Biology

What is the Difference Between Hair and Fur

Some people do not know the difference between them, in some cases they even believe that it is the same thing; But below we explain what makes the difference between the two. What is the Difference Between Hair and Fur

Note:  scientifically there is no difference between hair and fur, the distinction we make here is based on the common use of the words.

HAIR What is the Difference Between Hair and Fur

It is an extension made of proteins and that is only found in mammals. The primary extension of hair fibers or hair is keratin and this is a protein. In addition to this, among the hair compounds we can also find polymers and amino acids.

Hair projects from the epidermis, although it grows in hair follicles that are located deeper in the dermis. Likewise, it tends to grow independently and its growth does not stop.

In spite of everything, the most notable difference between them is that the former corresponds to human beings; while the second is present in animals.

FUR

Although more than one is confused and calls the fur of some animals hair, such as horses; the truth is that this is not the most correct.

The fur is a thick and often soft coat that covers the skin of some non-human mammals, such as wolves, foxes, and beavers.

Unlike human hair, the growth pattern of the coat is usually more synchronized and slows down when it reaches a certain length.

In the case of animals, the nucleus of the hair follicles allows the coat of fur to provide excellent insulation not only from heat and cold, but also to protect it from the rain.

Another important difference has to do with the composition. In the case of humans, the composition of the hair in general is usually the same, which is why it has the same texture; whereas the fur of the animals tends to have double composition.

Finally, the use that is given to human hair or hair is different from that of animal fur. Human hair is used to make wigs and to extract some substances used to make conditioners and other products.

On the other hand, it  is normally used to make clothes, suits, brooms, and weaving threads, among other things.

Key differences between hair and fur

  • Generally, the word hair is used to refer to human hair and fur for animals.

See More

Mohammad Asif Goraya

M A Goraya has qualification of M.phil in Agricultural Sciences. He has almost 15 years of teaching Experience at college and university level. He likes to share his research based knowledge with his students and audience.

Recent Posts

Difference Between Summary and Conclusion with Proper Definition and Brief Explanation

Main Difference - Summary vs Conclusion Summary and conclusion are two terms that are often…

10 months ago

Difference between Moth and Butterfly

Difference between moth and butterfly fall into two categories: anatomical and behavioral. Most moths are…

1 year ago

Difference Between Architect and Engineer

An engineer is a person whose job is to design and build engines, machines, roads,…

2 years ago

Difference between the Internet and the World Wide Web

Internet is the term used to identify the massive interconnection of computer networks around the…

2 years ago

Difference Between CD-R and CD-RW

A CD-R is a type of disc that does not contain any data. It is blank…

2 years ago

Difference between x86 and x64

Computing technologies are constantly evolving, and if we base our predictions on Moore's Law, they…

2 years ago