hair facts

Hair Facts: 50 Hair Industry, Genetics, and Anti-Discrimination Statistics

All the facts about hair you were looking for.

Whether you’re just curious about hair facts in general or researching hair statistics in the U.S. for a project, we did the homework for you. We rounded up facts about hair, including hair industry statistics, hair discrimination facts, genetic detail such as the hair and eye color combination, and even hair salon stats. Keep reading and learn everything about hair.

Hair Statistics: Anatomy of Hair

1. Hair is made of a protein called keratin.

2. Hair follicles hold each hair on the scalp and body.

3. Hair grows about an inch and a half every month, though it doesn’t grow at the same rate or pace for everyone.

4. Melanin is the substance responsible for hair color generated by pigment cells in the hair follicles.

5. When hair follicles are open become an entry point for bacteria.

6. Hair protects the brain from heat.

7. As we age, pigment cells regenerate less and die, resulting in gray hair.

8. Hair follicles have DNA.

9. Chemicals such as drugs are absorbed by the hair and can be tested.

Hair Care Industry Statistics 2022

10. In 2022, the hair care industry generated a revenue of US$12.91bn.

11. The hair industry market is projected to grow annually by 1.88% (CAGR 2022-2026).

12. The United States hair care industry generates the most revenue in the global hair care sector.

13. China is a significant contributor to the growth of the global market in consumption and production, with a CAGR of 8.0% in 2019.

14. The hair industry expected revenue forecast for 2028 in the United States is USD 134.30 billion.

15. Thirty million women in the U.S. suffer from genetic hair loss.

16. In the U.S., dandruff, dry and itchy scalp, hair loss, and dull hair are the primary hair care triggers.

Hair Discrimination Statistics

17. The Crown Coalition comprises the National Urban League, Western Center on Law & Poverty, Color Of Change, and Dove.

18. The CROWN Coalition advanced the anti-hair discrimination legislation called The CROWN Act.

19. CROWN Act stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.

20. The CROWN Act is a law that prohibits discrimination based on hair texture and hairstyles.

21. 80% of black women are likely to change their natural hair to conform to dress attire norms.

22. New York State was the second state after California to legally ban hair discrimination.

23. Black women are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home or know of a Black woman sent home from the workplace because of their hair.

24. 1 in 2 Black children has experienced hair discrimination as early as five.

25. The CROWN Act and laws inspired by the CROWN Act have been enacted in 18 states: California (2019), New York (2019), New Jersey (2019), Virginia (2020), Colorado (2020), Washington (2020), Maryland (2020), Connecticut (2021), Delaware (2021), New Mexico (2021), Nebraska (2021), Nevada (2021), Oregon (2021), Illinois (2021), Maine (2022), Tennessee* (2022), Louisiana (2022) and Massachusetts (2022).

Hair and Eye Color Combination Statistics

26. Hair color is determined by pigment or melanin in the hair.

27. Eumelanin, another melanin or pigment, determines people’s black or brown hair.

28. Another pigment, called pheomelanin, gives people red hair.

29. Very little eumelanin gives people blonde hair.

30. Hair colors are passed down through generations.

31. Hair colors are a spectrum of hues ranging from white blond to coal black.

32. The genes involved in hair color also influence eye and skin color.

33. The genes responsible for hair color aren’t dominant or recessive.

34. Red hair and green eyes are the rarest hair and eye combination.

35. The MCR1 gene dictates whether you have red hair and is recessive. It depends on whether genes are turned on or turned off.

36. Our DNA has 20,000 genes. Only a few of these genes dictate hair color and eye color.

37. A pigment called melanin determines our hair, eye, and skin color.

38. The MCR1 gene comes in two variants: non-red and red. The non-red version is dominant.

39. Gey, one of the genes determining eye color, comes in two forms: green and blue. Blue is the dominant allele.

40. Alleles of the gene OCA2 determine whether someone has brown or not-brown eyes.

Salon Industry Statistics in 2022

41. The size of the hair salon market in the United States is 43.2bn.

42. The hair salon industry has grown by 16.9% in the United States in 2022.

43. Between 2017-2022, the overall market size of the hair salon industry has declined in the United States by 0.3% per year.

44. Due to the pandemic, the hair salon industry in the U.S. declined faster than the economy overall.

45. The 50 largest beauty salons generate approximately 15% of the revenue in the U.S. hair care industry.

46. The 50 largest barbershop operators represent about 30% of the salon hair care revenue in the U.S.

47. Hair salons make up about 95% of U.S. hair and beauty industry revenue. Barbershops account for 5% of the total revenue.

48. 45.5% of the hair industry revenue comes from haircuts and styling. 17.1% is generated from hair coloring.

49. Women own 60% of hair salons in the U.S.

50. There are 904,718 hair salon businesses in the U.S. as of 2022. 0.5% less than 2021.

Sources: Trafft, GrandViewResearch, IBISWorld, Statista, WebMD, Dove, Healthline, MedlinePlus, lunadna, familyeducation.com.

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