The reason why your hair doesn't hurt when cutting

When your body is injured, like being scratched, it will definitely cause pain. However, have you ever thought why your hair doesn't hurt when cutting it? Though hair is also a part of the body. Don't be confused, consider the following reasons why hair can't feel pain when cut.

Why doesn't the hair hurt when it's cut?

Every part of your body is unique, one of which is hair. Hair can grow and lengthen over time. In fact, hair color can change due to various factors, such as age and sun exposure.

However, facts about hair don't stop there. If you pay attention, your hair will not cause pain when cutting.

Hair has a faster growth rate than any other body tissue. According to the Kids Health page, hair is made of a protein called keratin. This protein is also what makes up your fingernails and toenails.

Hair roots that are under the skin will unite, grow, and exit through the follicle. The tiny blood vessels at the base of the follicle will provide nutrients to the hair roots to keep them growing. Once they appear on the surface of the skin, the cells in the hair strands are no longer alive.

So, your hair contains dead cells. This is the reason why your hair won't hurt when cutting it. It's the same when you cut your nails.

But, why does it hurt when the hair is pulled out?

Hair does not hurt when cut. However, it will hurt if you pull it out or pull it by force. Why is the effect different?

Angela Lamb, a dermatologist and lecturer at the Icahn School of Medicine, explains the reasons why you feel pain when pulling hair. He argues that the scalp has a network of nerves that can transmit "pain" signals to the brain.

When the hair attached to the scalp is pulled out, the nerve cells in the scalp react. Angela Lamb also explained that the nerves around the hair roots are very sensitive. So when you pull and tie your hair, you must feel the sensation of pressure and pulling on the scalp.

However, there are also those who feel pain when their hair is cut

When cutting the hair it will not cause pain. However, there are some people who experience the opposite. This condition generally occurs in children with autism, one of which is Mason, a 4 year old boy in Wales as reported by the BBC.

Every time he went to the salon to fix his hair, Mason would scream and become more aggressive as a sign of rejection. This causes difficulties for parents as well as hairdressers.

Meleri Thomas from the National Autistic Society explains that children and adolescents with autism feel an uncomfortable sensation when they know their hair will be cut. The uncomfortable sensation is described as a hand traveling and pressing on the scalp.

Although the exact cause is not known, Thomas said that the appearance of pain may be caused by the discomfort of hearing the sound of scissors, the touch of the hair, and the effect when the hair falls in front of the face or hits the skin of the neck.

It can be concluded that the pain that occurs when hair is cut in children with autism is not real. In order to successfully cut a child's hair in these conditions, parents and hairdressers must work together to create a calm atmosphere.