about how your hair "knows" when it has been cut. When I asked her to explain she was like, "Think about it. Whenever you shave the hair on your legs, your hair knows to grow back. Because immediately after you shave, those hairs will grow. So the hair knows whenever you have cut it, to grow."

At first I was like, "hair grows regardless". And she like "no, because if you go months and months and months without shaving your legs, what happens? The hair grows to a certain length and then stops. But again, if you cut it, then it knows to grow back. So there is a connection there."

She was also saying that once you cut the hair, it INITIALLY grows back at a faster rate than normal. So she is against me trying to go a whole year without a trim. She was like, "I get my hair trimmed every 6 weeks or so. If you want your hair to grow/grow faster, you should trim it more often, not less often". This is based on the above "theories"/conversation.

I am not sure what to make of all this. Do you think hair grows at a FASTER rate initially once it's been cut? What really got me thinking was that I was looking through Loveyaforever/redhotlala's album the other day and if you've seen her hair you know it's ridiculously long (and beautiful) In her regimen it says she flat irons her hair every 14-21 days and dusts it each time she does this. So alot of her hair is being cut (dusted) 1-2 times a month, which is really frequent to me. I know dusting takes off a tiny amount of hair, but I couldn't help but wonder if she experiences the whole "faster growth" thing and if this has contributed to her maintaining such wonderful looooooonnnnnnnng hair.

What are your thoughts?

I don't think hair grows faster once it's been cut. It's just that body hair has reached it's terminal length. It will not grow any longer than it's terminal length.

 

[caribeandiva]

I'll tell you one thing: if showers did that, I would be the first one in line for extra showers. Aunt Flow always wants to show up when you have somewhere important to go to that week.

Preach on gurl, preach on!

 

[Maynard]

Did we ever find out how long this chick's hair is? I'm curious to know on what makes her the "authority" to give out hair advice.....


I bet you that this chick aint got no hair...

 

[zzirvingj]

Did we ever find out how long this chick's hair is? I'm curious to know on what makes her the "authority" to give out hair advice.....

Oh, sorry guys...the girl who I was having this discussion with has shoulder-length hair. But I need to add that she is Pakistani. Lately she says she has pretty much been faithfully getting trims about every 6 weeks.