Day118 Hair, Hair, Hair, Hair, Hair, Hair, Hair

Back in the late 60's there was a musical called "Hair".  There were over 30 songs in that musical, including "Aquarius" and "Good Morning Starshine,"  along with the title song, "Hair."  It is reported that Tim Curry (Rocky Horror Picture Show) got his start in the musical when it performed in London. Diane Keaton (Looking for Mr. Goodbar) starred in the musical in New York.  It was a ground-breaking show due to the subject matter (calling for an end to the Vietnam war as well as a fair amount of nudity.

The lyrics for "Hair" are interesting:
She asks me why
I'm just a hairy guy
I'm hairy noon and night
Hell that's a fright
I'm hairy high and low
Don't ask me why
Don't know
It's not for lack of bread
Like the Grateful Dead
Darling

Gimme head with hair
Long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming,
Streaming, flaxen, waxen


Give me down to there hair
Shoulder length or longer
Here baby, there mama
Everywhere daddy daddy

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair

Let it fly in the breeze
And get caught in the trees
Give a home to the fleas in my hair
A home for fleas
A hive for bees

A nest for birds
There ain't no words
For the beauty, the splendor, the wonder
Of my...

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair

I want it long, straight, curly, fuzzy
Snaggy, shaggy, ratty, matty
Oily, greasy, fleecy
Shining, gleaming, streaming
Flaxen, waxen
Knotted, polka-dotted
Twisted, beaded, braided
Powdered, flowered, and confettied
Bangled, tangled, spangled, and spaghettied!

Oh say can you see
My eyes if you can
Then my hair's too short

Down to here
Down to there
I want hair
Down to where
It stops by itself

They'll be ga ga at the go go
When they see me in my toga
My toga made of blond
Brilliantined
Biblical hair

My hair like Jesus wore it

Hallelujah I adore it
Hallelujah Mary loved her son
Why don't my mother love me?

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair


Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair

So, here we are nearly fifty years later, and you can see just by walking through a mall, how varied hair is.  The hair on your head, or lack of it, is a deliberate decision the owner of the hair makes.

Hair is more important that just a way of expressing our individuality.  Hair tells a lot about our overall health.  I know that I have been extremely grateful for the nearly double amount of hair I've had come back since I've gone off Metformin.  Others are thankful to have kept their hair while undergoing cancer treatment. Still others are surprised at the way their hair has come back after treatment.

If you google "hair as an indicator of health" the entire first page search comes up with the topic. Did you know that the average person loses 100-150 strands of hair a day?

This from Caring.Com: 
A number of medications also cause hair loss as a side effect. These include birth control pills, along with lithium and Depakote, two of the most common treatments for bipolar disorder. All tricyclic antidepressants, some SSRIs such as Prozac, and levothyroid -- used to treat hypothyroidism -- can cause thinning hair. Hormonal changes can also cause hair to thin

, which is why both pregnancy and perimenopause are well known for causing hair to fall out, while polycystic ovary syndrome can cause both hair loss and overgrowth of hair, depending on how the hormones go out of balance. Thyroid disease, especially hypothyroidism, is one of the most common causes of hair loss.


More clues: Check for tiny white bumps at the roots of the hair; their presence suggests that this is temporary hair loss rather than male/female pattern baldness, says Chicago dermatologist Victoria Barbosa. Any medication that interferes with hormones can cause this type of hair loss; the list includes birth control pills, Accutane for acne, and prednisone and anabolic steroids. Physical stressors that can lead to temporary hair loss include iron deficiency anemia and protein deficiency; these are particularly common in those who've suffered from eating disorders.

Hair is also used in drug testing. It is considered more reliable than urine testing because hair is so sensitive and the drug can be traced in the hair for approximately 90 days, body hair may go back nearly as far a a year!  Approximately 45% of staffing companies are doing drug tests before they offer employment opportunities to candidates. Hair testing is becoming more common because they are far more difficult to game. 

There are a number of people who believe your hair can't tell you about your overall health and/or drug use.  Ask any beautician, though, and they will tell you almost to a person that drugs (legal and un) do impact your hair.  Hair testing is becoming the preferred way to drug test for jobs.  This should tell us all that hair is a rather sensitive part of our physical makeup. 

Pay attention to your hair and if you notice any changes report those to your doctor.  This is one more factor that can be used to determine health conditions and may be an early indicator saving you a lot of grief.

Lots of different hair in Penny Dreadful cast.