This just in via Scientific American: Straight hair is knottier than curly hair. The American Journal of Physics reports that according to mathematical models and real world testing, straight hair gets 67% more "true tangles" than curly hair. Apparently, the key factor is how fine or coarse the hair is. Straight hair is more often more fine. Fine/straight hair sticks to itself more. In the model, "it turns out that even though curly strands meet more often than straight strands, the angle at which two straight hairs meet is the angle most likely to lead to tangling."The takeaway? If you are a curly-haired person, take comfort in knowing that your straight haired friends may indeed have more problems than you do with tangles. (Provided they have long enough hair.) If you are a straight-haired person, bookmark this article to show your curly-haired friends the next time they complain about the manageability of their hair.
