Men and women “see” the world differently. Men often struggle to tell the difference between hues, as one in 12 of them are color blind, compared with one in 255 women. Researchers believe that some women may actually be able to see 99 million more colors than the average human being. Normally, people have just three types of cone cells for detecting different colors, but some women have four. They are called tetrachromats. When looking at a rainbow, these females can segment it into about 10 different colors, while people with three iodopsins can see only seven: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Perhaps that’s why research has shown that women were more likely than men to have a favorite color and that women prefer tints to shades, while men tend to prefer simple, strong colors. So, when you are discussing the health and texture of your hair, you may want to ask a woman to be the judge. Not only is she more likely to see more colors, she may be able to describe them better too.
The most common hair color in the world is Black, and the rarest is Red at just 1% of the population. Hair typically begins to thin and lose its color as part of genetic alopecia. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Love it or lose it
When humans are born, they have about 5 million hair follicles, 2 percent of which are on the head. All of the hair follicles you’ll ever have were formed when you were a fetus (at 5 months). That means whatever you’ve got is what you’ve got, for the duration. Keeping them all functioning is your best hope for maintaining hair density. Recent research has shown that exposure to low-level laser light can halt or even reverse hair loss. Lexington International has conducted more clinical studies than any other laser manufacturer and has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the FDA that their laser devices deliver therapeutic light energy to your hair follicles and can actually reverse thinning and stimulate fuller, denser hair growth. It’s a simple therapy that can be carried out at home in as little as 90 seconds 3 times a week. Experts point out that the sooner you start treatment the better – because everyone’s hair follicles weaken, shrink, and can even die. And once that happens, they can never again grow hair.
The look of healthy hair
Human hair is made up mostly of keratin, a protein that contains melanin, a pigment that gives hair its color. It also contains trace amounts of vitamins, zinc, and other metals. About 10 to 13 percent of hair is made up of water which is essential to keep your hair supple and avoid breakage and splitting. The health of your hair health depends on the nutrients you supply internally and what you expose it to externally. Healthy hair is supple, lustrous and vibrant. The outside layer of the hair is the cuticle which protects the hair shaft against external damage from chemicals, abrasion and UV exposure. It also retains moisture. The cuticle on healthy, growing hair is smooth and reflects light evenly. Healthy hair proudly displays its full color, with all its unique pigmentation. It’s the first thing you notice. Animal hair can vary significantly in color in a single shaft, while human hair has consistent color from root to tip.
Keep the color
Changes in hair color typically occur naturally as people age, eventually turning the hair gray and then white. More than 60 percent of Americans have some gray hair by age 40. The change in hair color occurs when melanin ceases to be produced in the hair root and new hairs grow in without pigment. When you practice laser therapy, you stimulate new hair growth and those new hairs will exhibit your original, deeper pigmentation. Your hair will appear fuller and the color will be brighter. Whether you are a woman who can see 99 million colors or a man with an observant friend, healthy-looking hair is a gift worth protecting!
