Caucasian hair usually appears thicker since it is more difficult to see through the scalp than other ethnic hair types. However, Asian hair is the thickest and coarsest hair of any ethnic group.
It has been reported that Asian hair is generally straight and is the thickest, while its cross-section is the most round-shaped among these three. Caucasian hair is generally straight or wavy and is the thinnest, while its cross-section is relatively elliptic.
The average diameter, or thickness, of Asian hair is from 80 to 120 µm, compared to 65 µm in Caucasian hair and 55 µm in Black hair. The average diameter of Hispanic/Latino hair tends to fall between that of Asian and Caucasian. Caucasians have the highest hair density among the ethnicities studied.
Caucasian hair
It grows obliquely, and grows about 1.2 centimeters per month. Caucasian hair has an oval shape. The density of Caucasian hair is the highest of the three ethnic groups, so it is the most dense.
More than 90% of Han Chinese, 70% of Japanese and Thai people, and 60% to 90% of Native Americans carry the “thick hair" version of the gene. Meanwhile it's almost nonexistent in people of African and European descent. Both age and sex can also affect your hair shaft thickness.
Caucasian hair usually appears thicker since it is more difficult to see through the scalp than other ethnic hair types. However, Asian hair is the thickest and coarsest hair of any ethnic group.
The genetic link
Scientists think many genes contribute to hair thickness. Research indicates that the EDAR gene, which influences hair follicle development, plays an important role in determining hair thickness.
People of East Asian descent and especially Japanese, experience hair loss at one of the lowest rates in the world, and start much later in life than other places. Those that do lose hair, generally, start in their 40s and 50s rather than their 20s and 30s.
Japan, Spain and Sweden are widely known for having people with healthy hair, but there are also other countries like India, France and Russia that are also known for helping people keep their hair natural and not messing with any artificial coloring.
According to a global study based on 4 characteristics that determine healthy hair – thickness, tensile strength, shine, and smoothness – Indian women have the best hair in the world.
There are scientific differences between hair ethnicities and East Asian hair is stronger, more resilient to damage and less prone to hair loss than other hair types. East Asian hair facts: * East Asian hair has twice the diameter and a much thicker cuticle than Caucasian hair.
The reason Asian hair tends to be thicker is that it has around 10 layers of cuticles. Cuticles are the small areas around the inner protein structure of your hair–they are there to protect those proteins.
Asian hair follicles are round, usually very straight, and strong. While not as dense as its counterparts, the hair is less likely to experience hair loss or breakage. Asian hair is also the fastest growing, at over half an inch per month. Caucasian hair can be stick straight, wavy, or curly.
Thicker hair strands have much more girth and should be more visible when placed on a flat surface. Thick strands also have more wire-like qualities and tend to be more resistant to change than other hair structure types.
Stats Around The World - Highest Hair Loss Countries
Czech Republic - 42.79% of Prague men balding or bald (takes the #1 spot) Spain - 43.60% men bald or balding. Germany - 41.24% men bald or balding. France - 39.24% men bald or balding.
Xie Qiuping (Chinese: 謝秋萍, born c. 1960) is a Chinese citizen who holds the record for world's longest hair.
(Another fun fact: While men experience their thickest hair in their 20s, many women experience their thickest head of hair in this decade.)
A general observation across experiments was that straight hair was perceived as younger, healthier, and more attractive than wavy hair and darker shades (medium copper and brown) were perceived more positively than blonde hair.
Hair Growth Rate
Asian hair shows the fastest growth rate in comparison to the other two hair types. African hair has the lowest growth rate.
There are racial differences, however, in the incidence of male pattern baldness. The highest rates are found among Caucasians, followed by Afro-Caribbeans. Chinese and Japanese men have the lowest rates. For some unknown reason, this form of hair loss is does not occur among Native Americans.
1. Czech Republic. The Czech Republic is an East European country with the highest rate of hair loss among men and women. Recent statistics show that over 43% of men in the Czech republic experience androgenetic alopecia, thinning hair, and baldness.
While you may have heard that blonds suffer more hair loss than brunettes, the reality is that your natural hair color doesn't have any effect on your likelihood of experiencing hair loss.
When we casually observe via our eyes, we may feel that we have inherited most of our hair features from either our mom or dad. However, the reality is that we inherit equal volume of genetic information from both mom and dad.
Animal model of evolution indicates thick hair mutation emerged 30,000 years ago. The first animal model of recent human evolution reveals that a single mutation produced several traits common in East Asian peoples, from thicker hair to denser sweat glands, an international team of researchers report.
However, much of your phenotype is determined by the genetic instructions, or genotypes, you inherited from both sides of your family. Although your hair characteristics may seem to physically favor one side over the other, you get the same amount of genetic information from both parents.