Hairstyle

For humans, haircut, hairstyle, or hairdo normally describes cutting or styling hair on the top of the head, although it may also refer to the cutting and styling of facial hair.

The Hair is a special arrangement of hard keratin. Keratins are proteins; long chains of amino acids. Unlike other animals, human beings of many cultures cut their hair, rather than letting it grow naturally. Hair styles are often used to signal cultural, social, and ethnic identity and can be used to illustrate social status or individuality. It is a common misconception that men and women have the same hair.

"Biologically, there is a difference in the length of hair between the sexes. If the hair is left uncut, the female usually has the longer of the two. We have no real explanation for this."(from: Hair Structure And Chemistry Simplified, Milady Publishing Corp. 1986)

Adornment of the hair is done for many reasons such as the expression of personality, religious practice, or rank in society. Most hairstyles conform to socio-cultural influences and are gender biased. Fashion trend(s) may have the greatest influence on hair styling today. Different types of hair such as curly, straight, coarse, or fine will dictate the kind of hairstyle one may have. Hair density, texture, and length are all factors that will determine the ability of hair to perform in a certain style. A person will also want to consider face shape, lifestyle, and personal ability when chosing a hairstyle.