How many strands of hair do we have? VICTORIA The average human has between 100,000 and 150,000 hairs on his head. People with red hair have the fewest hairs, while those with fair hair have the most.
On average, we lose 50-100 hairs a day, but we don't go bald because we also - usually - grow between 50 and 100 new hairs every day.
Hair is made from keratin, which is an adaptation of skin cells, as are toe- and fingernails, fur, feathers, hooves and horns.
Hair on your head is different from body hair. Head hair can grow for years and years, which is why it can grow very long if you don't cut it.
Just how long your hair can grow before falling out is genetically determined, which is why some people can't grow very long hair, while others can grow hair down to their ankles if they wish.
In contrast, the hairs on your arms and legs and the very fine hairs on your body only grow for a few weeks and then fall out, which is why people don't need to be sheared, unlike sheep.
Why is the structure of the human body different from that of other living things? NIC CHAN Jockey Club Government Evening Secondary School While the human body looks totally different to that of other animals, there are in fact many surprising similarities. Apart from being hairier and uglier than us (well, most of us), chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans - our nearest evolutionary relatives - look very similar to humans.