Will pregnant women's long hair absorb the baby's nutrients?

　　Rumor: You can’t grow long hair when you’re pregnant, it will harm your health baby Grab nutrients.

　　The truth: How much nutrients your hair needs to grow has nothing to do with how long your hair is!

　　How does hair grow?

　　Histologically, hair is composed of dense, regularly arranged keratin. hair exposed skin The outer part is called the hair shaft, the part buried in the skin is called the hair root, and the epithelium and connective tissue surrounding the hair root is the hair follicle. The hair root and the lower end of the hair follicle combine to form an enlarged hair bulb, which is the growth point of hair and hair follicles. The bottom of the hair bulb is concave to form a dermal papilla, which is rich in nerve and capillaries, which induce and maintain hair growth.

　　During the growth phase of hair, the hair bulb obtains nutrients from the dermal papilla, undergoes cell proliferation and differentiation, and synthesizes keratin to form hair. As growth progresses, the hair is pushed out of the skin and becomes what we see as the hair shaft. Seeing this, we can understand that the part where hair grows is buried in the skin, and the exposed hair can be regarded as "dead" tissue, which itself will not have metabolism or consume nutrients.

　　Hair follicle microstructure

　　hair growth and fetus Stealing nutrition?

　　Hair is made of keratin, and proteins are connected by amino acids, so hair growth definitely requires nutrients. People with malnutrition often show fine, yellow and sparse hair, but hair growth does not snatch the nutrients needed by the fetus.

　　On the one hand, the growth and development of the fetus and its own metabolism require a large amount of nutrients and energy, and the mother is fully prepared for this. The small amount of nutrients required for hair growth is simply a drop in the bucket compared to the needs of the fetus. On the other hand, the growth of hair is not under our control. Cutting hair will not reduce the nutritional consumption of hair growth, and keeping long hair will not increase the nutritional requirements of hair growth. Trying to "save" nutrients by cutting hair will only end up in vain.

　　As for why there is a custom of pregnant women cutting their hair short, it is probably because of the inconvenience of movement during pregnancy. Short hair is easier to clean and dry, which is more convenient for pregnant women. It is not because long hair consumes more nutrients.

　　In short, whether to keep long hair or cut it short during pregnancy depends on personal living habits, and there are no medical pros and cons.

　　Conclusion: Rumors busted. The length of hair has nothing to do with the nutritional consumption of hair, and hair growth will not compete with the fetus for nutrients.