# Why does head hair grow... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 16, 2006, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-head-hair-grow/344883 "2006-02-16T22:58:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-head-hair-grow/344883/1 "2006-02-16T22:58:51Z")
In reference to this column: [Why does head hair grow indefinitely but other body hair doesn’t?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_044a.html) The lady referenced at the end of the column as Diane Witte is actually Diane Witt. I googled her to see if I could find anything about her and found this [picture](http://www.patswayne.com/crystal/gdwitt.htm). Completely pointless, I know, but I thought I’d share in case anybody else was bored and wondering what 8 feet of hair looks like. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-head-hair-grow/344883/2 "2006-02-16T23:13:34Z")
The roots of the hair aren’t dead, that is why it continues to grow. We shed the dead hairs in cycles periodically, and new hairs grow in. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-head-hair-grow/344883/3 "2006-02-16T23:15:56Z")
Meant to add, as for the rest of body hair, doesn’t the fact that we wear clothing and the friction from that wears the hair down (sometimes causing “bald” spots on places like knees) also contribute to the fact that body hair doesn’t grow as long? ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-head-hair-grow/344883/4 "2006-02-17T10:32:45Z")
I’m reasonably certain all hair has a genetic preset length it reaches before it dies. There are some people who can’t get their head hair to go past their shoulders, and some like Ms. Witt who are, well, mutants. I don’t have a cite though. ---
**Author:** ![Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nefarious_chipmunk/32/1045_2.png) [@Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefarious_Chipmunk)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-head-hair-grow/344883/5 "2006-02-18T03:30:16Z")
Just FYI, according to the [Guiness Website](http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=48563), the longest hair is now ~18.5 ft. Yikes! ---
**Author:** ![BoloJungle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@BoloJungle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoloJungle)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-head-hair-grow/344883/6 "2006-02-18T11:50:00Z")
Interesting that the answer only confirmed the question but did not answer why it happens. It seems that the writer understood that hair grows differently on different parts of the body, but was actually asking why that happened. I didn’t see that in the response, I’m still wondering myself. And what about pubic hair? It seems to grow differently than body OR scalp hair. [scratches head] ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-head-hair-grow/344883/7 "2006-02-19T01:13:34Z")
> [@BoloJungle](#): > > Interesting that the answer only confirmed the question but did not answer why it happens. It seems that the writer understood that hair grows differently on different parts of the body, but was actually asking why that happened. I didn’t see that in the response, I’m still wondering myself. And what about pubic hair? It seems to grow differently than body OR scalp hair. [scratches head] My first growth of pubic hair was quite long; then I decided to cut it off-shave it off actually. It itched like hell but never again greww to such lengthes.