How Many Hairs Are on the Human Head? Average Counts by Hair Color

How many hairs are on the human head? It’s a question many ponder. Well, the good news is that we’ve done the counting for you. Just kidding, but we do have answers to share about how much hair a human has.

Here, we’ll discuss what the science says about the average number of hairs a person has, how it varies depending on hair color and density, and other fun facts about human hair.

We’ll cut right to it — research shows that the average person’s head has between 90,000 and 150,000 hairs on it. Other studies show slightly different numbers in the same ballpark. According to research on hair anatomy, “most healthy men and women have 80,000 to 120,000 terminal hairs on their scalp.”

“Terminal hair” refers to the long, thick, and coarse hair on the scalp, face, eyebrows, and pubic area. “Vellus hairs,” on the other hand, refer to peach fuzz, or the type of hair.

Of course, the exact number varies by person, with factors like hair color and hair density influencing the amount, which we’ll cover in a minute.

Average Number Of Hair By Hair Color

Hair density (the number of hairs per square inch of the head) seems to correlate with hair color—hair density decreases the darker the hair is. Lighter hair colors tend to have finer hair strands but more overall strands on the head.

Below, we’ll break down the average amount of hair by hair color.

Blonde: 150,000

Brown: 110,000

Black: 100,000

Red: 90,000

How Much Hair Per Square Inch Of Head?

Quick recap: hair density refers to hair per square inch of head. Someone’s hair may look full and voluminous because each individual strand is thick, but that doesn’t always mean they have high hair density.

One older study examined the hair density of 50 people. On average, they calculated between 800 and 1,290 hairs per square inch (or 124 to 200 hairs per square centimeter). So, the normal hair density is around 1000 hairs per square.

How Many Hair Follicles Are On The Human Head?

Hair follicles are the tiny openings on the skin’s surface where hair grows out of. The number of hair follicles on the average human head closely matches the number of hairs. So, most people have somewhere around 100,000 hair follicles on their heads (and the entire body has about about five million hair follicles).

You are born with all the hair follicles you will ever have, so hair density is largely set from the start (though conditions that cause hair loss, like male pattern baldness, telogen effluvium, or traction alopecia, can disrupt density).

The hair growth cycle is a series of different phases that the hair follicles go through, and depending on where you are in the cycle, the exact amount of hair you have may shift slightly.

Here’s an overview of the hair growth cycle.

Anagen (Growth) Phase

The anagen phase is where the hair actively grows. It lasts anywhere from two to six years, and at any point, between 85 and 90 percent of hair follicles are in the growth phase.

Catagen (Transition) Phase

This is a period of transition and lasts about one to two weeks. It marks the end of active growth when hair follicle shrinks, and the hair separates from its blood supply.

Telogen (Resting) Phase

The telogen phase is a period of rest that lasts approximately three months. Hair is detached from the follicle but typically remains in the scalp. About 10 to 15 percent of  hair on the scalp and body are in this resting phase at any given time. This hair will eventually shed.

Have you ever wondered how many individual hairs are in your eyebrows? How much hair is normal to shed per day? These are the questions that keep some people up at night, and we’re happy to answer. Read on for some more interesting facts about hair.

• Research shows that the average person has around 25,000 body hairs (that excludes scalp hair), 420 eyelashes, 600 eyebrow hairs.

• It’s normal to shed between 50 to 100 hairs each day.

• On average hair grows about a half inch a month, or six inches per year (or 0.35 mm per day)

The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) is a gene that produces black or brown hair, which the majority of the global population has. It’s thought that red hair is due to a mutation in this gene.

How much hair does a human have? Here’s the TL;DR.

• The average person has between 90,000 and 150,000 hairs on their head, with factors like hair color and density affecting the total count. The body has about five million hair follicles.

• Hair color impacts the density of hair, with blondes having the most hair (around 150,000 strands) and redheads having the least (around 90,000 strands).

• Hair grows in cycles, with about 85-90% of hair in the growth phase (anagen), and it’s normal to shed 50 to 100 hairs each day.

Ready to learn more about keeping your scalp and hair healthy? Check out our guide to hair loss prevention and our article on hair care tips for men.

If you think you’re experiencing hair thinning, it’s always a good idea to get expert medical advice. We can help you speak with a healthcare professional online who can help discern the right hair loss treatment to set you on the path to healthy hair.