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Long hair

language culture Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Long hair is a hairstyle where hair grows to a very great length.

Wenceslas Hollar - Young man with long hair (State 1)
Wenceslas Hollar - Young man with long hair (State 1)

People measure this length from the scalp on the forehead, up over the skull, to the very ends. Hair can reach many different places on the body. Some hair stops at the chin or the shoulders. Other hair reaches the waist, the hips, or even the knees. Some people even have hair that reaches their ankles or the floor.

Franz Xaver Winterhalter - Kaiserin Elisabeth von Österreich mit aufgelöstem Haar, Kniestück
Franz Xaver Winterhalter - Kaiserin Elisabeth von Österreich mit aufgelöstem Haar, Kniestück

Growing hair is a slow process that takes many years. It can take about two years to reach the shoulders. It may take seven years to reach the waist or hips.

Scientists believe long hair has important biological uses. Humans lost most of their body fur about 2.5 to 3 million years ago. This happened as people moved from forests to the open savanna. Head hair stayed as a survival trait to protect the scalp. It provides insulation from the hot sun and protects against UV radiation. It also helps with cooling when sweat evaporates from the hair.

Halimaahmed2
Halimaahmed2

Long, healthy hair can also act as a sign of health. Because hair grows slowly, it shows a person's nutrition over two or three years. If someone lacks vitamins or minerals, their hair might change color or fall out.

Throughout history, hair length has shown a person's status or beliefs. In ancient Greece, long hair was a symbol of wealth and power.

Bust of Zeus
Bust of Zeus

Many Greek gods, like Zeus and Apollo, were shown with long hair. Even Greek soldiers wore it to show they were aristocrats. Some soldiers cut the front short but left the back long. This style is often called a mullet. They might have also used a ponytail to keep hair out of their eyes during battle. In Rome, Julius Caesar ordered the long hair of the Gauls to be cut short.

In the Middle Ages, hair length often showed which group a person belonged to. In Europe, short hair sometimes meant a person was a servant or a peasant. Long hair was often worn by freemen, like the Merovingians. In Ireland, the Gaelic people took great pride in their long hair.

Charles I by Daniel Mytens
Charles I by Daniel Mytens

During the English Civil Wars, hair length showed political sides. The Cavaliers wore longer hair, while the Roundheads wore shorter hair. Religious groups also have specific rules about hair. For example, Buddhist monks shave their heads to worship. Sikhs and some modern Pagans choose to keep their hair long.

Today, hair length continues to be a way people express themselves. In most modern cultures, it is more common for women to wear long hair than men.

Aankomst Beatles op Schiphol, de Beatles tijdens persconferentie John Lennon, Bestanddeelnr 916-5131
Aankomst Beatles op Schiphol, de Beatles tijdens persconferentie John Lennon, Bestanddeelnr 916-5131

In the 1960s and 1970s, long hair became very popular among young men in Western culture. People even hold contests to see who can grow the longest hair. Xie Qiuping had the longest documented hair in the world in May 2004. The maximum length a person can reach depends on their hair growth cycle. This cycle is controlled by a gene called FGF5. Blocking this gene can actually help hair grow longer.

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🖼️ Images & Media (12)
File:Pierre Auguste Renoir - Portrait de Julie Manet.jpg
Pierre Auguste Renoir - Portrait de Julie...
File:Wenceslas Hollar - Young man with long hair (State 1).jpg
Wenceslas Hollar - Young man with long...
File:Charles I by Daniel Mytens.jpg
Charles I by Daniel Mytens.jpg
File:Bust of Zeus.jpg
Bust of Zeus.jpg
File:Franz Xaver Winterhalter - Kaiserin Elisabeth von Österreich mit aufgelöstem Haar, Kniestück.jpg
Franz Xaver Winterhalter - Kaiserin...
File:Aankomst Beatles op Schiphol, de Beatles tijdens persconferentie John Lennon, Bestanddeelnr 916-5131.jpg
Aankomst Beatles op Schiphol, de Beatles...
File:Bob-Marley-in-Concert Zurich 05-30-80.jpg
Bob-Marley-in-Concert Zurich 05-30-80.jpg
File:Yakima boy.png
Yakima boy.png
File:Halimaahmed2.jpg
Halimaahmed2.jpg
File:A hindoo fakeer with long hair.jpg
A hindoo fakeer with long hair.jpg
File:Flickr_-_Government_Press_Office_(GPO)_-_A_Yemenite_Habani_family_celebrating_Passover.jpg
Flickr_-_Government_Press_Office_(GPO)_-_A...
File:Rebabah.jpg
Rebabah.jpg
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