Unraveling the mystery of tangled hair
- Updated
I recently learned of a complicated and pressing issue that science may be beginning to unravel. Which type of hair tangles more easily — straight or curly?
I was actually unaware that this was complicated or pressing, but that is probably because of the fact that I have very little hair. Even intelligent, logical, reasonable scientists have their vision clouded by personal perceptions and assumptions. So why should I be any different?
Anyway, according to Jean-Baptiste Masson of the Ecole Polytechnique in France, this is a worldwide problem that science has been unable to unravel. The issue has significance for a large portion of the world's population. In fact, the matter may contribute to the recent trend toward shaved heads. At any rate, Masson used mathematical modeling to try and come to a conclusion.
Mathematical modeling is a way of solving problems mathematically without ever having any actual experience with the problem. So the first thing Monsieur Masson did was hire two hairdressers to count the number of knots on 212 heads. Of course, right there he had a problem. No two hairdressers ever agree on anything about hair, just like no two beekeepers agree how to keep bees.
A second problem Masson dealt with was defining exactly what a knot of hair is. Apparently a knot is a very specific thing. Namely, it's a clump that resists the draw of a comb. It is not just a cluster of hair like a ringlet or a curl. This is amazing to one who has never had the slightest impediment in drawing a comb through his hair.
Based on the random sample of 212 heads, curly hair averages three tangles per head while straight hair averaged five tangles per head. Using this data, Jean-Baptiste was able to publish a mathematical model of tangling in the American Journal of Physics. This also amazes me, since this journal once rejected my far-more-important paper on the blood-seeking behavior of mosquitoes. But, of course, I wasn't at the Ecole Polytechnique of France.
The crux of the phenomenon of tangling seems to revolve around two issues: the angle at which one hair crisscrosses another, and the type of "scales" on the hair shaft. The cuticle of a hair is covered with microscopic scales that can hook onto each other. This is what seems to cause the tangle. However, the greater the angle at which the two strands cross each other, the more likely they are to "hook." If the two strands are nearly parallel, the scales do not hook.
Apparently, curly hairs stay almost parallel in their curliness, while straight strands cross each other more frequently and at greater angles, allowing more opportunity for tangling. Masson's mathematical model predicts the "real world" experience of hair dressers surprisingly accurately, although the "real world" of hairdressers is probably unknown except to other hairdressers.
Other scientists are now looking at Masson's model for use in solving other problems. They even apply the model to other fields of endeavor such as splitting hairs and developing better toenail polish. While a few years away from practical applications, the breakthrough is impressive and should improve funding from grant agencies for further research.
Steven Fernades, of the uberhot Garren Hair Salon in New York City, disagrees.
"You know what the real issue is? The real issue is fine versus course. Curly or straight, fine hair is what tangles," he said.
Fortunately this guarantees further research for both hairdressers and mathematical modelers for years to come.
It is gratifying to be part of a discipline that does so much to put an end to the world's complicated and pressing issues. While my background and hair style do not allow me to participate in this particular endeavor, and even though I am retired, I am contacting Monsieur Masson about developing a model on whether or not naughty hair contributes to baldness.
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Gary McCallister, gmccallister@bresnan.net, is a professor emeritus of biological sciences at Colorado Mesa University.
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