Dear Tom,
I have an odd question: Do human hair and nails grow more quickly in warmer weather than colder weather?
Rich Barnes, Orland Park
Dear Rich,
Many factors are known to affect the rate of human hair and nail growth, but a great deal of research regarding the specific effects of weather does not exist. Day-to-day weather changes probably have no effect, but little information is available. However, seasonal weather changes do influence hair and nail growth rates. Our nails grow more rapidly in spring and summer, less rapidly in autumn and winter. The Mayo Clinic Family Health Book says that, on average, our fingernails grow 0.18 inches per month, and that is about twice as fast as toenail growth. Hair grows about one-half inch per month, but at any given time only 85 percent of hairs are growing; 15 percent are resting.
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.
Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or asktomwhy@wgntv.com (Mail volume precludes personal response.)
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Paul Dailey plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
