# Possible benefit for long head hair on humans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 7, 2014, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247 "2014-06-07T04:17:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/41 "2014-06-08T00:18:30Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > ETA: That orangutan looks like a Hebrew school teacher I had once. I’m quite jealous of that shade of red. (And actually, I’m not sure it’s a “he”. I wrote that with another picture of an unambiguously male orangutan, and then found this one, who looks like a lost member of the Beatles. I changed the link, but not the nouns. It may be a juvenile male, or it may be a female; I don’t know my orang anatomy well enough to be sure.) ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/42 "2014-06-08T06:29:19Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > …People in Northern and Central Europe had an evolutionary advantage if they got the mutation for light skin, because they could absorb a lot more sunlight and make a lot more vitamin D, even when most of their skin was covered up to protect them from the cold… I wonder if extremely dark skinned people lived there if they would have any problem with a vitamin D deficiency… I thought animals with fur like wolves wouldn’t have a problem about vitamin D. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/43 "2014-06-08T07:46:10Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > As far as hunter-gathering Africans go it is common for the men to shave off all of their hair. Cite? This isn’t the case for the Bushmen, probably the most well-know African HGs. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/44 "2014-06-08T07:59:24Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > I thought animals with fur like wolves wouldn’t have a problem about vitamin D. Wolves have no problem eating other animals’ livers. Plus there’s currently a theory that furred animals could get some of their vitamin D from their own skin oils, by grooming…not proven yet, AFAIK. There was a thread here a few years back. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/45 "2014-06-08T08:03:55Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Cite? This isn’t the case for the Bushmen, probably the most well-know African HGs. Well I think the bushmen keep their hair quite short - rather than let it grow to its natural length. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/46 "2014-06-08T08:51:08Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > I wonder if extremely dark skinned people lived there if they would have any problem with a vitamin D deficiency… I thought animals with fur like wolves wouldn’t have a problem about vitamin D. Well, what someone said about livers, plus, eating them raw. Animals have different vitamin needs from humans. Some animals, pigs for example, can synthesize their own vitamin C, the way humans can synthesize vitamin K. I think cats can synthesize vitamin C as well. In fact, IIRC, the reason pigs can eat such low-quality diets is that they can synthesize pretty much every vitamin. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/47 "2014-06-08T08:56:16Z")
_[Good Hair](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1213585/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_4)_. Documentary by Chris Rock that he was moved to make when his (small) daughters asked him if they should straighten their hair. It’s about all the time and money black women spend trying to make their hair look more like white people’s hair. I found it highly ironic, because I have very curly hair, which I’m always getting compliments on, except from the occasional person who won’t believe it’s natural. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/48 "2014-06-08T09:41:13Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > _[Good Hair](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1213585/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_4)_. Documentary by Chris Rock that he was moved to make when his (small) daughters asked him if they should straighten their hair. It’s about all the time and money black women spend trying to make their hair look more like white people’s hair… Thanks I’ll check it out. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/49 "2014-06-09T16:32:38Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > Well I think the bushmen keep their hair quite short - rather than let it grow to its natural length. Nope, that is its natural length. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/50 "2014-06-09T17:38:07Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > I wonder if extremely dark skinned people lived there if they would have any problem with a vitamin D deficiency… I thought animals with fur like wolves wouldn’t have a problem about vitamin D. Yes, very much so. It’s a problem that’s just recently been noticed. We used to think that if you didn’t have rickets, you had enough vitamin d, and that the vitamin d added to milk was enough for most people. Now we’re thinking that there are deficiency problems long before rickets, and we’re also acknowledging that the majority of African Americans are lactose intolerant and maybe milk isn’t their best supplement choice. Many people with dark skin are being put on target large doses of supplemental vitamin d gelcaps to compensate. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/51 "2014-06-09T17:55:01Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Apes have dark skin… Chimpanzees have light skin, which does darken with age, but you’re starting from a false premise there. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/52 "2014-06-09T21:49:34Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Nope, that is its natural length. Compare these pics of bushmen: [http://www.sketchedout.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Bushmen-Hunters-big-800x566.jpg](http://www.sketchedout.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Bushmen-Hunters-big-800x566.jpg) [![](https://namibiaaa.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/san_tribesman.jpg) ](https://namibiaaa.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/san_tribesman.jpg) Also I’m sure they’d have some kind of beard. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/53 "2014-06-09T22:30:16Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Can some black people grow their hair long? Yep. But they’re not the majority, and they’re often “mixed race,” I’m told. It’s sad and not surprising, but these people are misinformed. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/54 "2014-06-09T22:45:11Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Well, what someone said about livers, plus, eating them raw. Animals have different vitamin needs from humans. Some animals, pigs for example, can synthesize their own vitamin C, the way humans can synthesize vitamin K. I think cats can synthesize vitamin C as well. In fact, IIRC, the reason pigs can eat such low-quality diets is that they can synthesize pretty much every vitamin. I would like to see a cite that says pigs can synthesize most vitamins. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/55 "2014-06-10T08:08:22Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > Compare these pics of bushmen: > [http://www.sketchedout.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Bushmen-Hunters-big-800x566.jpg](http://www.sketchedout.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Bushmen-Hunters-big-800x566.jpg) > [namibiaaa: Image](http://namibiaaa.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/san_tribesman.jpg) Newsflash - different people have different lengths of hair. But that second photo? It’s entirely possible to have hair like that and never have cut it. I have cousins with that kind of peppercorn hair. It only grows about 5cm, tightly curled, before it falls out and gets replaced. Khoisan hair is not at all like Bantu (or African-American) hair. A Bushman can _not_ grow an Afro. > [@](#): > > Also I’m sure they’d have some kind of beard. Most Bushman only have very thin, scraggly facial hair, if at all. They also don’t grow a lot of body hair either. They’re about equivalent to Native Americans in that regard. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/56 "2014-06-12T14:22:50Z")
Is this the missing thread? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/57 "2014-06-12T16:29:44Z")
Yes, twickster. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/58 "2014-06-12T16:37:31Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > You’re right, horses and humans do have long head hair for the same reason: It doesn’t prevent them from getting laid. Remember: Evolution selects against negative traits, not for positive ones. Good point. You might ask “Why are there redheads?” I’m not sure that being a redhead is strongly correlated with getting laid _or_ not getting laid. It’s just an ancient genetic mutation that is. It happens to be more common in certain areas (e.g. British isles), but then that comes from thousands of years of redheads living near other redheads. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/59 "2014-06-12T16:41:36Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Is this the missing thread? hair loss happens. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247/60 "2014-06-13T00:20:28Z")
[http://www.sketchedout.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Bushmen-Hunters-big-800x566.jpg](http://www.sketchedout.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Bushmen-Hunters-big-800x566.jpg) [![](https://namibiaaa.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/san_tribesman.jpg) ](https://namibiaaa.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/san_tribesman.jpg) > [@MrDibble](#): > > Newsflash - different people have different lengths of hair. But that second photo? It’s entirely possible to have hair like that and never have cut it. I have cousins with that kind of peppercorn hair. It only grows about 5cm, tightly curled, before it falls out and gets replaced… In the second photo his hair is about 1cm - possibly 2cm. The ends mostly seem rough as if they were cut. It would be surprising if his hair had never been cut. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-benefit-for-long-head-hair-on-humans/690247.md?page=4)