From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hair is a filamentous biomaterial, that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class. Hair often refers to two distinct structures: 1) the part beneath the skin, called the hair follicle or when pulled from the skin, called the bulb. and 2) the shaft, which is the hard filamentous part that extends above the skin surface.

Hair grows everywhere on the body except for glabrous skin, such as that found on the soles of the hands and feet, lips, etc. Hair provides thermal regulation and camouflage for many animals; for others it provides signals to other animals such as warnings, mating, or other communicative displays; and for some animals hair provides defensive functions and, rarely, even offensive protection. Hair also has a sensory function, extending the sense of touch beyond the surface of the skin. Human hair is barely visible as it is thinner, shorter and more translucent than the hair of other mammals. Humans are part of a trend toward sparser hair in larger animals (fewer follicles per square inch of exposed skin). There are several African mammals that have very sparse fur, including the elephant and the hippopotamus, both at the upper end of this trend. The density of human hair follicles on the skin is actually about the average for an animal of equivalent size.

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