[ars]

It doesn't. Hair grows for a certain amount of time - time, not length. Then waits for a while unchanging, then falls out.

growth (3 to 6 years) -> static (2 to 3 months) -> fall out -> rest -> start over

The maximum length of your hair is determined by how long it stays in the growing phase, in general this phase is longer in females than in males. And some people are naturally able to grow longer hair than others.

In pregnant females the static time is increased, i.e. the hair stays there without falling out. This makes their thick and full. After delivery this changes and the hair falls out in clumps, which is unpleasant, but it's the same hair that would have anyway fallen out earlier, it's not extra hair falling out.

If you cut the hair nothing changes, it still grows for as long as it was going to originally.

That myth about cutting hair (or shaving) to make it grow faster or whatever is not real.

[incompatible]

Interesting. I've occasionally wondered why my hair (from scalp) can reach barely half way down my back, even after leaving it for decades uncut, while other people (typically women?) can grow it to the floor.

[ars]

Yup, that's exactly it.

I've always wondered if the almost universal preference for women to have long hair is linked with their ability to have long hair, while for males people (not you :) typically want it short, which matches what males are able to naturally do.

i.e. which came first? The ability for hair of a certain length, so that's what people like, or if people like hair a certain way so natural selection helps out.

[incompatible]

Perhaps men couldn't win so decided not to play.

[tmnvix]

This doesn't seem right. If I use clippers to trim hair on my body, it grows back to its 'natural' length. I don't end up with hair of various lengths. Likewise, if I shave it, I don't end up with some stubble and some regular hairs.

I've never experienced a time where I've trimmed body hair and had it remain the same length for a couple of months.

[ars]

> I don't end up with hair of various lengths

Look closer, the hairs are random length. You have to wait of course for them to reach natural max length, and then you'll see a randomized mix of lengths.

If you are always clipping hair they will almost all be at one length because > 90% of them are still growing and then getting trimmed. The rest (a minority) have recently fallen out and are just getting started and will be shorter.

Does that make sense?

[diath]

> This doesn't seem right. If I use clippers to trim hair on my body, it grows back to its 'natural' length. I don't end up with hair of various lengths.

Are you sure? I have fairly hairy body so when I use moisturizers it tends to stick to the hair instead of the skin, and since I'm trying to take care of my forearm tattoos, I trim my forearm hair on a regular basis, after a few weeks, if I look closely, I can see some hairs being around, say, 2cm long, whereas others are just barely growing out.