What is the difference between human and animal hair?
The difference between hair and fur is more than a matter of verbiage. Without scientific research, we could gather that human hair is mainly an adornment, as opposed to animal fur. The function and purpose of hair is universal. Hair is a filament that covers the skin to insulate the body. The texture of hair varies with every living thing. There are distinct variances which characterize human hair and animal fur into separate classifications. Scientists have discovered that the answer lies in the layers of a hair strand. Every strand of hair stems from a small pore in the surface of the skin, called the follicle. This part of the hairis not visible. Pulling on the follicle is painful because it is living and nerve endings are attached to it. The cells in the follicle generate new cells. They are constantly reproducing, so hair continuously grows. The hair that is visible is known as the shaft. The shaft is the strand of dead cells stemming from the follicle. The follicle is alive beneath the surface of the skin and has various healing properties, unlike the shaft which consists of dead cells. As a result if you damage hair, you have to either cut it off or apply product to maintain a healthy appearance. Animal fur generally has a more coarse consistency, in comparison to the silkier texture of human hair. If you were to look at the follicle of a strand of animal fur under a microscope, you would see that it has a visibly thicker coating than that of human hair. This waxy coating acts as an insulator against severe weather and temperatures in ways human hair cannot. There is more oil in the follicle of a human hair strand, which permits water to soak through it more easily, and does not insulate the skin very efficiently. Animal fur also has the ability to grow to a defined length and then fall out. This is the process of seasonal shedding, which helps regulate the animal’s temperature. Human hair does not have that ability. When animal fur falls out, it grows back. Humans may begin to lose hair with age, but it generallydoes not grow back. Animal fur also has thicker layers. The top layer is a thicker coat, and the layer beneath it is softer. Human hair is the same texture from root to end. These differences explain the characteristics and function of animal fur versus human hair.
While there are a number of similarities between human and animal hair, there are also a few significant differences as well. While these differences are relatively well known to scientists as well as companies that manufacture hygiene products that are formulated for household pets, most people are unaware of how animal hair or fur differs from human hair. Here are a few examples of the characteristics that often help to make it possible to tell the difference between human and animal hair One of the key differences between human and animal hair is the core of the hair follicle. With animals, the core has properties that allow for the coating of hair to provide excellent insulation from not only heat and cold, but also a fair amount of protection from rain as well. The combination of thermal regulating qualities along with the coarse nature of animal hair work as a great means of holding in cold or heat, as well as preventing rain and moisture to work all the way to the skin of the an
