Healthy Living

Mind-Blowing Facts About the Human Body

Mind-Blowing Facts About the Human Body

Have a full head of hair? It can hold up to 12 tons of weight. That's the weight of TWO elephants

So, FYI, your hair is a lot stronger than you think. Just a single strand of our hair can hold 3 ounces of weight. The average person has 100,000 strands of hair, which, according to the Huffington Post, can support a full grown woman! And, when pushed to the limit, a full head of hair can also hold up to 2 tons, the weight of two elephants combined. Our hair is made up of keratin, which is a powerful protein that is often found in a horse's hooves, animal claws, and the outer layer of skin. Because of keratin's structure, it has mechanical properties like tensile strength and elasticity. This is from keratin's cross-linking nature. But, be careful. Moisture, temperature, and a deficient amount of proteins and vitamins can make our hair dry and brittle, which can weaken our hair's strength. 

Ways to keep your hair strong, vibrant, and healthy

Because our hair has this huge capacity of strength, it's so important to keep our hair healthy. Some tips like eating enough protein, protecting it from the sun, and getting a trim every six to eight weeks, aren't enough. Here are some tips that we believe will help keep your hair silky and strong:

Allure says, "Get it wet less often."

According to Allure, when your hair gets wet, it swells and forces your cuticles up further. This not only causes frizz, but it also causes breakage. So, try not to wash your hair more than you need to and skip a day, or a few. If your hair is oily and you want to remove the grease, use dry shampoo to avoid any damage to your hair. But, don't use it too often. If you use dry shampoo too much, it can cause residue to build up on your scalp.

Spend less time with your hot tools

Everyone pretty much has used a straightener, blow-dryer, and curling iron in their lifetime, right? Well, maybe now it's time to bring them only once in a while. Heat is known to damage your hair by making it dry and brittle, so using these products less often will definitely benefit you in the long run. You do not have to stop using these items completely.

Do NOT smother your hair with that towel!

Rubbing your hair with a towel to dry it can smother it. According to an interview by Cosmopolitan with Juan Carlos Maciques, rubbing hair with a towel can create "friction to the cuticle, causing frizz, dryness, and weakness, which can potentially break the hair." Instead, he recommends to pat your hair gently with a towel. It'll take more time, but it'll prevent damage.