new thread
To speed hair growth, trim the ends at the new Moon; to retard growth cut hair during the waning Moon.
PLEASE NOTE!
This only works if you stand on one leg hopping round with your tongue out licking the end of your nose.
Remember the last bit.... its important.
I don't think.
What would the position of the moon have to do with hair growth? Its all a belief people have had for ages that objects in space cause this or that to people.
Please explain in detail how that process works.
I see no scientific evidence that the amount of light reflected by the moon would have any effect on hair growth rate. The gravity of the moon certainly would have no effect either. Although the moon is a massive object (3476 kilometers diameter, mass 7.35e19 metric tons) it is 384400 kilometers away and at that distance exerts a pull of only 271 milligrams on a person weighing 80 kilograms. There IS scientific evidence that genetics plays the major role in how fast or slow your hair grows. To maximize your genetically predetermined growth rate be sure to get good nutrition, get adequate exercise, and get enough sleep. Absalom
Don't listen to these guys, I hear you!
The point is that the moon affects us (the tides, our bodies - the female menstrual cycle coincides with a moon month and among native peoples was timed to it also). How can the moon affect us? For one thing the moon influences water and our bodies are mostly made up of water. So for me a link between moon and hair growth is not surprising, but each to their own!
Cheers,
Armin
But there is no point. He makes a bizarre assertion and has absolutly nothing to back it up with. Nor do you.
Water doesn't affect hair growth.
Why would the moon's gravitational pull on the tides make your hair grow more or less? Do you suppose that it pulls it up towards itself thus stretching the roots of your hair thus giving it added length? I haven't noticed my hair sticking straight up lately. Is it a gravitational pull that is strong enough to align the protein in your body so it comes out of your follicles better?
The amount of light that the moon gives off isn't tied to how much gravitational pull it has, that is determined by how close it is in relation to the earth.
If it is the light which he was claiming, then why would low levels of reflected light determine how hair grows? Does it pick up moon dust and then transfer it into your scalp thus stimulating immediate growth when you stand outside on a clear night? Does it matter if it's a clear night or cloudy? The moon will still be doing the same thing. Is it radiation? Direct sunlight gives off more of that.
If you have access to a scientific study (other than some new age wishful thinking)that says that the female menstrual cycle coincides with a moon month, that would be interesting to see. I see a lot of conjecture on other boards about this but no real correlation other than the comparing of structures of female cycle patterns to structures of moon phase patterns, occasional personal antidotes and a whole lot of women who's cycles don't follow this idea.
SOME people can act out in different ways during a full moon but though police and hospitals can see and increase of activity it's undetermined if it is due to there being more light at night allowing for more activity to go on or the possiblity of some limited psychological effects. But then you have to answer how psychological effects would affect the growth rate of your hair by speeding it up by standing in moon light for a short while or slowing it down by standing in moonlight for a short while.
Of course you can believe what you wish but don't let some goofy ideas fool you. Make sure that there is something behind them because there is plenty of real stuff to "believe" in too.
; )
Here is a quote of a study done on this subject:
Ivan Kelly, James Rotton and Roger Culver (1996) examined over 100 studies on lunar effects and concluded that the studies have failed to show a reliable and significant correlation (i.e., one not likely due to chance) between the full moon, or any other phase of the moon, and each of the following:
-the homicide rate
-traffic accidents
-crisis calls to police or fire stations
-domestic violence
-births of babies
-suicide
-major disasters
-casino payout rates
-assassinations
-kidnappings
-aggression by professional hockey players
-violence in prisons
-psychiatric admissions
-agitated behavior by nursing home residents
-assaults
-gunshot wounds
-stabbings
-emergency room admissions
-behavioral outbursts of psychologically challenged rural adults
-lycanthropy
-vampirism
-alcoholism
-sleep walking
-epilepsy
If so many studies have failed to prove a significant correlation between the full moon and anything, why do so many people believe in these lunar myths? Kelly, Rotton, and Culver suspect four factors: media effects, folklore and tradition, misconceptions, and cognitive biases. A fifth factor should be considered, as well: communal reinforcement.
There is proof that 'wishful' thinking can change certain aspects of the body though.
If you really need me to I'll re-look it up. Don't take this the wrong way but you're a man and less likely to feel the effects of such cycles.
It's fair to say (whether you believe either side) that even if it is not the moon that affects the hair growth then it can be a chain reaction (maybe even starting in the middle somewhere) that does, in the end, affect hair growth.
At a basic level mood affects hair growth, health and colour, and the moon is known for its romantic properties so if you're very aware of the moon it 'may' affect your hair.
And if hair, fur, body fat etc are linked to the seasons (which they are) then why not such an easily influenced part of the body such as hair being influenced every month?
Well if you are talking about the release of endorfins in the brain then sure, that's a known fact. But I don't think that this relates to the begining of the thread at all.
Maybe? Sounds like wishfull thinking. If it's a chain reaction then the chain can be studied and tested. If you are trying to say something like the added gravitational pull of the moon on the earth has contributed to the way life forms developed due to the amount of gravity our bodies developed under, then I'd say that's getting a bit too far off the subject and certainly off the sort of claim that Magick Man made. We can suppose lots of possiblities but we do know quite a bit about ourselves and our world at this point in time and if there is something that you suppose should show otherwise about what we know then there must be a very apparent explanation that you can present.
Never heard that moon affects these things. Stress can show "some" effects but maybe you can expand on the mood idea. "Romantic properties" are chemical reactions in humans brains. One can say that the moon also strikes fear into people, past and present.
How can being "aware" of the moon affect your hair?
That sounds like circular reasoning. How is hair (human in this case) easily influenced?
Ok you've replied to my post making the same point I was trying to make. I can agree I suppose my post didn't make my point too well but what you've said was exactly what I was talking about.
Being aware of the moon - I was talking about people who DO consider the moon cycles to be a major part of their lives and the stress it can entail, especially if said persons are believers in bad omens etc. associated with their moon beliefs.
Stress is linked to autoimmune disfunctions and alopecia (for example) is an autoimmune disorder. Those were the things I was talking about most.
I do not put faith in the moon affecting my hair growth - I put faith in healthy living, good shampoos, conditioners and hairbrushes for a healthy head of hair.
Here is the word I was probably missing... COINCIDENCE.
The chain reaction I was talking about (APART from stress) is the coincidence linking hair growth with the moon. Two things that have no relation that seemingly have a relation due to coincidence in timing. There may SEEM to be a chain linking the moon to hair by going through a very long line of happenstances.
Is that more clear now? You've ripped apart my post paragraph by paragraph to make the exact same point I was making in the first place. lol :)
I admire your debating skills m'love but I'm glad we at least agree.
Just for another couple of things I guess... coincidence can be large or small - to take an extreme you could say the moons gravitational pull caused a tidal wave that swamped a town, some guy lost his home due to said tidal wave and got stressed out and his hair growth suffered - - - - not exactly a normal scenario but it COULD happen. If that happened I doubt the guy would be connecting the moon to his misfortune. An extreme doesn't mean it's irrelevent but it's not important here.
Bit far fetched there but nevertheless a POSSIBILITY and one I doubt has ever been measured, lol.
Since you mentioned my phrase of Romantic Properties.. you implied (though I may be wrong) that that is different from fear etc. What I meant by romantic properties was that something you have feeling for causes emotion (can be fear or love or more) - emotion is a chemical reaction in the brain - those chemicals can become unbalanced in situations that cause fear/stress and so can affect the state of the hair.
As for the moon itself - it's a lot less likely for someones fear/love of the moon to affect their hair growth than it is for someone chopping off all their fingers by accident and all their existing hair turning white. That is a more extreme reaction but one that happens for real and with scientific proof. In fact I know someone who this happened to.
Back to the argument raising bluddy great rock in orbit over us... if it IS stress we're talking about and it's link to the moon then that is fine. People can be calmed by it or fearful of it because of their religion or whatever and their beliefs and associated emotions. Nothing logical about this but emotion is not always logical. THERE may be a link there but NOT one directly between the moon and hair growth.
And last because this is going on far too long is to your first point here - YES I was talking about the chemical reactions in the brain for you being different from me as a man to a woman. It does relate to the original post because a womans chemical cycle is roughly monthly and so is a lunar month - another coincidence.
Ok? :-D
And if hair, fur, body fat etc are linked to the seasons (which they are)
That has everything to do with SEASON, not moon.
Body fat and fur are built up in cold regions to protect from cold. It has nothing to do with the moon.
And, as a woman, I can attest: my cycle does NOT coincide with the moon phases.
My friend, I don't mind you criticising but at least don't misquote me at every turn.
Where do I say this? I said that the moon affects water (plenty of scientific evidence of this - refer to your class 7 high school textbook if you've still got it, these things are elementary!)
Then I go on to say that I can see how a link between the moon and hair growth might exist.
Again, where the f... do I say that?
Refer to my comment above...
No, he didn't. This is about moon PHASES, not moonlight. There is a difference - please refer to your encyclopedia, if you have such a thing.
And regarding the female menstrual cycles, why don't you do and speak to some women about that? But before you do, remember that I said "among native people". For modern women, the timing does no longer fit, but to confirm what I say here, I refer you again to your encyclopedia.
Lastly, about the "Ivan Kelly, James Rotton and Roger Culver (1996)" study, I would agree with it on all of the points mentioned!
But neither Magic Man nor myself claimed any of these things.
Now you are on about the 'werewolf syndrom'...again, what has that to do with the points I made? If you don't believe that the moon affect ANYTHING - even water, or that humans are made up of mostly water, may I suggest you get an education.
Education? You said you wouldn't be suprised if the moon affected hair growth. Is that an educated opinion? Is is what you were learning in 7th grade?
I didn't "quote" you in most of my response but asked how you can explain your position and even supplied some possible examples that were laughable but possibly the only sort of attempts that one could come up with to try and back up something like this.
Can you provide us with an explanation that will support your position that the moon affects hair growth if you cut it in the moon light (or just growth)? I don't care if you respond to anything else in my post, just this. That would be the educated thing to do wouldn't you say? (since it appears to you that I don't have an education because I don't believe in silly myths. Quote: "...may I suggest you get an education.")
You did hint that the explanation for the moon's ability to affect human hair growth may lie in how it affects water (that would be large bodies of water, not all water) and since human flesh is primairly composed of H2O it stand to reason that the moon can have an affect on human bodies (hair being the topic in question).
Take note Armin that this is not a "quote" of what you said but clarifies what you were implying. I am aware of the elementary knowledge you speak of in referece to tides and composition of the human body (guess I do have an elementary education) but it doesn't back up any idea that standing in the moonlight will affect hair growth as you trim or cut it.
Now, since there are only two ways the moon interacts with the earth, which is gravitational pull and reflected light/radiation, you must be talking about either or both. This is where I got this from. Is there some other way that you were really referring to that is behind your reasoning?
A moon phase is purely a light issue. If the earth blocks half of the light traveling to the moon from the sun then it shows as half a moon and if the earth doesn't block any of the light then it's a full moon (insert variations). Moon phases aren't about gravity, just light. Or is there some other "thing" that my uneducated mind doesn't get yet? Maybe you can tell me what that is? Again, respond to this kind of question if you are going to respond and don't bother with the rest.
None of my girlfriends, family members, other friends, etc. have ever had their cycles correspond with moon phases. Nor have I ever heard that this is the way it works with females, even "native" women (except from people who believe that the moon has special powers that need no explanation...and which other people can't see). What people does native women refer to and why would it affect (I assume you mean) "primitive" women and not "modern" women. Would modern also include current populations of 3rd world women who live very primitively?
This is why I asked if you knew of a scientific study for this idea. Again, as I strive to become educated I reason that this is the educated thing to do, wouldn't you agree? I mean, this seems necessary since my encyclopedia doesn't contain medical studies.
The study quote I quoted (real quote) with other examples wasn't there to counter your specific hair example. Indeed it seemed that the hair example was too obscure to even be included in this study (although it did include really obscure moon realated ideas like: -casino payout rates, -agitated behavior by nursing home residents, -lycanthropy, -behavioral outbursts of psychologically challenged rural adults and -sleep walking). I don't know how they could have never heard of cutting your hair in the moonlight to make it grow faster or slower. I quoted it because it examined the same kind of belief process that moon myths are about which is what the hair-in-the-moonlight bit is all about.
I am not countering you because I don't like you or because I am trying to be an ass. I do call attention to posts that are off the wall and give people incorrect ideas about how to care for their hair.
If I am completely wrong then please present some factual/verifiable information other than calling attention to my lack of education because I'd hate to think that all my college years were just wasted (and I didn't even drink in college).
And I'd hate to think that I've been growing my hair the hard way all these years when I could have gotten it faster from moonlight (or whatever)!
BTW,
This was part of the study quote. I can't take credit for saying that and it has everything to do with why people believe in weird things, like hair growth affected by cutting it in the moonlight.
...so don't quote me ; )
Indeed I won't, it's not worth my time, but since you want to see some studies, may I suggest that you firstly read "The Lunar Effect" by Arnold L. Lieber M.D. which contains quite a few scientific studies as well as theories and theses, none of which you have to accept but they are there none the less.
Next, refer to the following websites:
www.skyscript.co.uk/moonfolk.html - this one highlights the moon's effect on female menstrual cycles, (backed up by studies).
www.planetfusion.co.uk/~pignut/animal.html - shows how moon phases affect animals.
www.moonxscape.com/Weather_and_the_Moon.shtml - ponders how the moon is linked to weather patterns.
So, these should at least show you that the moon has SOME effect on the earth and all beings upon it.
PLEASE NOTE THIS TIME that I simply claimed, in my original response, that the moon does affect human beings, including the female menstrual cycle, and that I, personally, do not dismiss a link between moon phases and hair growth out of hand simply because I have no test tube evidence in front of me. I did NOT say "this I fervently believe", only that I can concieve it... just my PERSONAL response to Magic Man's post - I did not think it would bring in the vultures!
This is like your common sense, my friend - you cannot see it, no-one can lay it in front of you, yet still you believe that you possess it... (I'm trying to make a point here, it's not intended as a pure insult.)
Any further correspondence from you can be emailed to me personally at: Grumpa@wastepaperbasket.net
What? You make a claim and instead of presenting information to back it up you want me to go out and do the homework on it? Pleeease. That isn't how educated people do it.
Also, if your argument has shifted to assuming that my position is that the moon has NO effects on anything on this planet then you have made quite a leap because that is not and has not been my position...at all. I am aware of the type of real effects that our satellite has on our planet. What I am not aware of it how the moon affects hair growth regardless if you are standing under moonlight cutting your hair or not, which was the assertion to which you agreed that it was plausable.
>>Magick Man: To speed hair growth, trim the ends at the new Moon; to retard growth cut hair during the waning Moon.
>Armin: Don't listen to these guys, I hear you!
The point is that the moon affects us (the tides, our bodies - the female menstrual cycle coincides with a moon month and among native peoples was timed to it also). How can the moon affect us? For one thing the moon influences water and our bodies are mostly made up of water. So for me a link between moon and hair growth is not surprising, but each to their own!
You brushed off my examples relating to moon myths as not relating to your hair example and now you give me a list of moon topics that...don't relate to hair either? Cool! I'll play.
Here is what your first source has to say:
www.planetfusion.co.uk/~pignut/animal.html
"Crabs and other crustaceans seem to feature in these studies quite a lot, probably because they are affected by the tides."
Water's effects on crabs. I think that I posed that question about gravity to you quite well. Maybe you can find a source that mentions how gravity can affect hair growth?
"In these examples, the animals may be responding to moonlight, gravity effects and possibly changes in temperature."
Sure, nothing new there, gravitational influence on your surrounding enviroment and light to see better at night, temperature unrelated the moon. No mysteries that I didn't ask you about.
"The phase of the moon seems to influence the behaviour of a number of animals. In many cases, the animals are simply responding to the changes in light, which may (for example) make them more visible to each other or to predators, but it is possible that there are monthly circadian rhythms in operation (as in humans), or that the animals are responding to gravitional effects. As in the case of The moon's effects on plants, I am a bit sceptical of the latter hypothesis."
And:
"Frank A.Brown wrote several papers on the moon and plant growth. I managed to find one that he wrote, claiming that water uptake by bean seeds peaked 4 times every lunar month, around the time of full moon, new moon and the quarters.[15]. Harry S.Truman once said: "if you can't convince 'em, confuse em". I think this sums up Brown's approach to writing papers." "Brown also wrote a number of papers on lunar rhythms in animals."
Ok, exactly what my uneducated self was saying.
And as I finish this page from some guy, I see that all these effects on animals, sea creatures and bugs is related to the amount of light a phase allows or how the gravity affects the living enviroment through tides in oceans and in the sketchy examples of plants, whose structures use light and water, he determines that it may be more a matter of the amount of light or the amount of ground water getting to the roots. Unlike our hair follicles which are not photosensitive or fed by water...but you might not be talking about our bodies absorbing light at all and you did say you weren't relating it to water, but I don't know for sure because you won't explain it and your sources agree that moon effects are either light or gravitational pull on water.
I think that I will pause at this point after checking your first source because if the others do any less to support your "supposing that the moon affects hair growth" then I'll be much more disappointed. Go take some time to study your own sources and you might learn something from them if they are not beholding to myth.
From here on out you might consider finding it suprising that there might be a link between the moon and hair growth. Just a suggestion.
Why is it that with every response you either misquote, misrepresent or deliberately misunderstand me?
Most of the assumptions you make about what I say and supposedly believe are new to me!
You asked for sources which provide evidence of the moon's effect on the earth and upon living things and I have provided them.
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I haven't misquoted you. Didn't you say:
>>Magick Man: To speed hair growth, trim the ends at the new Moon; to retard growth cut hair during the waning Moon.
>Armin: Don't listen to these guys, I hear you!
The point is that the moon affects us (the tides, our bodies - the female menstrual cycle coincides with a moon month and among native peoples was timed to it also). How can the moon affect us? For one thing the moon influences water and our bodies are mostly made up of water. So for me a link between moon and hair growth is not surprising, but each to their own!
That WAS a quote from you. I was more responding to Magick Man's post than your support of the idea but since you wanted to defend it you got the chance (remember? "Don't listen to these guys...I hear you"). Haven't seen much of a defense on your part though except for name calling and attempts to evade the question.
Does that include how you suppose that the moon has an effect on hair growth? 'Cause that's what I'm talking about and it's not an assumption (see quote from you above).
Your first "source" was a book who's reviews mentioned that the author formulates theories based on other people's papers. Not a great source of first hand knowledge. I assume that you read it and are familiar with it's material. So, since I don't have a copy of this obscure book, can you find where it shows clear evidence (or even a half-baked description) of how the moon affects hair growth (or even female cycles, since you brought it up and seem to think that there is a mountain of evidence for it) and post that information here? Remember that these things are your assertion and when making a claim (especially an unbelieveable one) it is up to you to provide the proof (this is common practice among educated people but you probably already know that). If your source shows this then it shouldn't be a problem for you to do this...and since you have the book, right?
Your second source was "some guy" who seemed to have more of a scientific intrest but who's material didn't discuss hair growth or female cycles and actually discounted moon myths in the light of scientific study. The quotes I posted from his site did not show the validity of two different sides. He discounted accounts and ideas from people who could not back up their claims. If it didn't fall under commonly known gravitational pull on water or more light to see better it wasn't given any creedence because it was folklore or baseless conjecture (read carefully).
Your other two "sources" were in essence moon worship sites, not very reliable for unbiased information or scientific research (or anything about hair growth). BTW, the Skyscript site (astrology site) used a book called "Supernature" to try and prove moonphase menstruation but the reviews noted that the author was into psychic claims of all sorts which is psudo-science at best, one reviewer said, "...although Watson is clearly trying to be objective and uses a variety of sources, some (and only some) of his sources are extremely questionable. For example, the most amazing claims on the subject of ESP, telepathy etc can all be traced to a book "Psychic Experiments behind the Iron Curtain". This is a fascinating book and a good read on top of it, but do check out the footnotes before converting."
Armin, this just isn't good source material.
Hair Religion
Hair Religion
Hair Religion
Hair Religion
Hair Religion
Found it, it's here:
This keeps being thrown in. I am assuming this is because there aren't many females on the board to discredit it, or the assumtion that we will be too shy to discuss this matter.
It has nothing to do with the moon. It just happens every 21 days, give or take. It can coincide with the moon, or not. It can be brought upon early, or delayed, by stress. Depends on each female's system. It will happen whenever it damn well pleases.
Many women, when living together or brought together, will begin to have them at the same time. So, if one woman 'starts' at the full, or waning, moon they all will. I don't know why, but it happens.
But, it has NOTHING to do with the moon. It has everything to do with whether or not you have supplies to contend with the 'event.' LOL
To keep this hair related...if any men are still reading without being completely grossed out and passed out on the floor...cutting the hair at any point in time just makes it shorter. It won't grow faster if you cut it at some specified time. It won't grow slower if cut at another time. That's all genetics.
Hair does grow faster when the weather is warmer, but I don't think that has anything to do with the moon or sun. I think you just move around more and do stuff. Your circulation increases, providing your hair more protein, your follicles more nutrients.
I would show you my moon, but I would get banned. LOL
Since the moon's cycle is just over 29.5 days, that's not a very close approximation, but 21 days doesn't sound right to me.
This is probably the truest part of what you said.
This is a myth that has been discredited. If you're interested in the research that backs up my assertion, let me know. Or you can read through "The Straight Dope" archives, where references to studies are given. That women sync up is an illusion that manifests itself in part because people expect random numbers to be evenly distributed. In fact, random numbers tend to clump (randomly, of course). An evenly distributed set of numbers is, in fact, not random. The result is that random menstrual cycles look like they're clumping together when, in fact, they're just random. Also, different women have different periods, so if they are not syncronized, they will become syncronized just by the fact that the periods are different.
The same thing happens with turn signals. Have you ever been sitting at a red light with your turn signal on behind a line of cars and noticed that all your blinkers were going at the same time? Did they magically syncronize with each other? No. You just notice WHEN they syncronize.
ROFL. So you can put it off by being well stocked?
Yeah, I can't believe the number of people who believe that cutting hair makes it grow faster. Sometimes I get into arguments with people about that. And at least once, I've given in, just because I didn't want to argue any further.
This is nonsense. I think it's apt that the poster used the name "Magick Man" because apparently he believes that hair growth is due to magick.