If you have ever cut your hair short, you may have noticed that your head felt lighter afterward. This is totally normal and may leave you wondering just how much weight is hanging from your head.
In this article, we’ll tell you how much hair weighs – we’ll cover human hair, synthetic hair, bundles, and more. Keep on reading!
Table of Contents
How Much Does Hair Weigh?
There is no easy way to determine in general how much hair weighs, as it can vary widely in thickness and density from person to person. Still, there is a way to estimate how much your hair may weigh based on your hair’s length and density.
To begin with, the average hair strand weighs about 0.00015 ounces, which is extremely light. The next step is to determine how much hair you have on your head – though you likely have between 80,000 and 150,000 hairs, this number varies by hair color.
- Redheads have the lowest hair density at about 85,000 strands. Their hair is usually somewhere between 0.6 and 1.2 ounces.
- Blondes have more strands than redheads – about 140,000 hairs.
- Brunettes may have as many as 155,000 strands on their head.
Multiplying these numbers by the average hair weight (0.00015) can yield your approximate hair weight in ounces.
Blonde hair weighs about 1 to 2 ounces on average. Brunettes have the heaviest hair at 1.1 to 2.2 ounces.
Of course, these are just averages, so thicker hair will be slightly heavier than thinner hair. The difference in weight likely wouldn’t even be noticeable if you could swap your hair with someone else’s.
The only way you’d notice the difference in your hair’s weight is if you chopped off several inches of hair all at once.
How Much Does Wet Hair Weigh?
As mentioned above, the average hair strand weighs about 0.00015 ounces. Although, you may have noticed that your hair feels heavier when it’s wet. That’s because it is absorbent – it sucks up water whenever it’s near.
Your hair can swell about 15% larger than its actual size when it’s wet. Not only does hair absorb water, but moisture also gets trapped between the strands, adding even more weight.
The moisture in wet hair doesn’t add as much weight as you may think, though.
If you weigh yourself on a scale before and after a shower, you may not even see a difference. The exception would be extremely long hair, which may gain an ounce or two when soaking wet.
Does Chronically Dry Hair Weigh Less?
As mentioned above, hair absorbs water, swelling larger than its average size. As your hair dries, it gets somewhat lighter. If your hair is chronically dry, it has even less moisture content than other hair types.
The consistent lack of moisture reduces the hair’s weight, even more, so your hair would be lighter than well-hydrated hair.
Low moisture does cause dry, brittle hair, though, so this isn’t a goal you should be wanting to achieve.
How Much Synthetic Hair Weighs
Modern synthetic hair is exceptionally well-made, so many people can’t even tell the difference between it and natural hair.
It is made of artificial materials, such as acrylic or nylon. These fibers are lighter in weight than natural hair.
The fibers used for synthetic hair don’t weigh as much as the keratin that makes up your actual strands. Despite this fact, they still add more weight to your existing hair when synthetic hair is braided in with your natural hair.
The actual weight of a synthetic wig will depend on its length, thickness, and density.
How Much Do Hair Bundles Weigh?
Bundles are made of virgin hair, typically collected from Asian women. The natural hair is then attached to wefts to hold the strands together. These bundles of hair are then used for weaves.
The average hair bundle weighs around 4 ounces. For the most part, you won’t be using only one bundle for your weave. How many you need will depend on your head size, hair length, and desired thickness.
Most women use three or four of them for a full weave. Since they are usually made of natural hair, bundles weigh about the same as the rest of your hair.
However, the weft adds weight that you may not have considered when getting a weave. Though the bundles won’t be overly heavy, they may add a couple of extra ounces to your hair’s average weight.
How Much Do Wigs Weigh?
There is no set weight for wigs since there are two different types to choose from. These include synthetic wigs and natural wigs. How much they weigh is only one thing to consider since each one has benefits and downsides.
Synthetic Wigs
Synthetic wigs are popular because they are easy to deal with. They come fully styled, so you don’t need to fuss with them. You can just put them on, make a few adjustments, and you’re ready to go.
Synthetic hair is lightweight as well when compared to natural hair. Depending on the length of the wig, you may only be adding a pound or two on your head. You likely won’t even notice the weight, even when wearing it all day long.
Of course, these wigs have their downsides. The materials used for these wigs can’t handle high heat, so you won’t be able to flat iron or curl your synthetic unit.
They also can’t be restyled, so you’ll need multiple wigs if you want to switch up your look now and then.
Human Hair Wigs
Human hair wigs are heavier than synthetic wigs at about 1.5 to 2 pounds. The total weight depends on how the wig is manufactured and the length of the hair.
Some wigs are made to include ventilation for a more natural look and lightweight wear. Unventilated wigs include more hairs per knot.
These are quicker to make but are also much heavier. They also don’t breathe as well, so they aren’t as comfortable to wear.
Despite the extra weight of the natural hair wigs, they have some benefits worth considering. They can be professionally colored however you’d like to match your skin tone or switch up your look.
You can also change up the style whenever you want, even using your heating tools and regular styling products.
How Can You Weigh Your Hair
There is no way to accurately weigh your hair without shaving it off and placing it on a scale.
The method we described above factors in hair color and a 6-inch length – it can only give you an estimated weight.
And if your hair is longer or shorter than 6 inches, the method won’t yield accurate results. It’s also important to consider the fact that your strands won’t all be the exact same length.
Even if your hair is bluntly cut, the hair near the crown of your head will be longer than the strands near the nape. Layering also alters the lengths of the individual strands, which makes a proper weight calculation impossible.
If your hair is too heavy, you’ll know it. You’ll notice some or all of the following effects:
- Increased shedding.
- Hair loss.
- Scalp pain.
- Neck pain.
You’re most likely to deal with heavy hair when you attach too much hair to your head, no matter if it’s synthetic or human hair.
So, keep the weight of your hair in mind when you’re wearing long protective styles. The shorter you wear your hair, and the less hair you add, the less weight you’ll add to your natural hair.
- Which Race Has the Most Hair on Their Head?
- How Many Individual Hairs Are on a Human Head
- How To Use Exercise for Hair Growth
There you have it! We’ve discussed the weight of various types of hair, including synthetic hair, natural hair bundles, wigs, and more. We hope that this article has been helpful to you and wish you the best.
Kenneth Byrd holds a BS in Accounting and Management Information Systems and an MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. With over 15 years of experience, Kenneth has been dedicated to hair care since 2008, when he co-founded Curl Centric® and Natural Hair Box alongside his wife. As a team, they promote healthy hair care practices through their comprehensive platform, Curl Centric. Curl Centric is a website operated by a husband and wife team that encourages healthy hair care. At Curl Centric, we aim to help our readers take control of their hair care journey and make good decisions about products, hairstyles, and maintenance techniques. We also have strict editorial integrity; here’s an explanation of our editorial guidelines and how we make money.