Why are we the only species in the world that has evergrowing hair?

Question

all other animals that have hair, have a full coat of fur that constantly sheds, yet we have it mainly only on out head and it will grow as long as we allow it. (yes we have hair in many other places but they dont matter in this question)

Answer 1

Maybe it's because we really aren't animals...

Answer 2

We shed our hair too, it just takes a longer cycle, and our hair is comparatively thin so you don't notice.

Answer 3

We are not the only species with hair that grows continuously. Horses' manes and tails grow all the time and have to be trimmed, but on their bodies their coats are shed winter and summer. Also sheep fleeces, which are modified hairs in domestic sheep continue to grow unless they are shorn.

The answer lies in the function of the hair - in animal coats they usually have two, one for winter and one for summer, in temperate terrestrial areas, and so these are produced to carry out a certain function - to help maintain body temperature - and there is an ideal length and density depending on the animal's habitat. Once it's finished with it's shed and a new one grown.

Hair on humans' heads horses manes and tails and other examples are not functioning in that way and so have a different growth pattern. For example, horses use their tails to flick away flies, so a nice long one is handy in the summer.

Answer 4

what? We shed our hair too. Mine comes out by the handful when I wash it.

Answer 5

We do shed hair but not on the same scale as animal companions, also some dogs do not shed hair, for example that dulux dog :) lol

Rob

Answer 6

Actually, that is false. Some guinea pigs' hair grows like ours do. If I'm not mistaken, some dogs have fur that grow like ours as well.