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However, regardless of what it looks or feels like, fur is an evolutionary characteristic that defines the mammalian lineage. This is why animals go to the groomer and humans to the fashion salon to get their hair under control. Understanding the difference between hair and fur can get confusing. Explore what hair and fur are, along with the differences between them.
What’s the Difference Between Fur and Hair?
In contrast, animals such as dogs or cats have shorter anagen phases, resulting in shorter hair or fur. Explore the composition and structure of hair and fur, along with their growth and shedding patterns. Understand the functions they serve, variations in characteristics, and the factors that influence them.
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Just like humans inherit certain traits from their parents, animals inherit specific hair and fur attributes through their genetic makeup. When it comes to understanding the hair and fur on our bodies, it’s important to delve into the growth and shedding patterns. These patterns are controlled by a complex series of phases known as the anagen, telogen, and catagen phases. Hair and fur are primarily composed of a protein called keratin.
Composition of Fur
Some believe this comes down to whether the pet has dog fur vs. dog hair. Whether it involves washing, cutting, styling, or dyeing, hair grooming is a universal aspect of human life, varying greatly across cultures and time periods. The relationship between humans and their hair spans across various aspects of life, from daily grooming rituals to its role in fashion and personal expression.
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Both of these domestic species have whiskers, highly sensitive types of hair that serve as sensory tools. Distinguishing between hair and fur can reveal fascinating insights into the evolution and adaptations of mammals. The fur is used for hunt trophies, and in clothing, such as coats, shawls, wraps and hats. Most popular fur used in clothing belongs to foxes, rabbits, minks, beavers, etc. According to Humane Society International, over 8 million animals are trapped yearly for fur, while more than 30 million are raised on fur farms. Many animal rights activists have been protesting the trapping and killing of wildlife and the confinement and killing of animals on fur farms.
But many scientists would remind someone who thinks that way, that whiskers are vibrissae. Whenever a whisker, something humans don't have, is touched, a signal is automatically sent to the brain and quickly analyzed. Mindy Weisberger is an editor at Scholastic and a former Live Science channel editor and senior writer. She has reported on general science, covering climate change, paleontology, biology, and space. Mindy studied film at Columbia University; prior to Live Science she produced, wrote and directed media for the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
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Dogs with hair tend to shed less, as well as trap shedding hair in their coat, preventing dander from becoming airborne. Dogs with fur tend to release these allergens more readily, as their coats are shorter and they shed on furniture and other surfaces. Contrary to popular belief, dogs with hair aren’t inherently hypoallergenic. That’s because what provokes allergies is typically the dander (skin particles) and dried saliva present on a dog’s coat, not the hair itself.
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Issues related to waste disposal, energy consumption, and the ecological impact of fur farming have prompted calls for more sustainable practices. The first type of "hair" to emerge in mammalian ancestors was perhaps a modification of scales, "or some sort of hard, nonhair epidermal structures," Khidas told Live Science in an email. Straight or curly hair, short or long, each hair texture and length demands a unique approach to care. For example, some dogs are bred for dense wool-like curls, while others have short, sleek fur. These variations not only serve distinct purposes but also reflect the extensive lineage and evolution of different mammal species.
Growth of Hair
Grooming isn't a high-maintenance luxury — it can be a matter of life and death, Voss noted. And a recent study of zebras' distinctive striping suggested that their patterns might have evolved to deter biting tsetse flies. "Rodents that have odors or toxic chemicals in [their] skin tend to be marked in black and white," Voss said.
Guard hairs give warnings that may trigger a recoiling reaction. Animal fur, on the other hand, serves a variety of purposes depending on the species. In many cases, fur acts as a form of camouflage, helping animals blend into their surroundings and evade predators. It can also provide insulation and protection from harsh weather conditions.
It also plays a significant role in various industries, such as fashion and textiles, where hair and fur are used for clothing and accessories. The outer layer of the hair shaft, the cuticle, acts as a barrier against harmful UV radiation, chemicals, and physical damage. This protective layer helps to maintain the health and integrity of the hair or fur, preventing it from becoming brittle or damaged. The catagen phase is a short transitional phase that occurs between the anagen and telogen phases. During this phase, the hair or fur follicles undergo structural changes as they prepare for the transition to the resting phase. During the anagen phase, the hair or fur follicles receive nutrients and oxygen from the blood vessels surrounding them.
The cuticle layers protect the inner layers and regulate moisture balance, while the medulla, when present, contributes to insulation and strength. Understanding the composition and structure of hair and fur is crucial in maintaining their health and optimizing their functionality. For animals, the process of hair growth tends to be more synchronized. This is an important distinction, as it sets the stage for shedding during periods when the coat is too heavy for the weather conditions related to the season. The coarse and sparse strands growing from the skin of mammals such as pigs and elephants is also called hair. Furthermore, we also use the word hair to refer to few strands of fur (hair of animals).
Smaller animals with higher metabolic rates tend to have body temperatures that fluctuate more dramatically, and are therefore more reliant on furry insulation to protect them from dips in external temperatures, he added. It is shorter, coarser, and keeps them cold in the summer and warm in the winter. Your dog or cat is basically covered with hair, whereas humans tend to grow hair in a few selected places. And that¿s one of the things that have changed through evolution in a number of mammal groups. Whales, for instance, are mammals, but they are nearly hairless. All hair follicles, be it of fur or hair, go through a period of growth, then a pause, then the hair fiber falls out.
Down hairs, which are also flat, tend to be the shortest and most numerous in the coat. Thermoregulation is the principal function of the down hair, which insulates a layer of dry air next to the skin. Most of what science knows about evolution comes from fossils, and hair doesn't fossilize. One theory is that fur evolved because mammals are warm-blooded and hair is a good insulator.
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