hair

1. 1. Any of the cylindrical, keratinized, often pigmented filaments characteristically growing from the epidermis of a mammal.
   2. A growth of such filaments, as that forming the coat of an animal or covering the scalp of a human.
2. A filamentous projection or bristle similar to a hair, such as a seta of an arthropod or an epidermal process of a plant.
3. Fabric made from the hair of certain animals: a coat of alpaca hair.
4. 1. A minute distance or narrow margin: won by a hair.
   2. A precise or exact degree: calibrated to a hair.

[Middle English her, from Old English hǣr.]

Nonliving, specialized epidermal derivatives characteristic only of modern mammals. However, it is now thought that hair was present in at least some therapsid reptiles. It consists of keratinized cells, tightly cemented together, which arise from the matrix at the base of a follicle. A follicle is a tubular epidermal downgrowth that penetrates into the dermis and widens into a bulb (the hair root) at its deep end. The follicle, together with a lateral outgrowth called the sebaceous gland, forms the pilosebaceous system. Rapid cell production in the matrix, and differentiation in the regions immediately above, produces a hair shaft which protrudesfrom the follicle mouth at the skin surface. See also Gland.

Hairs are not permanent structures but are continually replaced throughout the life of a mammal. In some species, for example, the rat, hamster, mouse, chinchilla, and rabbit, the replacement pattern is undulant, and waves of follicular activity can be traced across the body. In other species, for example, humans, cats, and guinea pigs, each follicle appears to cycle independently of others in the immediate area.

Hair is present in differing degrees on all mammals, and its most important function in those other than human is to conserve body heat by insulating against cold. Humans are the most hairless of all mammals, and yet hair occupies a central place in human development and sense of self. Whether it is the gradual decrease of hair leading to male baldness, the loss of pigment leading to white or grey hairs and signalling the onset of middle age, or the adolescent desire for the pubic hair that signals approaching adulthood, hair often tells others something about our place in culture.

Hair types and styles have, at various times, in various countries and on various continents, come to be associated with definitions of race, the possibility of being or becoming the right kind of woman, with radicalism or revolution, and with the right to occupy a particular social space in a class hierarchy. While often discussed as a personal statement of style or fashion, humanity's relationship to hair is far more complicated.

During the monarchy in France, the prince's hair, for example, was never cut — it was curled and pampered. Rastafarian followers of the early twentieth-century Ethiopian religious leader Haile Selassie not only refused to cut theirs, but were forbidden to comb it either. Early records indicate that the ancient Egyptians, men and women alike, shaved their hair off and wore wigs. Prostitutes in Nazi Germany were forced to shave off their hair so they could be easily identified and shamed. In the post-war period, women who had collaborated with the Nazis were similarly forced to shave their heads. Delila cut off Samson's long hair so that she could strip him of his fabled strength and power. As a sign of respect for the law and British custom, judges and lawyers during America's colonial period wore powdered wigs over their natural hair. Rapunzel let her hair cascade out of a window and down a tower so that Prince Charming might climb up and rescue her from imprisonment. Among the Yoruba people, hair signifies aesthetic value; and for East African pastoral peoples, such as the Pokot and Samburu, its styling indicates age status. A 1970s American Broadway musical, Hair, received numerous awards and set records for attendance.

Individual human hairs vary in colour, diameter, and contour. The different colours result from variations in the amount, distribution, and type of melanin pigment in them, as well as from variations in surface structure that cause light to be reflected in different ways. Hairs may be coarse, or so thin and colourless as to be nearly invisible. Straight hairs are round in cross section, while wavy hairs are alternately oval and round; very curly and kinky hairs are shaped like twisted ribbons. During the nineteenth century, renowned social scientists posited relationships between some of these variations in hair type and intelligence, or the potential for civilized behaviour, and indeed, in some instances, saw them as a marker of humanness.

In his 1848 Natural History of the Human Species, Charles Hamilton Smith, for example, suggested that hair type is crucial for defining the three typical ‘stocks’, or races, of mankind: the bearded Caucasian, the beardless Mongolian, and the woolly-haired Negro. His work included a chart which positions the ‘woolly-haired’ at the base of a triangular hierarchy and the Caucasians at the apex. Smith's ‘woolly-haired race’ became a metaphor for African physical traits which served prima facie as evidence of racial difference, such as mental ‘lack’, and as a justification for slavery and racial discrimination. The lingering effects of such pseudo-scientific theories may help to explain why people of African descent continue to spend billions of dollars each year trying chemically to alter the texture of their hair in order to make it straight, as opposed to ‘woolly’.

Each hair grows from a hair follicle in the deep layer of the skin. There are different types of hair at different stages in life, and in different parts of the body. The first to develop is the lanugo, a layer of downy, slender hairs that begin growing in the third or fourth month of fetal life and are entirely shed either before or shortly after birth. During the first few months of infancy appears fine, short, unpigmented hairs called down hair, or vellus. Vellus covers every part of the body except the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, undersurfaces of the fingers and toes, and a few other places. At and following puberty, this hair is supplemented by longer, coarser, more heavily pigmented hair, called terminal hair, that develops in the armpits, genital regions, and, in males, on the face and sometimes on parts of the trunk and limbs. The growth and the distribution of hair are under the influence of the sex hormones. The hair of the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes are of separate type and develop fairly early in life. On the scalp, where hair is usually densest and longest, the average total number of hairs is between 100 000 and 150 000. Human hair grows at a rate of 10-13 mm/month. While hair texture and type was of importance for nineteenth-century social scientists in the shaping of racial hierarchies, for middle-class women in Christian countries, hair length has been important in the shaping of hierarchies of femininity. In part due to a passage in the King James version of the Bible (‘if a woman have long hair, it is Glory to Her’ 1 Cor: 11-15), such women the world over have often been urged by society at large, and by patriarchs in their individual households, to wear their hair in long, precisely styled hair-dos that they refrained from cutting. During the Victorian period the long, elaborately-styled hairdos favoured by the middle classes signalled wealth, leisure time, and modesty (it was almost impossible for a woman to fix her hair in one of the fashionable styles without the paid help of a hairdresser, and the styling could often take three hours or more). During the 1920s, women who ‘bobbed’ or cut their hair to ear length caused a furore in Europe and the US. The new hair style, which went hand in hand with shockingly at, or above, the knee skirt lengths was seen as immodest and outside of prevailing standards of decency. This was true in part because bobbed hair was immediately favoured by women in the ‘world's oldest profession’ due to its ease of care.

By the late 1960s, long hair came to be back in vogue amongst male and female youth in America. However, far from being a return to the earlier ideals of propriety often associated with long hair, lengthy hair now denoted a counter culture or radical stance in both white and black communities. One of the surest ways for white teenagers and young adults to identify themselves as in rebellion against prevailing middle-class ideals and culture, and governmental political strategies, was to wear their hair in the long, straight styles favoured by hippies, flower children, and political activists. During this same period afros came to be a popular style in African-American communities. The afro was understood to denote black pride, which became synonymous with black nationalism, activism, and a radical political consciousness. This sentiment moved sharply against the prevailing integrationist ideology and evidenced a belief that the gains of the Civil Rights Movement were not broad-based enough, and was a style favoured by radical groups like the Black Panthers.

In addition to the presence or absence of hair, hair texture and styling have played a long and important role in human history. It is not clear just why hair has come to mean so very much to so many people, but there is no mistaking the important role that hair has played in the process of identifying a relationship to a particular culture or subculture. Hair can lead to acceptance or rejection by certain groups and social classes, and its styling can enhance or detract from career advancement. What many envision as a personal statement is also implicated in an intricate web of religious and social politics.

— Noliwe Rooks

See also baldness; sex hormones; skin.

Hair condition may be affected by a person's diet and health. Bouncy, shiny hair is usually a sign of a well-nourished person in good overall health. Dry, dull, and lusterless hair often belongs to malnourished people in poor health.

Beauticians claim that more than fifty nutrients are needed for healthy hair. A deficiency of proteins (e.g. in anorexics) can lead to hair loss. Lack of vitamin A or linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid found in sunflower oils) may reduce oil secretion from sebaceous glands attached to hair follicles, leaving hair dry and lifeless. Lack of vitamin C causes hair to split and become dry. Copper deficiency sometimes causes hair to lose colour. However, hair condition is affected by so many other environmental factors (e.g. wet weather, smoke, hair sprays, and shampoos) that it is not a reliable indicator of nutritional status.

noun

A slight amount or indication: breath, dash, ghost, hint, intimation, semblance, shade, shadow, soupçon, streak, suggestion, suspicion, taste, tinge, touch, trace, whiff, whisper. Informal whisker. See big/small/amount, show/hide.

Idioms beginning with hair:
hair of the dog that bit you
hair shirt

See also bad hair day; by a hair; by the short hairs; fair-haired boy; get gray hair from; hang by a thread (hair); hide or hair; in someone's hair; let one's hair down; make one's hair stand on end; put lead in one's pencil (hair on one's chest); split hairs; tear one's hair; turn a hair.

[back-formation from hairy] The complications that make something hairy. “Decoding TECO commands requires a certain amount of hair.” Often seen in the phrase infinite hair, which connotes extreme complexity. Also in hairiferous (tending to promote hair growth): “GNUMACS elisp encourages lusers to write complex editing modes.” “Yeah, it's pretty hairiferous all right.” (or just: “Hair squared!”)

Mention of hair in its military context conjures up visions of the radical haircuts applied to generations of conscripts, to help treat head wounds, promote hygiene, aid identification of deserters, mark a man's transition from civilian to soldier, and underline the equality of recruits. ‘I never saw so much hair in all my life, ’ wrote Vietnam veteran David Parks in GI Diary. ‘It was all mixed up on the floor together, white hair, Spanish hair and soul hair, all going the same route.’ The 1960s reaction against short hair was in many ways a political as well as a counter-cultural phenomenon.

The military symbolism of hair is more complex. Usually, in common with uniform, it followed the dictates of fashion. Tenth-century warriors often wore their hair long in the Scandinavian style. The Normans shaved back and sides in a distinctive manner shown on the Bayeux Tapestry, but in the late 11th century longer hair, often worn with a beard, became fashionable once more. Knights going on a long campaign usually cut their hair short to help helmets fit snugly. A ‘pudding-basin’ cut, often seen on memorial brasses, shows hair thick but clear of the ears, probably to assist in cushioning the helmet.

The long but simply dressed hair of the early 17th century was succeeded by more elaborate fashions. Wigs, initially full-bottomed but neater as the 18th century wore on, were worn by officers, and soldiers had their hair pomaded, powdered, and drawn together at the back in a ‘club’ or queue. The queue generally disappeared in the early 19th century, though Napoleon's Old Guard retained it, a grenadier describing his ‘six inch queue tied by a worsted ribbon with 2-inch ends and pinned with a silver grenade’. It is commemorated in the British army by the Royal Welch (sic) Fusiliers, whose officers wear a ribbon on their collars to represent the ribbon binding the queue. As the queue declined, so side-whiskers (later called sideburns after the magnificent facial adornment of US Gen Burnside) became popular. There were wide variations, from the braided lovelocks of French soldiers of the Revolutionary era to the bushy whiskers of Victorian officers.

Often, too, hair was part of an attempt to ape the successful or the warlike. Eighteenth- and early 19th-century hussars tried to look like wild men from the great plain of Hungary, long plaits often weighted with pistol balls and long, waxed moustaches which were elaborately tied up at night. When young Marbot joined the French 1st Hussars in 1798 his mentor, Sgt Pertelay, had ‘moustaches half a foot long waxed and turned up to his ears, on his temples two long locks of hair plaited, which came from under his shako and fell on his breast’. Marbot bought sham pigtails from the regimental barber, but as he was too young to grow a moustache, the helpful Pertelay used blacking to paint two huge hooks on his face.

The Turkish fashion of wearing a long tuft of hair atop an otherwise shaven head spread not only across many armies of the Muslim world, but also into Russian Cossack irregular light cavalry. During the Seven Years War they were sent to instil fear in the German population of East Prussia. ‘They are an olive colour, ’ recorded an observer, ‘and their faces full of wrinkles, with very little or no beard. They shave their heads, leaving only a tuft of hair on the crown.’ The practice of wearing a scalp lock extended as far west as French hussars of the early 18th century.

Grenadiers also cultivated facial hair. In Napoleon's Guard moustaches were a seasonal occurrence, shaved off on 1 December and not allowed back until 1 March: from 1806-7 they were worn all the time. Infantry units often included pioneers (sapeurs in France) responsible for light construction or demolition work, and they wore leather aprons (ostensibly to protect their uniforms), carried axes, and often had full beards. Pioneer sergeants remain the only men in the British army normally allowed to sport beards. French sapeurs marched with the drummers as part of their regiment's tête de colonne, and very impressive they looked. A British soldier in the Peninsula wrote: ‘Their hats, set round with feathers, their beards long and black, gave them a fierce look. Their stature was superior to ours: most of us were young. We looked like boys; they like savages.’

Although the moustache was not compulsory in the British army of the Edwardian era, shaving the upper lip was forbidden. An officer was successfully court-martialled for shaving in 1916. When the sentence passed through the hands of Lt Gen Macready, adjutant-general of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), on its way to the C-in-C for confirmation, Macready recognized the absurdity of the regulation and had it revoked. Facial hair retains symbolism even at the end of the 20th century: the gay community's affection for the moustache has dramatically reduced its popularity in the US army (see homosexuality and the armed forces).

— Richard Holmes

For more information on hair, visit Britannica.com.

This makes many appearances in superstitions, cures, tales, popular errors, and divination. One should be particularly careful in the disposal of hair after cutting or brushing, as such removable parts of the body can be used in witchcraft against you. Birds must also be prevented from using your hair to make their nests, as this would mean a headache, or if a magpie, death within a year, so the only safe method of disposal is to burn it (Opie and Tatem, 1989: 184). Most regional folklore collections include examples of the divinatory use of hair. When it is thrown on the fire, for example, if it burns brightly then a long life is to be expected, but smouldering means the opposite. A single hair drawn between the nails of finger and thumb indicates the character of its owner.

A belief reported from the 17th century to the present day is that if a person's hair grows into a low point over the forehead, like a peak, she/he will be widowed soon—hence the name ‘Widow's peak’. Schoolchildren had a particularly useful belief: if you place a single hair across the palm of your hand, it will split the cane with which you are being chastised, or at least it will considerably lessen the pain felt (Harland and Wilkinson, 1873: 225; N&Q 11s:11 (1915), 277-8). See also onion for a similar idea. Also, ‘In my childhood I used to be told that if you swallowed a long hair it would twine about your heart and kill you’ (N&Q 8s:10 (1896), 47), an image which is surprisingly old, being found in Thomas Middleton's play, The Witch (IV. i): ‘… let one of her long hairs wind about my heart, and be the end of me.’

Porter (1969: 81-2) gives several recipes for traditional hair care from Cambridgeshire, including tobacco and pepper to cure ringworms, and the use of goose grease or bear's grease to keep hair healthy. A Lincolnshire woman, however, swore by hedgehog fat for this purpose (Sutton, 1992: 147) and many writers comment that rosemary leaves make an excellent hair tonic or rinse. Since at least the 16th century it was thought essential to comb your hair the right way (Lean, 1903: ii. 24), and if you want your hair to grow back thick and luxuriant, it must be cut when the moon is waxing. It was considered unlucky to cut hair on Friday, and Good Friday was the worst day of all to do it; a baby's hair should never be cut until it is twelve months old (N&Q 2s:12 (1861), 500).

There has been a long-standing prejudice against red hair in Britain since at least c.1200. At best, red-haired people were considered unreliable and hot-tempered, and archetypal evil people such as Judas Iscariot and Cain were usually depicted with red hair and beard. Another explanation sometimes given is that the Danish invaders had red hair, and red-haired children were sometimes quoted as evidence of their mother's infidelity (Harland and Wilkinson, 1873: 225; N&Q 12s:2 (1916), 128, 196-7, 239, 379; 12s:5 (1918), 194, 218; Opie and Tatem, 1989: 325-6).

A regularly reported cure for whooping cough is to take a hair from the afflicted child, place it between two slices of bread, and give them to a dog to eat. The dog will get the cough and the child will be cured (Porter, 1969: 90, and many others). Two widespread ‘popular errors’ concerning hair are the beliefs that hair could continue to grow after death, and that a person's hair could turn white overnight through extreme fear or mental anguish. The latter idea still turns up as a motif in some contemporary legends. See the correspondence in N&Q 4s:6 (1870); 4s: 7 (1871); 6s:6 (1882); 6s:7 (1883); 6s:8 (1883); 6s:9 (1884); 7s:2 (1886); 7s:3 (1887); 7s:4 (1887); 7s:7 (1889); 10s:9 (1908); 10s:10 (1908).

Bibliography
The full bibliography list is available here.

• Opie and Tatem, 1989: 184-6, 325-6, 445-6

Hair has had an occult significance since ancient times. It seems to have a life of its own, since it may continue to grow after the death of the body. It has been regarded as a source of strength and sexuality and has played a part in religion and magical rituals. The Hebrews developed a number of customs relative to hair that served to separate them from their pagan neighbors, a fact which is played out in the story of Samson and Delilah (Judg. 16:4-22)

In various cultures, individuals dedicated to service of the priesthood have undergone ritual cutting of hair, and the tonsure of priests is said to have originated in Egypt (see the writings of Herodotus). In Hinduism, there are hair rituals for youths, and those who become celibates have their heads formally shaven. The association of hair with sexuality has given hair as a symbol remarkable force, and distinctions between male and female hair have emphasized sexual attraction.

Since the hair is believed to be intimately related to the life of an individual, it has magical significance in witchcraft rituals, and people in many civilizations have been at pains to prevent their hair from falling into the hands of an enemy, who might use it for black magic.

There is even a school of character reading from the hair, known as trichsomancy.

Extreme fright or ecstatic states have caused hair to literally "stand on end" in the goose-flesh condition of horripilation.

Sources:

Berg, Charles. The Unconscious Significance of Hair. London: Allen & Unwin, 1951.

Cooper, Wendy. Hair: Sex Society Symbolism. London: Aldus Book, 1971.

1. a threadlike keratinized epidermal structure developing from a follicle sunk in the dermis, produced only by mammals and characteristic of that group of animals. Also, the aggregate of such hairs.
2. various other threadlike structures.

• auditory h's — hairlike attachments of the epithelial cells of the inner ear.
• awn h. — in cats, a short thick, bristly hair underneath the top coat.
• h. beds — coat hairs occur in groups of about three primary follicles and a variable number of secondary follicles.
• burrowing h. — one that grows horizontally in the skin.
• h. cells — sensory neuroepithelial cells which have hair-like processes; found in organ of Corti, ampullary crests and utricle and saccule of the inner ear.
• club h. — a hair whose root is surrounded by a bulbous enlargement composed of keratinized cells, preliminary to normal loss of the hair from the follicle.
• h. coat — see coat (1).
• cover h. — see guard hair (below).
• h. follicle — one of the tubular invaginations of the epidermis enclosing the hair roots and from which the hairs grow.

  Longitudinal section of hair follicle. By permission from Smith BP, Large Animal Internal Medicine, Mosby, 2001

• h. follicle unit — see apopilosebaceous complex.
• h. granuloma — granuloma in the esophageal wall caused by swallowed hairs acting as foreign bodies.
• h. growth cycle — a period of growth, called anagen, is followed by a transitional stage, called catagen, and then a period of inactivity in the hair follicle, called telogen, lasting until the cycle starts again. The duration of each stage varies with the species, anatomical location, genetic influence, and a variety of environmental and physiological factors.
• guard h. — the coarse, stiff and often longer and more prominent hairs in a haircoat with an undercoat. For example, the darkly colored, outer hairs of a German shepherd dog. Called also primary hair, master hair, cover hair.
• ingrown h. — one that has curved and re-entered the skin.
• lanugo h. — the fine hair on the body of the fetus.
• master h. — see guard hair (above).
• primary h. — see guard hair (above).
• ringed h. — see thrix annulata.
• secondary h. — finer and growing from a more superficial follicle than a guard hair; forms the undercoat.
• sensory h's — hairlike projections on the surface of sensory epithelial cells.
• sinus h. — the vibrissae or whiskers located on the muzzle and face of many species has an endothelium-lined blood sinus between the inner and outer layers of the dermal portion of the follicle with a rich nerve supply. This structure serves to increase sensory perception.
• specialized h. — includes auditory, guard, sensory, tactile, taste, tylotrich hairs (see this list).
• h. streams — the hairs in the coat of animals are inclined in one or other direction so that collectively they create streams that meet at vortices or cowlicks.
• tactile h's — hairs particularly sensitive to touch.
• taste h's — short hairlike processes projecting freely into the lumen of the pit of a taste bud from the peripheral ends of the taste cells.
• tipped h. — one with a different, usually darker, color at the tip; seen in Chinchilla cats.
• tylotrich h. — special hairs that act as rapid-adapting mechanoreceptors; large, primary follicles with a ring of neurovascular tissue around them. Always associated with a tylotrich pad, a local area of epidermal thickening with a layer of highly vascular and well-innervated connective tissue below.

Tutor's tip: A "hare" (a large rabbit) can have very soft and valuable "hair" (the furry outgrowth of the body).

Quotes:

"It's not the hair on your head that matters. It's the kind of hair you have inside." - Garry Shandling

"Gray hair is a sign of age, not of wisdom." - Greek Proverb

"Gray hairs are death's blossoms." - English Proverb

"The hair is the richest ornament of women." - Martin Luther

"Babies haven't any hair; Old men's heads are just as bare; between the cradle and the grave lie a haircut and a shave" - Samuel Hoffenstein

"By common consent gray hairs are a crown of glory; the only object of respect that can never excite envy." - George Bancroft

See more famous quotes about Hair

Hair has been a sacred and spiritual symbol throughout history. For example, it was the secret of the strength of Sampson in the biblical story. Hair carries an aura of sexual virility, seduction, and health. White hair denotes wisdom and age.

For other uses, see Hair (disambiguation).

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Human hair By area Androgenic hair Facial hair Chest hair Underarm hair Abdominal hair Arm hair Leg hair Pubic hair By type Vellus hair Terminal hair Lanugo Beards & Moustaches Beard Moustache Sideburns Five o'clock shadow Beard Liberation Front Hair loss Trichotillomania Hair loss Glabrousness Hair removal Shaving Leg shaving Head shaving Razor Barber Related topics Human hair color Hairstyle Hypertrichosis Stubble Trichophilia v • d • e

Hair is a type of protein filament that grows through the epidermis from follicles deep within the dermis. The fine, soft hair found on many nonhuman mammals is typically called fur; wool is the characteristically curly hair found on sheep and goats. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class.^[1] Although other non-mammals, especially insects, show filamentous outgrowths, these are not considered "hair" in the scientific sense. So-called "hairs" (trichomes) are also found on plants. The projections on arthropods such as insects and spiders are actually insect bristles, composed of a polysaccharide called chitin. There are varieties of cats, dogs, and mice bred to have little or no visible fur. In some species, hair is absent at certain stages of life. The main component of hair fiber is keratin.

Cross section of a hair

The hair can be divided into three parts length-wise, (1) the bulb, a swelling at the base which originates from the dermis, (2) the root, which is the hair lying beneath the skin surface, and (3) the shaft, which is the hair above the skin surface. In cross-section, there are also three parts, (1) the medulla, an area in the core which contains loose cells and airspaces (2) the cortex, which contains densely packed keratin and (3) the cuticle, which is a single layer of cells arranged like roof shingles.

Contents 1 Evolution 1.1 Human "hairlessness" 1.2 Evolutionary variation 1.3 Texture 1.3.1 Tightly coiled hair 1.3.2 Straight hair 1.3.3 The EDAR Locus 2 Social role of hair 2.1 Hair as indicator 2.2 Growing and removing 2.3 Hair, power, punishment, and status 2.4 Religious practices 3 Shampooing 4 Hair pigment 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 External links

Evolution

See also: Evolution of hair

A recent study by scientists from the Medical University of Vienna traced the origins of hair to the common ancestor of mammals, birds and lizards that lived 310 million years ago. The study found chickens, lizards and humans all possessed a similar set of genes that was involved in the production of keratin. In chickens and lizards, the keratin produced was found in their claws, but in mammals it was used to produce hair. The scientists involved were still searching for the mechanisms that allowed mammals to use the keratins of animal claws to produce hair. ^{[2] [3]}

Human "hairlessness"

Though human skin is considered "hairless", humans actually have the same number of hair follicles per unit area as other primates. Human hair is barely visible as it is thinner, shorter and more transparent than the hair of other mammals. Historically, some ideas have been advanced to explain the apparent hairlessness of humans, as compared to other species.

Most mammals have light skin that is covered by fur, and biologists believe that human ancestors started out this way also. Dark skin probably evolved after humans lost their body fur, because the naked skin was vulnerable to strong African UV radiation. Therefore, evidence of when human skin darkened has been used to date the loss of human body hair, assuming that the dark skin was needed after the fur was gone.

Human hair under 200-times magnification

Dr. Alan R. Rogers, an evolutionary geneticist at the University of Utah, used mutations in the MC1R gene to estimate when human skin darkened. He said humans may have gone through several genetic "clean sweeps" with light-skinned individuals dying off and dark-skinned individuals surviving. He estimates the last of these clean sweeps took place 1.2 million years ago.^[4] Therefore, humans, in part, have been hairless at least since that time, as body hair does still remain in human populations.

The savanna hypothesis suggests that nature selected humans for shorter and thinner body hair as part of a set of adaptations to the warm plains of the African savanna (in addition to bipedal locomotion and an upright posture). Some counter this argument by noting that among the most hairless people are Northern Europeans who live in a cold and relatively low sun environment. However, abundant genetic and archaeological evidence indicates that the hairlessness of those current-day modern humans whose immediate ancestors came to occupy Northern latitudes is attributable to the relatively recent origin of this species in equatorial, sub-Saharan Africa approximately 200,000 years ago, followed by an even more recent departure from Africa that was initiated approximately 60,000 years ago. Hence it is highly likely that the ancestors of Northern Europeans (et al. Northern groups) failed to develop fur due to a) their relatively recent entry into the area, and b) the fact that the high levels of intelligence that had evolved in the human lineage while in Africa enabled them to survive in the cold European climate by way of the practice of wearing animal furs. Hence the development of fur was rendered effectively unnecessary.

The soft, fine hair found on many nonhuman mammals is typically called fur.

Others^[who?] hold that there are several problems with the Savanna Theory (including balding), not least of which is that cursorial hunting is used by other animals that do not show any thinning of hair^{[citation needed]}. Nevertheless, other species likely migrated to Africa by way of a gradual process. This provided them with time to adjust to the intense UV and sunlight by way of other means (such as panting). Hominids, on the other hand, originally possessed fur, but, due to a relatively sudden change in behavior 2.5 million years ago (due to hominid inventiveness/technological innovation) that involved intense hunting during the day, they developed sweat glands that enabled them to perspire. This change necessitated the loss of most body hair in order to facilitate sweat evaporation (i.e. cool the body). Hence body hair would allow for a greater surface area for sweat to evaporate from coupled with hairs thermal conductivity allowing more heat to be lost from more tropical regions where the water content of the air is greater. Furthermore, balding usually occurs at around 30 – 40 years of age. In prehistoric times, most individuals were not as likely to live past 30.^{[dubious – discuss]} Hence it wasn't as common a trait. Also, dark pigmentation of the skin could have compensated for premature baldness (although such a condition would have still been somewhat uncomfortable relative to having hair.^{[dubious – discuss]}) Finally, there are indeed other African mammals that have lost fur due to equatorial heat. These include the African (and Indian) elephant, as well as the hippopotamus. Thus it is arguable that the Savanna Theory model provides the best explanation for the loss of fur experienced by the human lineage given the available evidence.

Another theory for the thin body hair on humans proposes that Fisherian runaway sexual selection played a role (as well as in the selection of long head hair). Possibly this occurred in conjunction during fetal/early child development neoteny such that more juvenile appearing females being selected by males as more desirable^{[citation needed]} (see types of hair and vellus hair), as well as a much smaller role of testosterone in women.

The aquatic ape hypothesis posits that sparsity of hair is an adaptation to an aquatic environment, but it has little support among scientists.^[5]

Humans, like all primates, are part of a trend toward sparser hair in larger animals, possibly correlating to the lack of hair on elephants of African and Indian origin as opposed to an evolution due to the sunlight; the density of human hair follicles on the skin is actually about what one would expect for an animal of equivalent size^[6]. The outstanding question is why so much of human hair is short, underpigmented vellus hair, rather than terminal hair and the role of testosterone on the hair follicles to instigate their terminalisation in both human and other mamillian species.

Evolutionary variation

Evolutionary biologists suggest that the genus Homo arose in East Africa approximately 2.5 million years ago (Jablonski, 2006). During this time new hunting techniques were innovated (Jablonski, 2006). The higher protein diet led to the evolution of larger body and brain sizes (Jablonski, 2006). Jablonski (2006) postulates that increasing body size, in conjunction with intensified hunting during the day at the equator, gave rise to a greater need to rapidly expel heat. As a result, humans developed the ability to sweat and thus lost body hair to facilitate this process (Jablonski, 2006). Some note that primates and horses have armpits that sweat like those of humans and so this was not a new evolution, rather a possible preferential selection of perspiration over body hair. However, it can be argued that these two species also pant; a device that compensates for inefficiencies in the evaporation of sweat due to fur. Some counter the argument that dark skin was necessary following loss of fur by suggesting that tanning on exposed skin in primates is also seen and possibly was a retained feature, while hyper-pigmentation as in Africans and Indians, as well as albinism are later mutations. However, this argument doesn't account for the fact that equatorial UV light is such that the relatively minor tanning that occurs among chimpanzees (who, it should be mentioned, spend most of their time protected from the sun by way of a forest canopy), is insufficient in terms of providing full protection.

In addition, while some individuals affirm the hypothesis concerning loss of hair via the evolution of sweat glands, they assert that the question remains as to why such a large surface area is required for cooling when other animals in these regions have much larger volumes to surface area, yet are still covered in thick fur and are able to cool solely by panting. They cite examples that include monkeys, lions and zebra, (though as previously mentioned, they acknowledge that both zebra and monkeys possess the ability to sweat). However, this assessment fails to account for the fact that the speed at which the human lineage changed in response to higher cognitive ability far outpaced that of other species. Specifically, the fairly sudden invention of stone tools by primitive humans ~2.8 million years ago rapidly transitioned the human lineage away from the simple scavenging of protein from the bone marrow derived from the kills of large African predators (a fairly passive endeavor), towards active hunting that entailed spending relatively long periods of time chasing wild game in the hot equatorial sun. Such a pace of change was unparalleled among other species who, instead, acquired their adaptations to the African heat over considerably longer periods of time during which many of them moved into the equatorial region at a gradual pace. Thus, the significantly greater urgency amongst the members of the human lineage for heat adaptations that could keep up with the huge nutritional benefits that they were accruing from the practice of hunting (leading to an avalanche effect in which increasing protein intake fueled increasing brain size/intelligence) may explain these stark differences.

Texture

Tightly coiled hair

Jablonski (2006) agrees that it was evolutionarily advantageous for pre-humans (Homo erectus) to retain the hair on their heads in order to protect the scalp as they walked upright in the intense African (equatorial) UV light (Jablonski, 2006). While some might argue that, by this logic, Africans/humans should also express hairy shoulders given that these body parts would putatively be exposed to similar conditions. However, the protection of the head, the seat of the disproportionately large brain that enabled humanity to become one of the most successful species on the planet (which is also very vulnerable at birth), was arguably a more urgent issue (axillary hair in the underarms and groin were also retained as signs of sexual maturity). During the gradual process by which Homo erectus transitioned from furry to naked skin, their hair texture putatively changed gradually from straight (the condition of most mammals, including humanity's closest cousins—chimpanzees), to Afro-like or 'kinky' (i.e. tightly coiled). This is supported by Iyengar's (1998) findings that, while the roots of straight human hair may act as fiber optic tubes that allow UV light to pass into the skin, 'kinks' in fiber optic tubes are known to prevent UV light from passing through (note: this is due to the incident angle of the UV light made to the reflective inner surface of the hair follicle approaching the normal to the surface of the plane, reducing internal reflection). In this sense, during the period in which humans were gradually losing their straight body hair and thereby exposing initially the pale skin underneath their fur to the sun, straight hair would have been an evolutionary liability. Hence, tightly coiled or 'kinky' Afro-hair may have evolved to prevent the entry of UV light into the body during the transition towards dark, UV-protected skin.

Alternatively, some intuit that tightly coiled hair that grows into a typical Afro-like formation would have greatly reduced the ability of the head and brain to cool. They reason that although hair density in African peoples is much less than their European counterparts, in the intense sun the effective 'woolly hat' produced would have been a disadvantage, unless it was an evolution to provide shade from the sun that was required as body hair was reduced. However, anthropologists such as Nina Jablonski make the opposite argument with regards to this hair texture. Specifically, Jablonski's (2006) assertions suggest that the adjective "wooly" in reference to Afro-hair is a misnomer to the extent that it connotes the high heat insulation derivable from the true wool of sheep. Instead, the relatively sparse density of Afro-hair, combined with its springy coils actually results in an airy, almost sponge-like effect. This, in turn, Jablonski (2006) argues, actually facilitates an increase in the circulation of cool air onto the scalp. Further, Afro-hair does not respond as easily to moisture and/or sweat as straight hair. Thus it does not stick to the neck and/or scalp when wet. Rather, unless totally immersed/drenched, it tends to retain its basic springy puffiness. In this sense, the trait may arguably contribute to slightly enhanced comfort levels in intense equatorial climates compared to straight hair (which, alternatively, tends to naturally fall over the ears and neck to a degree that, arguably, may provide slightly enhanced comfort levels in cold climates relative to tightly coiled hair).

Further, some interpret the ideas of Charles Darwin as suggesting that some traits, such as hair texture, were too trivial for natural selection to have played a role. They argue that Darwin's explanation was that sexual selection may be responsible for such traits.^[7] However, the concept of "triviality" is a human value judgment. It has nothing to do with whether physical traits are/were actually adaptive. In fact, while the sexual selection hypothesis cannot be totally ruled out, the asymmetrical distribution of this trait does not indicate that this was the primary causal factor. Specifically, if hair texture were simply the result of arbitrary human aesthetic preferences, one would expect that the global distribution of the various hair textures would be fairly random. Instead, the distribution of Afro-hair is strongly skewed towards the equator. Further, it is notable that the most pervasive expression of this hair texture can be found in sub-Saharan Africa; a region of the world that abundant genetic and paleoanthropological evidence suggests was the relatively recent (~200,000 year old) point of origin for modern humanity. In fact, although genetic findings (Tishkoff, 2009) suggest that sub-Saharan Africans are the most genetically diverse continental group on earth, Afro-textured hair (along with a small cluster of other physical features) approaches ubiquity is this region. This points to a strong, long-term selective pressure that, in stark contrast to most other regions of the genomes of sub-Saharan groups, left little room for genetic variation at the determining loci. Such a pattern is, again, not indicative of the relatively variable trends associated with human sexual aesthetics.

Straight hair

According to the recent single origin hypothesis, anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens) arose in East Africa approximately 200,000 years ago (Tishkoff, 1996). Then, ~150,000 years later, modern humans began to expand their range to regions outside of (and within) this continent (Tishkoff, 1996). Among those in the group who left the African continent, the period in which humanity was in Africa, their skin had developed the ability to manufacture vitamin D (which was essential for bone development) upon exposure to UV light (Jablonski, 2006). However the UV light of northern regions was too weak to penetrate the highly pigmented skin of the initial migrants in order to provide enough vitamin D for healthy bone development (Jablonski, 2006). Malformed bones in the pelvic area were especially deadly for women in that they interfered with the successful delivery of babies; possibly leading to the death of both the mother and the infant during labor. Hence, those with lighter skin gradually survived and had children at higher rates because their skin allowed more UV light for the production of vitamin D (Jablonski, 2006).

Hence, evidence with regards to the evolution of straight hair texture seems to support Jablonski's (2006) suggestions that the need for vitamin D triggered the transition from dark to light skin. Specifically, the distribution of this trait suggests that this need may have grown so intense at certain points that Northerners with mutations for straighter hair survived and had children at higher rates. This argument is made based on the principle that straight fibers better facilitates the passage of UV light into the body relative to curly hair. It is substantiated by Iyengar's (1998) findings that UV light can pass through straight human hair roots in a manner similar to the way that light passes through fiber optic tubes (Iyengar, 1998). Nonetheless, some argue against this stance given that straighter hair ends tend to point downwards while fiber optics requires that light be transmitted at a high angle to the normal of the inner reflective surface. In light of this, they suggest that only light reflected from the ground could successfully enter the hair follicle and be transmitted down the shaft. And even this process, they argue, is hindered by the curvation at the base of the hair. Hence, coupled with the amount of skin covered by long head hair, these factors seem to mitigate against the adaptive usefulness of straight hair at Northern latitudes. They further argue that UV light is also poorly reflected from soil and dull surfaces. However, these ideas can be countered by the fact that, during the winter, the time of year in which UV light is most scarce at Northern latitudes, the ground is often covered with white snow. Given that white is the most effective color in terms of facilitating the reflection of ground light, the hypothesis that straight hair could have been adaptively favorable cannot be fully discounted in this regard. In addition, as mentioned in the previous section, straight hair may have also contributed to enhanced comfort levels in the North. This is evident in the extent to which, relative to curly hair, it tends to provide a layer of protection for ears and necks against the cold.

The EDAR Locus

A group of studies have recently shown that genetic patterns at the EDAR locus, a region of the modern human genome that contributes to hair texture variation among most individuals of East Asian descent, support the hypothesis that (East Asian) straight hair likely developed in this branch of the modern human lineage subsequent to the original expression of tightly coiled natural afro-hair (Mou, 2008; Fujimoto, 2008; Fujimoto, 2008b). Specifically, the relevant findings indicate that the EDAR mutation coding for the predominant East Asian 'coarse' or thick, straight hair texture arose within the past ~65,000 years, which is a time frame that covers from the earliest of the 'Out of Africa' migrations up to now.

Social role of hair

Portrait of a Woman, Alessandro Allori (1535 - 1607; Uffizi Gallery): a plucked hairline gives a fashionably "noble brow"

Hair has great social significance for human beings. It can grow on most areas of the human body, except on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet (among other areas), but hair is most noticeable in most people in a small number of areas, which are also the ones that are most commonly trimmed, plucked, or shaved. These include the face, nose, ears, head, eyebrows, eyelashes, legs and armpits, as well as the pubic region. The highly visible differences between male and female body and facial hair are a notable secondary sex characteristic.

Hair as indicator

Healthy hair indicates health and youth (important in evolutionary biology). Hair colour and texture can be a sign of ethnic ancestry. Facial hair is a sign of puberty in men. White hair is a sign of age, which can be concealed with hair dye. Male pattern baldness is a sign of age, which can be concealed with a toupee, hats or religious/cultural adornments. In modern times, it can be reversed in some men with minoxidil (marketed as Rogaine or Regaine) or finasteride (marketed as Propecia); see Baldness treatments. Rather than these options, many men simply shave their heads for a clean look. Males in some religious groups, for example Sikhs and Orthodox Jews, may follow certain rules regarding hair as part of their faith, e.g. never cut their hair, or shave some or all of it. Some groups, such as women in the Muslim and orthodox Jewish communities, cover their hair as part of religious observance. Hair whorls have been discovered to be associated with brain development.

Hairstyle can be an indicator of group membership:. Metalheads can often feature long hair for headbanging, although long hair is commonplace for many men and women outside of heavy metal (ex: Indian sadhus, the hippie subculture, etc). Beatle "mop-top" haircuts. Mohawk haircuts, often associated with punk rock and the punk subculture. Skinhead haircuts, where the head is often shaved completely bald, or "buzzed". Mullet hairstyles, which have stereotypically been portrayed as pertaining to rednecks. Deathhawk A larger, fuller, back combed version of a mohawk - popular in the gothic sub-culture, and heavily featured in deathrock and gothic rock bands in the 1980s. undercut where the sides and back of the head are shaved short or bald, and the top hair is allowed to grow long. Common among so-called "cybergoths" and followers of Industrial and heavy electronic music scenes. This is especially true of women in these subcultures, although the undercut is accepted as a unisex hair style. Fascinator (hair style) where the hair is short at the back and long at the front and the front forms itself into a point. It is similar to a mullet in reverse (also known as a frullet) or a devil lock. Hair that is usually short with a long side fringe [American: bangs] is a cut often associated with emo music and its fan basis. It is often dyed black or vibrant and contrasting colours such as pink or blue. It is considered a unisex haircut and often appears similar to the mop-top.

Growing and removing

In Western society, men's hair is generally kept short. This is due in part to the English Civil War. The followers of Oliver Cromwell decided to crop their hair close to their head, as an act of defiance to the curls and ringlets of the king's men. The Cromwell followers won.^[8] The Cavaliers and Roundheads are another example of politically-motivated hairstyles. Long hair on men had a resurgence in the 1960s. Some notable hairstyles include skinheads and mullets. Members of the Sikh religion don't cut their hair. Having bobbed hair was popular among the flappers in the 1920s as a sign of rebellion against traditional roles for women. Female art students known as the "cropheads" also adopted the style, notably at the Slade School in London, England. Regional variations in hirsutism cause practices regarding hair on the arms and legs to differ.

Hair, power, punishment, and status

This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this section if you can. (September 2009)

French civilians shave the head of a young woman as punishment for wartime collaboration, August 29, 1944

Heads were shaved in concentration camps. Head-shaving was used as punishment - especially for women with long hair. Military haircuts, monastic tonsures. Extremely long hair of some Indian holy men. Regular hairdressing as sign of wealth. The dreadlocks of the Rastafari were despised early in the movement's history. Having one's own hair cut in order to liberate oneself from their past, usually after a trying time in one's life. Having hair cut as a sign of mourning, which was practiced in a number of cultures. Yoko Ono famously cut her very long hair after the assassination of her husband John Lennon, saying, "John loved my long hair, so I gave it to him.".

Tightly coiled hair in its natural state can be worn in an Afro. This hairstyle was once worn among African Americans as a symbol of racial pride. Given that the coiled texture is the natural state of most African Americans' hair, this simple style is now often seen as a sign of self-acceptance and an affirmation that the beauty norms of dominant (northern/European) culture are not absolute.

Flappers of the 1920s cut their traditional long hair into short bob cuts to show their independence and sexual freedom. Hippies of the 1960s grew their hair long in order to illustrate their distance from mainstream society.

The film Easy Rider (1969) includes the description of one Hippie forcibly having his head shaved with a rusty razor to indicate the intolerance of some conservative groups towards the Hippie movement.

At the conclusion of the Oz obscenity trials in the UK, the defendants had their heads shaved by the police, causing an outcry. During the appeal trial, they appeared in the dock wearing wigs.

Religious practices

Women's hair may be hidden using headscarves, a common part of the hijab in Islam and a symbol of modesty required for religious rituals in Orthodox Christianity. Orthodox Judaism endorses the use of wigs, scarves and other headcoverings for women for modesty reasons as in Islam. Hassidic Judaism, on the other hand, discourages the trimming of head hair, and male practitioners typically wear their hair in ringlets (peyos). Sikhs generally keep their hair uncut and tied in a bun on the head, which is then covered appropriately using a turban.

Shampooing

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Washing hair is usually done with shampoo, however there are instances where it is washed with other materials. Washing hair is a subject of discussion with different parties arguing for and against the practice. The case for not washing hair has been championed by British broadcaster and journalist Andrew Marr.^[9][10] Matthew Parris is another who apparently does not wash his hair.^[11]

In his article in the Daily Mail Marr wrote:

Former Conservative MP and author Matthew Parris threw down the gauntlet last week when he announced that he hadn't washed his hair in a decade, and suffered no ill-effects, socially or otherwise.

Marr then argued the case advising non use of shampoo was natural as well as having environmental and economic benefits. Jessica Simpson has also been cited as a reduced shampooer rather than a non shampooer.^[12]

Hair pigment

All natural hair colours are the result of two types of hair pigment. Both of these pigments are a type of melanin produced right inside the hair follicle. Phaeomelanin is responsible for the yellowish-blond to red colors and Eumelanin is responsible for the brown to black shades. Gray hair occurs when humans stop producing these melanin molecules. Grey/white hair is what hair looks like when there is no pigment.

See also

• Hypotrichosis, the state of having a less than normal amount of hair on the head or body
• Natural afro-hair
• Hair follicle
• Cowlick

Notes

1. ^ definition askoxford.com
2. ^ Human hair linked to dinosaur claws Origins of hair go back 310 million years to common ancestor
3. ^ Eckhard (2008). Identification of reptilian genes encoding hair keratin-like proteins suggests a new scenario for the evolutionary origin of hair. doi:10.1073/pnas.0805154105. 
4. ^ Wade, Nicholas (2003-08-09). "Why Humans and Their Fur Parted Ways". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C03E0DE1030F93AA2575BC0A9659C8B63&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=2. Retrieved 2008=07-25. 
5. ^ Meier, R (2003). The complete idiot's guide to human prehistory. Alpha Books. pp. 57-59. ISBN 0028644212. 
6. ^ Shwartz, G. G. & Rosenblum, L. A. (?). Allometry of primate hair density and the evolution of human hairlessness. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 55(1), pp. ??
7. ^ Descent of Man
8. ^ Olmert, Michael (1996). Milton's Teeth and Ovid's Umbrella: Curiouser & Curiouser Adventures in History, p.53. Simon & Schuster, New York. ISBN 0684801647.
9. ^ 'Why I've given up washing my hair', Andrew Marr
10. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/jun/09/television.fashion The Guardian online
11. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/fashion/21SKINOne.html?_r=2&ref=fashion&oref=slogin New York Times, 'Of Course I Washed My Hair Last Year (I’m Almost Certain)'
12. ^ "Jessica Simpson’s Hair Care Secret."

References

• Iyengar, B. (1998). The hair follicle is a specialized UV receptor in human skin? Bio Signals Recep, 7(3), 188-194.
• Jablonski, N.G. (2006). Skin: a natural history. Berkley, CA: University of Califiornia Press.
• Pagel, M. & Bodmer, W. (2003). A naked ape would have fewer parasites. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. (http://www.anthro.utah.edu/~rogers/pubs/Pagel-BL-270-S117.pdf)
• Rogers, Alan R.; Iltis, David & Wooding, Stephen (2004), “Genetic variation at the MC1R locus and the time since loss of human body hair”, Current Anthropology 45 (1): 105-108.
• Tishkoff, S.A. (1996). Global patterns of linkage disequilibrium at the CD4 locus and modern human origins. Science. 271(5254), 1380-1387.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hair

Look up hair in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Discussion about shaving and cultures
• Answers to several questions related to hair from curious kids
• How to measure the diameter of your own hair using a laser pointer
• Instant insight outlining the chemistry of hair from the Royal Society of Chemistry

v • d • e Integumentary system (TA A16, GA 10.1062) Skin Epidermis Stratum corneum · Stratum lucidum · Stratum granulosum · Stratum spinosum · Stratum germinativum (basale) Basement membrane zone Basal keratinocyte · Lamina lucida · Lamina densa Dermis Papillary · Reticular Subcutaneous tissue Panniculus adiposus · Panniculus carnosus · Stratum membranosum · Loose connective tissue · Superficial fascia Adnexa Glands Sweat glands: Apocrine · Eccrine Sebaceous Hair Outer root sheath Inner root sheath Shaft Cuticle · Cortex · Medulla · Bulb with matrix cells · Hair papilla Muscle Arrector pili Nail Matrix · Lunula · Nail plate · Eponychium · Paronychium · Hyponychium Other Skin flora integument, SF, LCT navs: anat/physio, noncongen/congen/neoplasia, symptoms+signs/eponymous, proc skin appendage navs: anat, noncongen/congen/neoplasia, symptoms+signs/eponymous, proc

v • d • e Human anatomy (TA A01.1) Head Forehead · Ear · Jaw · Face (Cheek, Eye, Nose, Mouth, Chin) · Occiput · Scalp · Temple Neck Throat · Adam's apple Torso Breast · Thorax · Abdomen · Navel · Back · Pelvis Sex organs Limbs Upper limb Shoulder · Axilla · Arm Elbow · Forearm Wrist · Hand · Finger (Thumb · Index · Middle · Ring · Little) Lower limb/ (see also leg) Hip · Buttocks · Thigh Knee · Calf · Crus Ankle · Heel · Foot · Toe (Hallux · Fifth) · Sole Skin Hair

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - hår

idioms:

• get in someone's hair    gå en på nerverne, irritere en
• hair care    hårpleje
• hair shirt    hårskjorte, bodsskjorte
• hair trigger    snellert (i geværlås)
• hair's breadth    hårs bredde, på et hår
• keep one's hair on    bare rolig, ikke hidsig
• let one's hair down    slå håret ud, slappe af, slå sig løs, tale frit fra hjertet
• make one's hair stand on end    få hårene til at rejse sig
• not a hair out of place    ikke et hår sidder forkert
• not turn a hair    ikke fortrække en mine, tage det med ro
• to a hair    på en prik

Nederlands (Dutch)
haar, hoofdhaar, huid-/ stofbedekking, kuif, vezel, beharing

Français (French)
n. - cheveux, poils, pelage, cil, cheveu, poil

idioms:

• a hair's breadth    d'un poil (fam)
• get in someone's hair    taper sur les nerfs de qn
• get out of someone's hair    laisser qn en paix
• hair care    soin des cheveux
• hair shirt    haire, cilice
• hair trigger    détente ultrasensible
• keep one's hair on    garder son calme
• let one's hair down    se défouler
• make one's hair stand on end    faire dresser les cheveux sur la tête
• not a hair out of place    (être) impeccable, tiré à quatre épingles
• not turn a hair    ne pas broncher
• to a hair    parfait jusque dans le moindre détail, exactement

Deutsch (German)
n. - Haar

idioms:

• a hair's breadth    Haaresbreite
• get in someone's hair    jmdm. auf die Nerven od. den Wecker gehen od. fallen (ugs)
• get out of someone's hair    jmdn. in Ruhe (ugs.) lassen
• hair care    Haarpflege
• hair shirt    Büßerhemd
• hair trigger    Stecher
• keep one's hair on    gelassen bleiben
• let one's hair down    sein Haar aufmachen, sich gehenlassen
• make one's hair stand on end    jmdn. erschrecken
• not a hair out of place    makellos frisiert
• not turn a hair    keine Emotionen zeigen
• to a hair    perfekt

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - τρίχα, τρίχωμα, κόμη (κν. μαλλιά)

idioms:

• get in someone's hair    (καθομ.) δαιμονίζω ή βουρλίζω κάποιον
• hair care    φροντίδα των μαλλιών
• hair shirt    τρίχινη πουκαμίσα ασκητών ή μετανοούντων
• hair trigger    υπερευαίσθητη σκανδάλη
• hair's breadth    λεπτότατο διάστημα
• keep one's hair on    διατηρώ την ψυχραιμία μου
• let one's hair down    αφήνω τα μαλλιά μου χυτά, ξεδίνω
• make one's hair stand on end    προκαλώ φρίκη σε κάποιον
• not a hair out of place    άψογος
• not turn a hair    δεν ιδρώνει τ' αφτί μου, δεν πτοούμαι
• to a hair    μέχρι την τελευταία λεπτομέρεια

Italiano (Italian)
capigliatura, pelo, capello

idioms:

• (not) turn a hair    (non) battere ciglio
• get in someone's hair    irritare qualcuno, molestare qualcuno
• hair care    acconciatura
• hair shirt    cilicio
• hair trigger    che può cambiare da un momento all'altro
• hair's breadth    piccola quantità, misura minima
• let one's hair down    sciogliersi i capelli
• make one's hair stand on end    far rizzare i capelli a qualcuno
• not a hair out of place    senza un capello fuori posto, ordinatissimo
• to a hair    al capello, esattamente

Português (Portuguese)
n. - cabelo (m)

idioms:

• get in someone's hair    irritar a alguém
• hair care    cuidado (m) do cabelo
• hair shirt    camisa (f) ou cilício (m) em tecido de crina para penitência
• hair trigger    gatilho (m) de toque muito delicado
• hair's breadth    distância (f) de um fio de cabelo
• keep one's hair on    manter a calma
• let one's hair down    tranqüilizar-se
• make one's hair stand on end    assustar
• not a hair out of place    tudo em boa ordem
• not turn a hair    não mexer em nada
• to a hair    até o menor detalhe

Русский (Russian)
волосы, волосинка, щетина, ворс, очень малое расстояние, удалять волосы, обрастать волосами

idioms:

• get in someone's hair    постоянно мешать кому-л., надоедать
• hair care    уход за волосами
• hair shirt    власяница
• hair trigger    спусковой крючок, вспыльчивый
• hair's breadth    толщина волоса, минимальная ширина
• keep one's hair on    не горячиться, не выходить из себя
• let one's hair down    держать себя очень непринужденно
• make one's hair stand on end    испугать кого-либо
• not a hair out of place    очень аккуратно, с иголочки
• not turn a hair    глазом не моргнуть
• to a hair    точь-в-точь

Español (Spanish)
n. - pelo, cabello, vello, pelusa, pelusilla, crin, cerda

idioms:

• a hair's breadth    por un margen mínimo, por un pelo, por los pelos
• get in someone's hair    molestar, fastidiar, irritar
• get out of someone's hair    dejar de molestar a alguien
• hair care    cuidado del cabello
• hair shirt    silicio
• hair trigger    gatillo sensible
• keep one's hair on    calmarse
• let one's hair down    soltarse el pelo, dejarse el pelo suelto, conducirse con libertad
• make one's hair stand on end    ponerle a uno los pelos de punta
• not a hair out of place    pulcro, acicalado
• not turn a hair    no inmutarse, ni pestañear siquiera
• to a hair    exacto, perfecto hasta el más mínimo detalle

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - hår, hårstrå

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
头发, 毛发

idioms:

• get in someone's hair    惹烦某人
• hair care    护发
• hair shirt    惩罚工具, 刑具, 苦难的根源
• hair trigger    微力扳机, 微火触发器
• hair's breadth    距离极短的
• keep one's hair on    保持冷静
• let one's hair down    不拘礼节, 放松, 无拘无束
• make one's hair stand on end    使人毛骨悚然
• not a hair out of place    很整齐
• not turn a hair    不动声色
• to a hair    丝毫不差地

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 頭髮, 毛髮

idioms:

• get in someone's hair    惹煩某人
• hair care    護髮
• hair shirt    懲罰工具, 刑具, 苦難的根源
• hair trigger    微力扳機, 微火觸發器
• hair's breadth    距離極短的
• keep one's hair on    保持冷靜
• let one's hair down    不拘禮節, 放鬆, 無拘無束
• make one's hair stand on end    使人毛骨悚然
• not a hair out of place    很整齊
• not turn a hair    不動聲色
• to a hair    絲毫不差地

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 머리카락, 털, 모직물, 근소한 거리

idioms:

• get in someone's hair    괴롭히다
• keep one's hair on    태연하다
• make one's hair stand on end    머리털이 곤두서게 하다, 소름 끼치게 하다
• to a hair    한 치도 틀리지 않고, 정확하게

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 髪, 体毛, 毛, 一本の毛ほど, わずか

idioms:

• get in someone's hair    うるさがらせる
• hair care    ヘアケア
• hair shirt    毛衣, 懲らしめる人
• hair trigger    触発引き金
• let one's hair down    くつろぐ, うちとけて話す
• make one's hair stand on end    ぞっとさせる
• not a hair out of place    整った髪の毛
• to a hair    寸分たがわず

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) شعر‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮שיער, שערה, כמות קטנה מאד‬

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