new thread
The structure of hair is very different from fur, and a scientist will never confuse the two.
But beyond that, it is obvious to even the casual observer that hair structure
varies widely depending on where it grows on the human body.
Head hair is easily recognizable to almost everyone. Find a hair in your cake and
just by looking you can tell if it detached itself from someone’s scalp
and then somehow embedded itself in the cake or frosting.
Now, if we move just a few inches south down to the beard area, once again
we see a noticeable change in hair structure. Place a long beard hair side
by side with a an equally long head hair and you can usually tell the difference
with the naked eye—and certainly any expert can tell the difference.
Beards rarely go bald (in the healthy individual) for a number of reasons
and when plucked will almost always be replaced. Even after years of plucking
these hairs are so tough that there would hardly see any noticeable reduction.
Let us go a little further south to the chest and shoulders: any hair growing
in these areas will once again be easily distinguished from head hair and beard hair.
What most people are NOT aware of is that ordinary plucking (yes, plucking--not electrolysis)
will, over time make these areas completely bare! This might take a few years but
it WILL happen. This is because body hair is very susceptible to this kind of "damage and abuse."
Similar to what happens to the eyebrows when they are plucked to excess over a period of time.
Now let us go even further south to the public region. Find one of these hairs lying around
and once again you will probably be able to guess just what part of the body it came from.
(Remember that infamous "public hair on a coke can").
The legs can also be extremely susceptible to circulatory effects on the hair.
Even the elastic on stockings can be enough to make the entire foot area completely bald!
And genetics can also play an important role in losing leg hair. Some guys lose
almost all the hair on their legs over time. I know this for a fact because my legs
have become virtually hairless--as were my grandfather’s before me!
Hair on the head can disappear over time, while beards rarely ever go bald.
Chest and shoulders and eyebrows are extremely sensitive to plucking (over time)
and will eventually just “give up” and not grow back. Pubic hairs usually last
a lifetime but may thin out over time.
Almost all body hair will change color over time but this will be much less
noticeable on the arms and legs.
I am sure others could add to all this info.
In the end ALL hairs are NOT alike but no matter where the hair grows on the human body it will never be “fur”!
*raises hand*
Uhhhh... professor, the syllabus said we'd be studying Neanderthal contributions to classical literature as it evolved during the renaissance?
Anyhooo- I'm more than certain that the overwhelming majority present encounters little difficulty differentiating between different type of hair- especially body hair vs. head and beard hair. Perhaps a discussion on the biological purpose that each kind of hair and how that helps in seeing differences?
From WiseGeek.com...
Surprisingly enough, there is no actual difference between hair and fur. Though unique to mammals, hair and fur are chemically indistinguishable and are made of keratin, giving them the same chemical make-up as skin, feathers, and nails.
The purpose of hair and fur seems the same, no matter the host. Many animals couldn't live without it's insulating qualities, and many humans appreciate a warmer head, thanks to their hair. Oftentimes, hair and fur serves as protection against injury. An excellent example of this is the thick coat of fur around a lion's neck. This mane will make it very difficult for his enemies to wound him, especially as big cats and other carnivores often go for the throat when hunting. In addition to this, hair and fur can further serve to carry a scent that can vary in purpose from species to species. Although much of the hair that grows on human bodies seems unnecessary, most believe that its growth has greatly reduced, along with our reduced need.
The primary difference between hair and fur, it turns out, is word usage. We generally refer to non-human mammals as having fur, while humans are said to have hair, but there are a few exceptions. When an animal has very coarse or sparse fur, as in the case of a pig or elephant, we usually call it hair. Similarly, a cat or other animal without fur is referred to as "hairless" or even "naked".
On the other hand, we sometimes apply the term fur to ourselves. “He has a hairy chest,” could also be “He has a furry chest.” Generally however fur applies to mammals other than ourselves, unless we are making a deliberate attempt to apply animal characteristics to humans.
Most people are also convinced hair and fur are different because fur tends to grow to a set length. The truth is, in every mammal, hair and fur growth are determined by genetic make-up. So a shorthaired cat doesn’t suddenly become a longhaired cat if it doesn’t get a haircut.
Hair or fur length can also be genetically determined within the variety of humans. Not everyone can grow his or her hair long with equal facility. Ask the many women who have tried and failed. Facial hair is also varied. Some men have a lot, and some very little. Some women have a lot, and some very little! Again, genetics tends to be the primary factor.
We also make the distinction between hair and fur when discussing animal pelts. For the most part, we refer to the pelts of animals and fur: fur coat, fur trim, etc. A few exceptions in the hair and fur distinction for mammals occur here also. For example, mohair is harvested from the alpaca and woven into sweaters and the like. Angora is combed from the angora rabbit and also used in soft sweaters. Often these are both considered hair.
What I should have said is that any scientist can easily distinguish between human hairs and animal fur.
An interesting artice and hair is hair and fur is fur well at least some communities!
Cheers,
John.B
Now there's some interesting info. I know when I was younger my legs were not very hairy but now are more so and looking to the future will be less hairy in the future.As well right above my ankles the socks have taken all the hair off.
So if someone has a lot of back hair and wants it gone plucking over time will acomplish the job. That wouldn't be me but I know of a few hairy people in the world.
Fascinating, thanks Luckskind I think I'll cut/paste and keep this handy for future reference.
Kevin