Is this true???

I found this in an article about eyebrows online. Is it true?

"Some hairy facts from Encarta's article on hair:

Hair grows faster when it's short than when it's long. When it's short, it grows about ¾ inch a month. When it's more than a foot long, it grows about half that fast.

and

Young women from the ages of 16-24 enjoy the fastest hair growth"

I agree with Grace. My hair grew at a steady 1/2" per month from the time it was short, and that rate has not changed since. At this point, growth is hardly noticed since I am nearing max length and the ends are naturally tapering, but those wispy strands seem to be reaching closer to the floor.

When I was in my early teens and my hair grew to my shoulders, its rate of growth was what I estimated to be 3/4" per month. So, I think the faster rate of growth is attributable to youth... and, I would claim that gender doesn't matter (I'd guess rates of hair growth on boys/men probably wasn't easy to generally assume -- for them -- since so few boys or men do grow their hair long).

[edited to add 2nd paragraph]

Isn't terminal length the result of the follicle only growing the strand for a particular amount of time before it falls out? For example, say that your hair grows at 1/2 inch per month and your terminal length is 30 inches. That terminal length is the result of the follicle only growing the strand for 5 years, not a slower rate of growth, and it would do the same whether or not you cut it. That's my understanding of it, at least. YMMV.

I would think the only reason poeple think it grows longer when short is because you notice it growing. I mean going from 25 inches to 27 doesnt look like much on a long haired girl. People dont notice the chenge in lenght. But going from 5 inches to 7 inches looks like alot more on a short haired girl.

Erinlynn wrote: I found this in an article about eyebrows online. Is it true? "Some hairy facts from Encarta's article on hair: Hair grows faster when it's short than when it's long. When it's short, it grows about ¾ inch a month. When it's more than a foot long, it grows about half that fast. and Young women from the ages of 16-24 enjoy the fastest hair growth"

I could see the first possibility if you READ it a bit diff. Think of a short hair as a new one rather than one that has been cut... in that vain I can see how it could be true.

I see the point from both sides, but I think that they just got their facts wrong on Encarta, or at least worded them very badly.