So, you’re probably aware of the newest hair trends.
And you may have a killer haircare or hairstyling routine, but do you know about the anatomy of hair?
Have you ever wondered what hair is made of?
Or have you ever wondered if the weight of your hair can affect the figure on the weighing scale?
A single strand of hair can support up to 100 grams of weight. A human head has around 100,000 strands of hair. If you take all hair strands together, then you can support up to 2 tons of weight, which is equal to the weight of two elephants! Well at least theoretically.
Amazing, isn’t it?
Here are some facts about your hair so that you understand it a little better.
What Is Hair?
Hair anatomy is a lot more complicated than you might think. Starting from the basics, your hair grows from a root that is located at the bottom of the hair follicle. The hair follicle begins at the surface of the epidermis and extends into the dermis, which is made of cells of proteins. This protein is known as keratin; it also makes up your nails and is one of the main proteins in your skin. Your hair grows in three main phases:
Anagen
This is the growth phase. Most of your hair is constantly growing. So, each hair strand spends multiple years involved in this phase.
Catagen
This is the transitional phase that occurs over a few weeks. Hair growth declines and the hair follicle contracts during this phase.
Telogen
This is the resting phase of your hair. Over a few months, your hair growth halts and detaches from the hair follicle. New hair pushes the old hair out and begins growing.
How Much Does Hair Weigh?
The main question that arises is – how much does your hair really weigh?
Well, it’s difficult to give an exact figure since everyone has different hair. For instance, everyone has varying lengths, different hair volume, etc.
However, hair doesn’t weigh much – even a lot of hair isn’t heavy. If you think your weighing scale is showing a higher number, it’s not because you have long and thick hair.
Many sources suggest that a full head of long hair weighs around an ounce or two (30–60 grams). Its maximum weight can go up to 5 pounds. However, 5 pounds or 2.5 kilograms seems like a bit of a stretch as your hair isn’t as heavy as a pair of roller skates.
How Much Does A Strand Of Hair Weigh?
A single strand of hair can weigh between .2 – .5 milligrams. There is no set weight for hair as each person is different and the weight of each strand may differ from person to person.
How Much Does Wet Hair Weigh?
This also dramatically depends on the length and thickness of your hair. But when you get out of the shower, your hair retains a lot of water.
It’s impossible to be sure about the amount of weight that water might contribute to your hair. If you have long and thick hair, water might add about a pound or more to your hair weight.
Otherwise, if you have short or medium length hair, then water might add only a few ounces of weight.
How to Weigh Yourself for Accuracy?
A mistake that many of us make is that we check our weight too often at various times of the day and under different circumstances.
This affects the figure that you see on the weighing scale. There are a few ways you can follow to make weighing more accurate.
Check Your Weight at the Same Time Every Day
Your weight varies throughout the day, depending on your meal times, etc. Therefore, the best time to weigh yourself is in the morning. This will give you more accurate results.
Weigh Yourself Naked
Weighing yourself in a complete outfit and shoes will obviously increase the number showed on the weighing scale. Some items carry more weight than others. For the most accurate results, weigh yourself when naked or wearing boxers or underwear.
Check Your Weight When You’re Dry
If you weigh yourself right after you shower, water may be accumulated on your skin and hair. Wet hair doesn’t affect the weight much, except for maybe a few ounces or pounds. However, for a more accurate reading, it is preferred that you weigh yourself when you are dry.
Avoid Checking Weight Every day
Your day-to-day weight tends to fluctuate a lot. Depending on how bloated you are, the weighing machine may go up by a pound or two. So, the best option is to weigh yourself twice or thrice a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does Rapunzel’s Hair Weigh?
As per the animators, Rapunzel’s hair is around 70 feet long, which is about 850 inches. Since a full hair of head consists of about 100,000 strands, after the calculations, the figure we get is 4200 g, which is 4.2 kg or 10.4 pounds.
What Makes Your Hair So Freakishly Strong?
Ever seen people on TV pulling fire trucks or cars with their hair? Do you wonder if your hair can sustain that kind of damage? Well, it most definitely can. Human hair is made of keratin, which is also found in horse hooves and animal claws, which are pretty powerful.
The cross-linking nature of keratin gives hair unbelievable tensile strength—the force required to pull something till the point it breaks.
How Much Weight Can Human Hair Hold?
A single strand of hair can carry up to 100 grams without breaking. Assuming that a proper technique is being used, a full head of human hair could hold between 5,600 – 8400 kg (12,345 to 18,518 lbs) respectively, without breaking hair or affecting follicles.
Conclusion
The point is— your hair may not be as weak as you think. It can be freakishly strong, but that doesn’t mean you go around pulling things with your hair, trying to test its strength. Instead, you should make sure you invest in good hair care products!